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Aviation History
1927
1927 - 0251.PDF
APRIL 14. 1927 [" FLIGHT " Photograph MACHINES IN USE BY THE LONDON AEROPLANE CLUB : These are four de Havilland " Moths with "Cirrus " engines, and a Bristol "Brownie" with Bristol "Cherub" engine man out of existence, and he apparently drew such a heart-rending picture of the fate of the lonely little orphan that he was told to take it away. Thus a stranger duly enteredthe clannish domain of the " Moth " family at Stag Lane. How he was received we do not know, but we can guess.He has survived until to-day, and is apparently going to Bournemouth with the family for the Easter, so there mustbe some amicable understanding. It seems he is only a visitor to the club, but one of those visitors who can stopuntil they get homesick. It seems, too, that he still has certain rights left, for although he is a " Brownie " he is asilver-grey, whereas his hosts are mostly brownies. Thus the club is rich with five machines, in which goodfortune it is only equalled by the Lancashire Club, although this number is not adequate for the ever-increasing demand.While the number of instructors is limited it is no doubt sufficient for instruction purposes; but for the demandsof those who have learned to fly and want a machine with which to keep in practice, and for mere passengers too, anunlimited fleet of machines is required. Since the flying club began in August, 1925, various localrecords have been made. The flying record for one day has reached 22 hrs. 45 mins., and for a week, 82 hrs. For onemonth's flying the highest record is 206 hrs. 15 mins. The number of flights made in one day amount to 60. Duringthe whole period of twenty months' flying since August, 1925, 50 pilots have been trained, 39 ab initio, the other elevenhaving had various flying experience previously, some being ex-service pilots. Up to March 31, 1927, the total of flyinghours amounted to 2,202 hrs. 45 mins. It is significant of the simplicity and adaptability that even novices discoverin becoming a pilot that no pupil who has seriously joined the club for the express purpose of learning to fly has failed. Ithas never proved too exacting for their nerve or too complex and skilled for their intellect, however ignorant of aeronauticsit might be. The leading spirit in the daily routine of flying is the ChiefInstructor, Captain Sparks. He has an incurable and infec- tious optimism which immediately calms and assures themost diffident of pupils. He is possessed with an almost whirlwind energy, and this, together with his fluent andarresting conversation, makes all who come in contact with him unusually alert and active. It is impossible to have theslightest lack of confidence in him as an instructor or imagine him in any difficulty in the air. He is, perhaps, an uncon-ventional pilot instructor, for so many of them are very taci- turn and almost dour, due, no doubt, to the long strain ofinstructional flying. He is a pilot of long experience, having [" FLIGHT " Photograph THE LONDON AEROPLANE CLUB : This group of members includes, from left to right : P/O. P. G. ^uc, H. G. Riches, A. G. Wallis, Captain F. G. M. Sparks, Major K. M. Beaumont, G. Terrell, W.Beckett, K. V. Wright, A. R. Ogston, B Waugh, G. Gibbons (Apprentice engineer), W. Moss (Engineer). 225
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