008:12 ANOTHER STEP IN CONQUEST OF AIR
“An Autogyro, one of the world’s strangest aircraft, is tried out at Christchurch, N.Z.”
This aircraft is the first of its type to be flown in the Southern Hemisphere. The helicopter-type airplane ZK-ACL takes off from airfield, circles the area then lands again. The aircraft needs a short run to be airborne, and may also be landed in a small space.
009:21 Last picture frame.
“The first rotorcraft in New Zealand skies was a Cierva C19 Mk III autogyro, licence-built by A.V. Roe and Company in the UK. Imported in December 1930 be Garland and Grant Ltd, the two-seat machine was assembled and flown from Wigram. [...] The rotorcraft’s flying career in New Zealand was short and filled with incident. Having damaged a blade at Invercargill in January it was registered to Safety Flying (North Island) Ltd of Wellington as ZK-ACL. After the arrival of a spare blade from England the Cierva was back in the air at the beginning of April. It set out on a North Island tour but was subsequently blown over by a gust of wind at Wanganui on 17 April 1931. The autogiro never flew again, being shipped back to the UK - another aviation enterprise that failed to meet its promoter’s expectations”. (New Zealand Wings Archives)