HOW IT FEELS TO FLY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3330, 23 September 1911, Page 2

HOW IT FEELS TO FLY.

MR. MAMMO-MD" ARRIVES IN I AUCKLAND, ' H.Z. BIRD-MAN EXPLAINS. . “JUST LIKE A LBFT OR A MOTOR CAR.” ISPECIAL to times. 3 .AUCKLAND, Sept, 22. Mr J. J. Hammond., the,New’ Zealand aeronaut, who has been extensively flying in Australia, England, Germany and France, arrived in Auckland this nioirning after being laid! up with appendicitis fcT three months at Palmerston. Of peculiar interest was a chat your representative had with the aeronaut this morning. Modest, and inclined to be reticent about his profession, Mr Hammond, nevertheless, talked on a subject which creates interest the world over, and no one can. talk, of his chosen profession without warming to tlie subject, and when such names, as Vednnes (winner of the Paris-Madrid; race, and second in the last "Daily Mail” coptest), and Beaumont cropped up, the speaker showed! no backwardness in speaking in praise of these. Mr Hammond is well acquainted with the former, whom lie describes as a real likeable fellow, and an expert mechanician, and a man who has sprung into fame entirely as the result of his own ability. * "Doing, not talking,” is a motto Mr Hammond has always borne in mind, and he showed no liking in the discussion when it centred round liis own feats. Asked liow it feels to. fly, the airman’s description was that it was similar to the first ride in a fast motor car, or going up in a quick lift. Why did you take it up ? , "Oli, just inquisitiveness, 77 was the reply and then the birdman launched out and told how a liking for adventure had always possessed him, and with it, a natural aptitude for mechanics. He learnt his flying in France, and although lie had a professor, did most of the teaching himself, and in less than three days was able to emulate the birds. No, he had no fear of accidents, answered the young aeronaut to a question, and lie believed that- all the accidents that had occurred in this hazardous field were .preventible. In many cases the flyers lost their heads lie considered. Mi Hammond himself must have a particularly clear head, for lie pointed out that although it is possible to smash up a thousand pounds in a second, lie has never had to expend a penny for accidents vet.. "Never criticise in your own profession,” said the flying man, when asked would he give an opinion as to the feasibility of Dr. Mawson’s plan to reach the Pole by aeroplane, but he struck a pertinent point in this regard when he explained that under ordinary conditions the petrol froze in the aeroplane’s tank when up 7000 feet, or .000 feet, and he added: "You’ve .got it cold all the time in the Polar regions.” As an instance the pressman was invited to take a motor car and let it stay in a freezing chamber for some time, and then try to run it. The invitation was declined, hut the illustration was apt. Several attempts have been made by amateur airmen to fly in New Zealand, but so far very few of the public have ever seen an aeroplane. Therefore the . opportunity would be eagerly grasped should the New Zealander —a professional at the game—decide to give exhibitions here. The visitor was asked his intentions in this respect, and! the reply was that the question was purely one of finance. He would want a guarantee of some £3OOO to bring .his machines here, for as he naively intimated, “You can see flying as well outside the fence as in.”

It is a big undertaking to conduct flying exhibitions. Mr Hammond has one monoplane machine in France with a 100-horse power Gnome egine, which alone cost £960, and if he came to New Zealand he would require to 1 bring two machines, which would run into a cost of £2400j and in addition a couple of skilled mechanics.