WIND WRECKS YOUTH’S HOME
BUILT PLANE
Efforts of Year Destroyed
in Moment in W. Stockbridge.
Vernon
F. Ferry, airminded West Stockbridge youth, feels today that a streak of tough
luck is following him but it is barely possible that the hand of Providence had
something to do with wrecking of a one seated plane by the wind, which had
taken him over a year to construct by hand.
The
ship, of the builder’s own design, was practically ready for a trial trip when
Ferry decided that a change should be made in the motor. It had been taken from
the ship and removed to the owner’s garage when a northeaster swooped down over
the field where it was anchored and strewed the labors of many months from one
end to the other. He will not attempt to rebuild it.
About
a year ago the local man purchased wood for the construction of a plane. He
worked long hours, after closing time of his shop. He was delayed at times owing to finances, as
the cost of an airplane, even if built by its designer, runs into several
hundred dollars. He kept at his task
while friends expressed the opinion that he would never complete it. Two weeks ago, howevtr, folks were given the
first view of the plane apparently completely.
Mr.
Ferry kept the plane on the ground and tried out the motor and other parts. He
had an expert view the plane who passed favorable judgement. Everything was
ready for a takeoff when the owner decided a slight change in the motor was
necessary. This was taken out and
brought to the garage for the repairs.
The craft was tied down near the owner’s home on Cherry Hill Road.
After
working on the motor for two hours, Mr. Ferry received a call from a neighbor
who said the airplane was wrecked. Rushing to the scene the local man learned
the fate of his craft. The wind had broken one rope that held it down and in
some manner another rope was untied. This placed a year’s work at the mercy of
the gales with the result that it was destroyed.
Mr.
Ferry received instructions for operating airplanes from Ted White at the
Pittsfield Airport last summer. He made his first solo flight from the field
and has covered considerable territory by air. He has but a few hours in the
air before he may apply for an operator’s license.
Chatham
Courier, 21 April 1932
Lost
Aviator Lands Ship in Central Park
“Hole”
in Haze Leads Aviator Away from Skyscraper Perils
There
was a “hole” in the thick morning haze and Aviator Vernon Ferry dived for it.
“Ah,
Sandy Hook,” he said to himself. “I’m
right on my course.”
The
heavy cabin monoplane bumped to a stop after a perfect landing—smack on the bed
of the old reservoir in Central Park, and nary a baby carriage, nor a boy, nor
a man with a hoe had been so much as scratched.
Ferry’s
only response when it was pointed out how close he must have been to the
towering skyscrapers a few blocks southward during his hour of frantic circling
in the black murk was only to close his eyes and shudder.
Park
Rules Take a Beating
Police
made no charge against him, although landing a plane in the park is in strict
violation of several city ordinances, but took him to the Arsenal station in
the park to make a report.
Although
Ferry’s landing was perfect, a wheel was damaged by the rough ground, now being
leveled for a baseball diamond. He sent
for a new wheel and announced he would take off again as soon as the weather
cleared.
The
police marveled that the aviator was able to bring his ship down in the park
without injuring any one. They also
marveled at his skill in landing a large ship in such a limited space.
Ferry
said he was en route from Asbury Park to Roosevelt Field on Long Island when he
became blanketed.
He
is a garage owner at Stockbridge and operates a passenger place service as a
sideline.
New
York Evening Post, 9 July 1935
VOLUNTEERS TO FLY MAIL
Local
Pilots Will Carry Covers on Special Flights
Volunteer
pilots will carry air mail Thursday, May 19, as a stunt feature of the National
Air Mail week campaign, it was announced today by Albert Goldman, New York City
postmaster and state chairman of the campaign.
Each
pilot will pick up air mail at the postoffice in his home city and fly it to
the nearest air mail terminus for transfer to regular mail planes. The flight from Troy with several sacks of
philatelic mail for transfer at Albany Airport will be made by Deputy Chief
Inspector George M. Searle of the State Police, a veteran flier.
The
Postoffice Department said air mail cover collectors who wish their covers
carried on the special flights should forward them to the postmaster at the
office where voluntter pilots will make the pickup.
Other
Capital District pilots who wil participate are oJhn Buzzanco, Kingston, from
that city to Floyd Bennett Field; oJhn H. Garraghan, Windham, to Newark
Airport; Clarence H. Flora, Corinth; Charles A. Georgia, Oneonta; George
Fedush, Saratoga Springs, and George C. Haven, Schenectady, who will fly from
those communities to Albany Airport, and Vernon Ferry, Stockbridge, Mass., and
George W. Canady, East Greenbush, who will make the short hop from Rensselaer
to Albany.
Albany Knickerbocker News, 30 May 1938.
Ex-District
Pilot Killed in Plane Crash
W.
Dick Ferry, about 50, widely known in the Capital District as a flying
instructor and former operator of East Greenbush Airport, was killed, along
with a woman passenger, when his light plane crashed into a Tennessee hillside
Saturday.
The
passenger was identified as Mrs. Ben D. McCubbins, Salisbury, N.C.
R.
L. Caruthers, manager of the airport at Franklin, Tenn., near the scene of the
crash, said Ferry was flying on instruments in a violent rainstorm when he
crashed. He was flying his own machine,
a four-place Beechcraft Bonanza.
Ferry
moved to Huntington, W. Va., about 2½ years ago, when he went to work for the
Island Creek Coal Company as a pilot.
Albany
Knickerbocker News, 12 April 1954
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