Richard William Pearse was first New Zealander to fly. Richard Pearse was born 3rd December 1877 at Waitohi flat, Temuka South Island.
Richard Pearse possibly flew his earliest aeroplane in March 1903. In his first flight he traveled approximetely 100 metres and crashed into a gorse fence on his farm.
In the early 1930s he set about desiging and building a second aircraft.His competitors were Orville and Wilbur Wright.
Richard Pearse
