History:

In February 1913 a building contractor from Hay, NSW, Mr V B Sylvander, commenced construction of a Chanute type biplane glider which was towed into the air by a motor vehicle and a successful flight was made on 18 May 1913. In April 1915 he informed the military authorities he had built a powered biplane and sought permission to make trial flights. He was informed he could not make any flights until the aircraft had been registered with ‘the Commandant in Sydney’.

Power plant was a 37-kw (50-hp) Alvaston engine. Eventually a trial flight was made by Edwin Prosser at Somerset on 24 April 1915 and the machine flew well but was underpowered. Subsequently, short flights were made in May in aid of the Belgian Relief Fund but were disappointing due to the lack of power from the engine installed. Its ultimate fate is not known.

Photograph: The Sylvander Howard Biplane in Hay (Riverina Grazier Newspaper, 4 September 1959)

Further information:

Information on this aircraft is currently limited. The Author welcomes any further specifications and/or details to update the site.