AIRMAN RETURNS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1048, 12 August 1930, Page 14

AIRMAN RETURNS

AUCKLANDER’S CRASHES IN FRANCE “STILL KEEN ON FLYING” ‘‘l'm keener on flying than ever.” In the face of his two bad crashes in France, when attempting to fly from England to Australia, this was the unexpected remark made by the Aucklander, Mr. C. P. Parkerson, who returned by the Maunganui this morning. Mr. Parkerson makes light of his misfortune and holds that it was simply a stroke of bad luck. He certainly bore no marks from the injuries he suffered in his second crash and is looking forward to flying in New Zealand. “I don’t think I could ever keep away from it now,” he said. It was in March of last year that Mr. Parkerson left for England in connection with the hemp industry. On the completion of his business he then centred all his efforts on flying and in December gained his “A” pilot’s licence at the Cinque Ports Flying Club, of which he was a member. Previous to this, however, be had in mind a flight to Australia and looked upon it as the most desirable way of getting an airplane to New Zealand for private use. BUND FLYING Mr. Parkerson purchased a D.II. Gipsy-Moth and accomplished several cross-country flights, but nothing exceeding 150 miles. He also had tuition in flying by the compass and with the aid of this instrument had the experiences of blind-flying through dense fog and snow storms. “That is the trouble with flying in England,” he says, “you never know what sort of w r eather you are going to have. There is always the chance of running into a fog or storm and it is most essential to have a compass and know all about it.” On one of his jaunts about England he flew over the French airliner just a few minutes after it had crashed and burst into flames, on February 10.

All the time Mr. Parkerson was preparing himself for his Australian flight, but on several occasions he experienced engine trouble and was often forced down in awkward places. He had nearly 40 hours’ solo to his credit by March 23, of this year, when he left the Lympne airdrome, bound for the Commonwealth. It was early morning when he left. Weather conditions were perfect and he experienced a most pleasant flight across the English Channel. He maintained a height of about 2,000 feet and all was well until he was within 40 miles of Paris, when his engine cut-out. Landing grounds beneath were impossible, but he set a good gliding range and came down in a rough paddock. The machine somersaulted and the force of the impact dug it about 12 inches into the ground. Air. Parkerson was not injured and was held in the cockpit by the belt. SECOND ATTEMPT

He spoke in glowing terms of the hospitality of the French people in the vicinity, who gave him assistance and he eventually had his machine transported to Le Bourget where it was repaired. He flew hack to England and made a fresh start on April 21.

“Flying conditions were rotten when I set out on this occasion,” said Mr. Parkerson. The weather was heavy over the Channel and he passed through sleet and low-lying clouds. For nearly two hours it was almost blind flying. He opened out the throttle to go through a fog bank and as he continued to climb, the engine suddenly caught on fire. The hurst of flames came back on the pilot and burned his face. The engine was still running, but to avoid further burns, Mr. Parkerson had to put his plane into a side-slip. Gradually he went, down, but there was nothing left to do but to continue the “slip.” With little warning there was a crash. The plane hit the top of a high tree, went into a spin and crashed to the ground at a terrific rate, landing up-side-down. Fortunately the pilot was not strapped in and was thrown clear. This, together with the fact that he was wearing a heavy flying suit, saved him from more serious injuries than the burns to his face. “No one seems to know just how I got out of the serape without being badly smashed up,” he said. "It was wonderful.”