Healesville and Yarra Glen Guardian Saturday 13 July 1918

Healesville and Yarra Glen Guardian Saturday 13 July 1918
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Title: Healesville and Yarra Glen Guardian Saturday 13 July 1918
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by: Jason Potts JP
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Healesville Aviator. Healesville has been represented in the air for some time past by Cr. Crooke's son but another representative of this town has now followed him into the azure. In a letter to his brother, received to-day (Friday), Second Air Mechanic Charles Potts thus describes his first flight: "I had my first trip into space to-day (May 19th). It was just simply lovely, and exhilarating. I will try to describe it. I went up to the hangars with the sergeant. He had asked about me, and had been promised by Major ____. We just struck him lovely. He was ready to go up, and said he would take me. Of course, my heart began straightway to thump. I went out to the bus., and he sent me back to get a hat. I got a pilot's hat that fitted over my head and shoulders just like a Balaclava; it was fur lined too. Then the Major got in, and I followed and sat in the front seat. You can guess that by now my heart was going at some pace. I put the safety belt around me and sat there waiting and didn't feel so excited then. I was getting used to it. Then the sergeant swung the propeller and the engine began to roar. We ran out onto the drome for a while to get plenty of room to get our airspeed. All ready! The thing was vibrating some pace and then let her out. I have often said that I have flown over the ground, but can now really say that I have. We took off at some speed and soon left the ground. We were hardly off the earth when he banked, that is, he tilted sideways, with one wing much below the other. Oh! Wasn’t it a sensation? I guess I never felt anything like it. After a few turns and banks we set off for a straight fly. We got over a little village where evidently some friends of the Major were and all of a sudden he looped the loop. I was going on well when the next thing I knew was that the joystick was touching my stomach and over we went. It was funny being upside down; I liked it though. We did some more stunts and then he flew right over a house and dropped a letter. He also waved to them. We then did a nose dive - a turn that I think was done on a 3d bit it was so sharp, and a bank first to the right then to the left. I was dying for him land but shut my teeth and pulled myself together a bit. I soon felt alright again then. Well, after this show off in front of his friends he set off home again. We did another nose dive for a long way, the wires whistling like anything, and then a sudden swoop up again. We got to camp and he did some more stunts – a spiral nose dive this time, with the wind whistling at the same pace. Then, instead of another loop, he turned on his back, and with a graceful curve righted himself. It is some fun flying upside down. You would not know except for loss of the sight of land. My word the country looks absolutely spiffing from up top. We were up some height, too, when we started the nose dive. It was good oh! After a bit of a fly round we landed safely. The Major is some bird, I tell you. I was white and sea sick when I got out of the bus and I still have a headache. I’ll never forget the first fly and an looking forward to another.

 
Given names Surname GIVN SURN Sosa SOSA Birth SORT_BIRT Place NCHI Death SORT_DEAT Age AGE Place Last change CHAN SEX BIRT DEAT TREE
Charles Ernest Herbert "Charlie" Potts B.A.
Charles Ernest HerbertAAAAPottsPottsAAAACharles Ernest Herbert 021 June 18962413732128Healesville, Victoria, Australia3321 August 19572436072676122340Surrey Hills, Victoria, Australia  MYESY100