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Aviation History
1909
1909 - 0531.PDF
SEPTEMBER 4, 1909. sporting and social aspects, and the Aerial League of the British Empire the patriotic and propaganda. The field is amply covered by such provision. In any case, the suggestion of hastily promoting a flying machine meeting over here this month or next merely because one has materialised in France in the month of August, and has been extraordinarily successful, is one that is not necessarily feasible or to be recommended on balance. Flying conditions in this country cannot well be as ideal as those that obtained at Rheims, especially a month later, when the summer season will be overpast, and any only partial success would in the light of the French meet- ing do incalculable harm to British interests. Furthermore, we have the example of the well thought out, long since planned Brescia meeting that is no hurriedly gotten up scheme, and that is one concerning a district vastly more favourably situated climatically for the purpose than any part of these islands can be. Yet the Brescia meeting will not be a reproduction of the Betheny one. despite the lavish scale of the money prizes. Already this flying machine business is establishing itself as a serious industry, so that we find M. Bleriot announcing that the time available for coming over here on such an errand this year is far too short. And this statement of his brings to mind the reflection that there has been a deal of premature announcing of arrangements that have never been made. We have in mind, of course, the much talked-of Bleriot-Latham match, and are bound to confess that we do not like the style in which the Wembley project has been projected by the Aeroplane Club. Apart from thi example of Brescia, we must remember that aviators are very much concerned with other matters Flight and Insurance. ONE "sign of the times" that flight is getting beyond the mere " possible" stage is seen in the way that insurance underwriters are seriously considering the business to be done in "risks" incurred by those taking an active part in aerial navigation. A good deal of than demonstrating in England this month, for they have to make all their preparations against the Paris flying machine show. To those who might hastily assume slackness on the part of the A.C.U.K., and who might be inclined to applaud the Aeroplane Club for their mis- placed energy, we would point out that all such practical points as those just mentioned have doubtless been had in mind by the representative British Club, which is happily free from the taint of cheap advertising, and can therefore act as a real body of encouragement, having a sound and lasting policy. We write as a journal devoted to the best interests of the flying movement, and without any specific authority or inside knowledge of what the views of the Aero Club may be, but it is, moreover, only reasonable to assume that that body is aware that fairly early next year there should be a number of British aero- planists, with experience of British flyers, in addition to the present foreign leaders, so that a little delay in the date of holding our first aviation week would not be all loss to the immediate prospects of the British industry. In other words, let not the enthusiastic well-wisher of aeronautic progress in this country fall into the error of helping to set up conflicting representative institutions, which cannot fail to weaken the cause sooner or later, merely because he allows himself to be carried away by the theatrical blowing of trumpets of a subsidiary organi- sation with a high-sounding name, that has no real raison d'etre. There is absolutely no reason to suppose that the Aero Club has been idle or unmindful. If it has remained seemingly inactive to the man in the street it has only done so in the best interests of the movement. ^ <£> .-.••' :.'»;. ' •••/'. :'"'".v ••••-•. money changed hands in connection with the cross- Channel flight of M. Bleriot, but that partook very much of the nature of gambling on the result. Now, however, underwriters, seeing the marvellous progress which is made week by week, are contemplating developing a special branch of the business for dealing with aviation. RHEIMS AVIATION MEETING.—The President's "box" in the Grand Stand. ^'President Fallieres is in thecentre leaning on the edge of the box, following the flyers through field-glasses, whilst to his right is Madame Fallieres, General French and General le Brun (French Minister of War), and on his left are M. Briaud (Ministerof the Interior), and M. Deutsch de la Meurthe. 533 C
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