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Aviation History
1929
1929 - 0305.PDF
FEBRUARY 14, 1929 DRIVA FLYING A Section of FLIGHT in the Interests of the Private Owner, Owner-Pilot, and Club Member THE SUFFOLK CLUB'S WELCOME TO THE HON. LADY BAILEY THE Hon. Lady Bailey was welcomed by the Suffolk and Eastern Counties Aeroplane Club, of which she is President, on February 7. It was arranged that Lady Bailey should fly down from London during the day and open the new clubhouse. Mr. Courtney N. Prentice and Dr. James C. Sleigh, of the Suffolk Club, each left Hadleigh at mid-day in the Club's Blackburn " Bluebirds " (Armstrong-Siddeley " Genet " engines) with passengers to meet Lady Bailey and escort her to the aerodrome, but they returned alone after a considerable flight and reported thick weather. Mean- while Lady Bailey had left Stag Lane in her Cirrus-Moth, pride in that it was accomplished by their president. But he did not think he could say they had taken any more pride than other people had done all over the country. The achievement had been marked by the grant of the International Aeronau- tical Association medal, a recognition of Lady Bailey as the champion airwoman. It was the second year in succession that she had won that medal. Some of them, continued the speaker, had started on cross- country flights, got lost, come down to a railway station, and found where they were. Lady Bailey had worked on a map of 1 in. to 100 or 200 miles, with no railway station^, but [" FLIGHT " Photographs SUFFOLK AND EASTERN COUNTIES AEROPLANE CLUB : In the group on the left are (left to right) Mrs. H. L. Billinton, Mrs. James C. Sleigh, Mrs. Courtney N. Prentice and Mr. Courtney N. Prentice. On the right are (left to right) Mr. G. E. Lowdell, A.F.M. instructor pilot, Mr. H. L. Billinton, a director, and Maj. P. L. Holmes, D.S.C., the secretary. In the centre picture is Dr. James C. Sleigh, the chairman. The machines are Blackburn " Bluebirds " (Armstrong-Siddeley " Genet " engines). but was obliged to descend owing to fog. Later another attempt was made and a detour round south London tried to escape the fog belt but the conditions were the same every- where in the locality, and very wisely Lady Bailey decided to land at Croydon. She could only see a ground patch immediately below. Late in the afternoon Lady Bailey reached Ipswich by- car and was the guest of the Club at "a dinner at the Great White Horse Hotel which was followed by a dance. There •was a company of over 150 to welcome her. Dr. Sleigh, chairman of the club, presided, and the Mayor ( Dr. J. F. C. Hossack) was also present. In his speech Dr. Sleigh said that Lady Bailey's African flight was certainly one of the most im- portant ever made, and they of the Suffolk Club took a natural she got to her destination. It was a flight exceptional for many reasons. Did it not show the great advance flying had made during the last ten years ? It was a great achieve- ment by the pilot and the machine. He recalled how they secured Lady Bailey as president at a time when the club met in a small room. She had brought it prestige and the club certainly progressed. Clubs like theirs had been formed to teach people to fly and obviously had great use. Lady Bailey then thanked the company for the reception and expressed her pleasure at the great improvement and won- derful progress they had been able to record whilst she had been away. At the beginning of the club she had thought that not a great deal of confidence was being shown in that part lift
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