Remember the Pioneers

An extract from an old letter dated March 3, 1923 is as follows:

There was a further formation of clouds gathered about Yanrey, immediately ahead of me. As I approached, this became more dense, and very back and threatening-looking. Some 25 miles from Yanrey, heavy rain began to obstruct my vision. I was flying at a height of 4,000 ft., and the ground was practically obscured by this first rain shower. The lightning flashes were almost blinding and were
absolutely terrible.

I ran out of the rain within a few minutes, but was completely surrounded by heavy back clouds and rain showers. Just at this time I noticed the machine gaining altitude at a considerable velocity. Not wishing to get up into the worst of the clouds, I shut the engine off, but to my amazement the machine continued to rise rapidly, and went from a height of 4,000 to 5,000 ft. in the space of two or three minutes.

This however, did not last very long, and I was able to descend normally to a height of about 1,000 ft., where the ground though hazy was visable. As I proceeded the rain again became heavy and I was totally unable to find the Yanrey homestead or landing-ground through this density. However, after coming down still lower, to somewhere round 400 ft., I finally saw the homestead and landing-ground, and landed in a slight lull in the rain. I only stayed a few minutes and proceeded to Onslow, leaving the cockeye behind.

I have now flown in the vicinity of 50,000 miles up and down the coast, and during the willy season cannot, but strongly recommend Oven more stringent precautions than are at present being taken.

The cockeyes, without exception, experienced by myself and other pilots, have been most undesirable and most uncanny.

I would like to add that the warnings issued from the Meteorological Department in Perth have been without exception more than advantageous, in that we have been put on our guard, and never without justification for this action.

Bureau of Meteorology