FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1917
1917 - 0004.PDF
IfijGHT On another page of this issue of Co-ordination" FLIGHT" will be found the full text ol Aviation. °f a most important announcement dealing with the relations of two of the bodies charged with the development of the interests of aviation. Under the new arrangement, as disclosed by this document, the scientific and manufacturing interests of the movement will progress hand in hand under auspices which cannot fail to work to the greatest benefit to the cause of aviation. Briefly, the agreement once more emphasises the Aeronautical Society—into which much more activity is to be infused—as the paramount scientific body, while the same position industrially is now assigned to the Society of British Aircraft Constructors. The joint work of these two bodies will be carried out by a Standing Committee consisting of equal numbers of the Council of the Aeronautical Society and of the Committee of Management of the Society of Construc- tors, the Joint Committee having power to invite representatives of Government Departments and other bodies to assist when desirable. Questions relating to scientific research will, naturally, be dealt with by the Aeronautical Society ; industrial matters will be reserved to the Society of Constructors. In addition, Technical Committees are to be established by the Aeronautical Society on the recommendation of the Standing Committee when the formation of such committees is deemed necessary for purpose? of research. The new arrangement is altogether admirable both in principle and in practice. Aviation has progressed to such an extent since the beginning of the war, that it has now become a firmly-established part of the scientific and industrial life of the country. On both sides of the movement it has attained dimensions that make it essential that the house should be put in order to the end that all progress in the future should be pro]»rly co-ordinated in order that time should not be wasted in futilities. By the use of that word we mean to convey that all detached or misdirected effort must be futile, since it either leads nowhere at all or at the best must arrive at the desired end by devious paths. Only by the close association of both scientific and industrial research can development pursue its course by the easiest and shortest roads. For this reason we welcome the new order of things, The Chairman of the Air Board.THE following announcement was issued by the Press Bureau on Tuesday evening :—" Baron Cowdray of Midhurst has been appointed Chairman of the Air Board. In accepting this office Lord Cowdraystipulates that he does so without salary." Other Air Board Officers.AT the same time it was unofficially announced that Mr. Percy Martin, managing director of the Daimler Co., has beenappointed to take charge of the production of engines for motor transport and for aeroplanes, and that Mr. WilliamWeir, of Glasgow, is to be in charge of the supply of aircraft. It is stated that the whole responsibility for the supply ofengines for the Army and Navy motor trahsport services, for Naval and Army aircraft, " tanks," and for agriculturalmachinery will be under the control of Mr. Martin. - Lord Sydenham and the Air Board.IT was announced on December 30th that Lord Syden- ham had tendered his resignation as a member of the AirBoard. Since Lord Curzon became a member of the War Cabinet Lord Sydenham lias presided over the Board in his stead. Conserving Alcohol Supplies. THE reopirements of alcohol in the production of muni-tions, for tmb transport and air services, and for other pur- poses directly connected with the war, are increasing to so JANUARY 4, IQI?, which is eloquent of promise for the future of the great movement of aviation in Great Britain. The course which these two paramount bodies has taken is one that might with advantage be ex- tended by making the arrangement a three-cornered one, and including the body which represents and controls the sporting and the development of the art side of the movement—the Royal Aero Club. There is no doubt in our mind that the sporting side of aviation will, in the post-war days, continue to exer- cise a very powerful influence on the progress and development of flying. It has done so in the past— in fact, it is not going beyond the strict and literal facts to say that had it not been for the sporting influence so skilfully nurtured in the past, both the "scierice and the industry would have lagged far behind the progress that has been made. It was the wealthy sportsman who found the money for development in the early days of the movement, and who thus made it possible for the nucleus industry to take shape as we knew it before the war. When once again peace reigns over the earth, it will be the sportsman to whom the industry will have to look for a substantial measure of support, and from this point of view, if from no other, such a three-cornered arrangement- as we suggest would appear desirable. There is ample pre- cedent for it. It may be recalled that in 1909 an agreement was entered into between the Aero Club, as it then was, the Aeronautical Society and the now more or less moribund Aerial League. This agreement divided the aerial movement under three fundamental heads : sport, scientific investigation, and the influenc- ing of public opinion in the development of aviation from the point of view of national defence. The agreement denned the separate spheres of the three parties, each being recognised as the paramount body in its own sphere. If now we substitute the industrial interest for the influencing of public opinion, merely for the purposes of the argument, there seems to be made out a very good case for the suggested arrange- ment. It may be argued that the Club is already the paramount organisation of the sporting side of the movement, as is the fact, but we prefer the concrete to the tacit in such matters as these. These three bodies thus in intimate association, should assure to the art and industry the fullest protection and help. great an extent that the Minister of Munitions has appointedan Advisory Committee to consider the best means to be adopted for securing adequate supplies of alcohol to meetthe demand for war purposes and the essential industrial trades. The Committee comprises the leading men in thetrade, and consists of representatives of the large patent still or grain distilleries, the malt or pot still distilleries, therectifiers, and the niethylators. The Board of Agriculture, the Board of Customs and Excise, the Board of Trade, andthe Ministry of Munitions have each a representative on the Committee. The Chairman of the Committee is Sir FredericNathan, Director of PropeUant Supplies, and Mr. W. H. Rattenbury, Explosives Department of the Ministry of Muni-tions. 32, Old Queen Street, S.W., is the Secretary. More Overseas Aircraft. IN addition to four aeroplanes, New South Wales Nos.5, 6, 7 and 8, presented through Mr. C. Alma Baker, the Overseas Club announces the following gifts to the RoyalFlying Corps from overseas ;— The Anrac, £1,500, raised by general subscriptions fromAustralia and New Zealand ; City of Adelaide £2 250, pre- sented by Mrs. Harry Bickford, Adelaide, S.A. ;' Nigeria,No. 3, £1.500. residents of Nigeria; Otago, New Zealand, £1,500, residents of the Otago District, N.Z. • Shanghai RaceClub, No. 3, £1,500, Shanghai Race Club ; Western Province of the Gold Coast, £1,500, residents of the Western Provinceof the Gold Coast.
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
