AVIATION

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XX, Issue 203, 16 August 1930, Page 3

AVIATION

(By

"Wing Tips”)

AIR-MINDEDNESS. It is a most peculiar thing that when a member of an aero club or, for that matter, any person connected with or even interested in flying to any extent, comes into conversation with the average town dweller, almost invariably the subject of conversation is flying. The enthusiast seldom gets in first, but is subjected to questions shot at him from the start, placing the enthusiast, or airminded person, on the defence as it were. The club member, as I shall now put it, is always, more or less, expected to reply in such a way as to excite the questioner’s curiosity more so than anything else. They want to know this, and they want to know that about flying sensations, and would give the club member the impression that he was very enthusiastic and would like to go up, become a member, or help in some way or other. Then these same people will come out to the 'drome and watch the ’planes in operation and be quite content with the thrill of looking on ! Yes, even prepared to witness a still greater thrill of seeing a machine crash, and if a ’plane does not happen to crash, go away disappointed in many cases. Should they see what a lot come to witness, “a crash,’’ then the verdict is sure to be, “I told you so ; you would not get me up in one of those things, for I heard the engine missing badly over the town yesterday.” There are, of course, people who would be thrilled by going up, but would want at the same time to have one foot on the ground. Often such expressions of opinion are heard such asn: “The ground will do me all my life,’’ “You would not get me up there for a thousand pounds,” “It would be a long way to fall if the bottom fell out,” and all that kind of bunk. In reply to these remarks of the cold-footed about the safety of flying, I would say the “fifth” or air sense has not shown development in these particular people; therefore, one could not expect anything else. Flying is proving more and more a very safe and speedy means of transit. Passenger comfort in air travel to-day leaves litle to be desired, more especially in the larger aircraft, and with the present immense strides, one wonders what it is going to become, say, ten years from now. The average New Zealander has not as yet awakened to the fact of the extent of the progress of aviation in the Mother Country, to say nothing of what is going on in other and foreign countries. We in this good little country of ours are far from the progress of the outside world, and it is as yet only those few endowed with airmindedness and who keep in constant touch with air progress of other countries who know sufficient about it. New Zealand is young in aviation, everyone is prepared to admit. Yet, on the face of things, though we have only started, and that in a humble way particularly in Hawke’s Bay, there is a section of the public pessimistic enough to ask what is going to happen to flying in New Zealand? They say it will never come to much, and that New Zealand is the wrong kind of country for serious flying, etc., etc. It is gratifying to know that we have also some optimists in New Zealand who believe so strongly that they will hoist aviation over the hilltop despite the struggle. I say “hats off” to the optimistic and pioneer members of aero clubs throughout this country,' and more especially to the members of the club in our own district, for if any club has had a struggle in overcoming difficulties, it is the Hawke’s Bay and East Coast Aero Club. Starting as it did with small capital. it has advanced its present position; but that position unfortunately, looks like staggering, owing to some hard knocks having been encountered. The settlers and citizens of Hawke's Bay ought to be proud of their club and should rally round the members with not only moral but financial support. Be up and doing, Hastings air-minded, and see how

you can make flying progress an it should by becoming real live members, either associate or active. Two men on the ground were watching an aeroplane flying around. Said one to the other; “Bill, I would not be up in that for £1000.” The reply was; “Anyway, I would not care to be up there without it I’’ The public eye has lately been fixed on the efforts of the Government at economy. National defence has been hit very badly and, 1 would venture the opinion, incorrectly. The military air force receives a sum of approximately £5OOO per annum, and with this sum we maintain about six obscolescent flying machines. Agaiust vtliom are we preparing to defend our country? There are only two possible hostile Powers within striking distance of our country, one in the far North and the other over the Pacific Ocean. Anyone with a knowledge of the rudiments of naval strategy knows very well that the Power over the Pacific could not attack this country in force, owing to lack of communications and oil bases; as fox the Power in the North, she would be too busy passing our near neighbour Australia to worry about us. But even if this country were attacked, what would happen? Well, an aircraft carrier of the same size as H.M.S. Courageous would come along to our shores and be capable of launching at least 75 aircraft into the sky. What would be . the use of our half dozen obsolete aicraft?

The best thing for the pilots to do would be to report sick to the medical officer, unless they were keen on being swatted. Now, as this has all been destructive criticism, how about a little construction? If the whole of the £5OOO were handed over to a commercial company and another £5OOO added by the public in £1 shares, a good service of large three-engined “Singapore” flying bouts could be started betwen Auckland and Dunedin,'with extensions serving Hawke's Buy. The machines could be converted at 24 hours’ notice into bombers, torpedo-earriers or coastal reconnaissance machines. The pilots would know the coasts from A to Z, nnd with three weeks’ training a year in armament gunnery would be very efficient territorial officers. In the event of hostilities, these pilots with their machines could at once take over the duties of coastal defence against commerce raiders and submarines—the only possible craft to attack our coasts. Would the members of our local aero club take note, that us many as possible are required to be at the 'drome to-morrow. Matters of importance will be discussed and urgent work attended to. so the officials require a good muster.