HIS FIRST FLIGHT

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 917, 10 March 1930, Page 10

HIS FIRST FLIGHT

SOLOMON ISLANDER GOES UP AT MANGERE FIRST OF HIS RACE Tver a. a. young Solomon Islander, stepped out of an airplane at the Mangere Airdrome this morning. He w % frightfully proud of himself. As far as the Solomon Islands unconcerned he has made history. Ivera is the first native from those islands to take a trip into the clouds. No wonder he was all smiles when he reached the earth again. *1 like it,” he remarked to the Rev. C. G. Scrirageour. "I like it and .I want to go up again. When 1 go back to the islands I'll be the rangitira for a while when I tell them that I've been flying.” Kera came from the Solomon Islands with the Rev. J. F. Goldie, ex-president of the Methodist Conference. Later he will attend the Methodist College at Paerata. So far the flight has been his greatest adventure. He was pleased with everything, particularly the flying kit in which he was dressed before going up. Only once Kera felt a little disturbed. That was when Lieutenant Allen, who was piloting the machine, shut off the engine. Kera thought that everything had gone wrong but he was soon reassured as the 'plane continued the flight. For 10 minutes he looked down on Auckland and occasionally disappeared through a bank of clouds, only to spin out again and wonder at the vast paronaram beneath him. Several photographs were taken on the flight. These will be memorable souvenirs to take back to the Solomons with him.