From: "Philip Merryman" <phil_merryman@hotmail.com>

Date: Mon Apr 08, 2002 09:38:34 PM Etc/GMT

Subject: First Powered Flight??

Hi again,

A TRUE extra bit!! :-)

I may have done Timaru a bit of a disservice. In my research in the town i ended up in the museum. Hanging from the ceiling was a replica of a flying machine, about the size of a modern microlight. This was build by Richard Pearse a Kiwi inventor back in 1902 who lived in the area. By the accounts he actually got it to fly in 1902, flying a short distance before landing in a hedge. However he didn't regard this as good enough, so never really told anyone about it. He did all this in the back yard on minimal money. He got it you fly more than once.

However after the Wright brothers in 1903 he has largely been unheard of outside NZ. I asked if there was any more info about him but the museum said that any books were now out of print. Oh well, something else to look into!

Cheers

Phil