ÆRIAL NAVIGATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 254, 6 March 1911, Page 5

ÆRIAL NAVIGATION.

A WOMAN KILLED] By Cable—Press Association —Copyright. Madrid, March 3. A French aviator's aeroplane collapsed and fell on the spectators at the Hippodrome. One woman was killed, and several .pprsons seriously injured, . '

MARVELLOUS TRICK FLYING. HAMMOND AT MELBOURNE. Received 6, 12.20 a.m. Melbourne, March 5. Hammond' gave a remarkable display of aviation. He' turned as quickly as an expert swimmer, dived and allowed the biplane to slip sideways in an alarming manner/ and jumped fences. He will take passengers for short flights for a fee of twenty guineas.

AUCKLANDERS' AEROPLANE. SUCCESSFUL TRIALS OF CIRCULAR FLIGHTS., Auckland, March 3. The honor of being the first New Zealand aviators, as well as the first successful makers of an aeroplane in this country, rests with two young Auckland engineers, Messrs. Leo and Vivian Walsh. For some time past th<<y have been conducting satisfactory experitaents at Papakura, and have achieved one or two very good circular flights, besides many aerial excursions over shorter distances. It was hoped to have given a public exhibition about the beginning of the last month, but the day' before th# official trials were to have taken place, a mishap occurred, and the machine was somewhat damaged. This, however, was a blessing in disguise, as it served to demonstrate a structural weakness which has now, with the assistance of the latest Howard Wright plane from Home, been entirely remedied. The alterations necessary are just about complete, and it is hoped to make a public flight from the Papakura racecourse at aij early date. The machine is a duplicate of the Howard Wright machine with which the English "birdman," Sopwith, recently won upwards of £4OOO in prizes. It is 36 feet 6 inches wide, by 30 feet long, and is driven by a 60 horse-power E.N.U. engine, which is the make and power used in the Howard Wright biplanes at Home. The whole structure only weighs 11201b, including the engine, which weighs 2871b. It is built to carry two, and has been, successfully worked by both of the young engineers mentioned. An influential Auckland syndicate is backing the venture.

A NEW ZEALAND AVIATOR. The most, successful aeronaut to make flights in Australia thus far is Mr. J. J. Hammond, farmer, of Feilding, New Zealand. Interviewed after a very successful flight at Altona, near Melbourne, Mr. Hammond said that he left New Zealand some five years ago in search of adventures. From all accounts, his search was successful. Gold digging and trapping in Alaska were abandoned for rough-riding with Buffalo Bill's Show. Somehow or other, lie reached Rhcims, and ten days devoted to the study of aviation enabled him to secure an aviator's certificate. Asked as to the chief necessity of an airman, Mr. Hammond replied: "The chief thing is to be able to do the right thing at the right. moment," meaning confidence in one's capacity to manage the machine, and presence of mind in difficulties. Personally, Mr. Hammond likes to fly at a good height, the more air he has under him the safer he feels. Of narrow escapes, the New Zealander has had his fair share, but he seems to be one of those fortunate men who don't know what nerves are. Once when flying at a height of 800 feet his machine sideslipped, and dropped to within 50 feet of the ground before lie managed to stop it. "Now," said the aviator to the reporter, " if I had been only 400 feet up when that side-slip occurred, I would have been dead." During his flights in Melbourne, Mr. Hammond gave some very fine exhibitions, on one occasion flying from Altona to Geelong, a distance of 40 miles, which he covered in 55 minutes. On another occasion he reached a height of 3000 feet, the present Australasian record. The machine used is a bi-plane, of English manufacture. It weighs 7001b, and is driven by a Gnome engine of 50 h.p. Mrs. Hammond intends accompanying her husband when he attempts to fly from Melbourne to Bendigo or Ballarat. Mr. Hammond is an aviator with a pretty wit, for when talking about the risks of aviation, he mentioned that during his last flight he carried in his pocket his land-tax paper for his Earm at Feilding, and having done that, he evidently thinks that there is nothing further to be feared.