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Aviation History
1917
1917 - 0521.PDF
Flight, May 31, 1917. Fjfst Aero Weekly in the World. Founder and Editor: STANLEY SPOONER. , 3* A Journal devoted to the Interests, Practice, and Progress of Aerial Locomotion and Transport. OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE ROYAL AERO CLUB OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. Ne. 440. (No. 22, Vol. IX.) MAY 31, 1917. rWeekly, Pric« 3d.L Post Frte, 4d- Editorial Office; 44, St. MARTIN'S LANE, LONDON, W.C.2. telegrams : Truditur, Westrand, London. Telephone : Gerrard 1828. Annual Subscription Rates, Post Free. United Kingdom .. ijr. id. Abroad — .. .. 20s. od. CONTENTS. Editorial Comment: • ^ The Future of Commercial Aviation .. .. .. •• ..521 Taxing the Industry Out of Existence .. .. .. •• •• 5" What Aircraft Can Do.. .. 522 The Running Cost of Aerial Services .. .. .- •• «« 524 The Necessity of Landing Grounds .. .. •• •• •• 525 Honours . .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. 52*> " The Navy-that- Flies" * 5=8 Airisms from the Four Winds .. .. — •• S39 Royal Aero Club. Official Notices 53* Aviation in Parliament . ~. .. .. .. •• «• •• ..S32 One Hundred Aeroplanes from Overseas .. ..... .. •• 533 Personals .. .. .. .1 •• •• 534 "X"Aftcraft Raids 534 Roll of Honour 5 "Commercial Aeronautics." By G. Holt Thomas .. .. .. .. 536 The British Air Services 544 Aircraft Work at the Front. Official Information 54<> Side Winds 547 Model Clubs Diary and Reports ' .. ..548 R. HOLT THOMAS' paper on " Com- mercial Aeronautics " which he read before the Aeronautical Society on Wednesday last, was in some respects the most interesting of the series to which the members have listened during the present season. In saying that we do not by any means intend to convey the slightest hint of disparagement of any of the previous papers which have been read, and which, each in its way, has contributed not The Future a little to the advancement of the great r,nrnJ** , , cause of British aeronautics. But Mr.Commercial ™ . ., .^ . . . , . , . Aviation. Thomas dealt with a subject which is of surpassing general interest, and which appeals far more to the lay mind than the more scientific subjects which usually form the text of similar discourses at the meetings of a society which is mainly scientific in its interests and intentions. Moreover, the paper was the more interesting because it was convincing. The author kept well clear of prophecy, except in so far as he could base his forecasts on ascertained facts, and thus avoided the possibility of that sort of criticism which is inevitably forthcoming when the enthusiast allows himself to be carried away by his own faith in his subject. The full text of the paper we reproduce in another part of this issue of " FLIGHT," SO that the reader can assimilate and judge it for himself. There are, however, certain aspects with which we intend to deal briefly, and some of these will entail the quotation of parts of Mr. Thomas' argument, though we do not intend to offer any apology for the duplication, the questions at issue being of more than sufficient importance to warrant the course. In his opening the author pointed out that the main question to be determined resolved itself into : " Can the aeroplane,, taking into account the advantages of speed, &c, which it alone possesses, be regarded as a practical means of transport ? " It follows that his main conclusion was in the affirmative. Mr. Holt Thomas confined himself entirely to the subject of the aeroplane. The lighter-than-air machines, he pointed out, have their uses, but the cost, he thought, is too great to bring them in for commercial purposes, at any rate, at the moment. It is certain, however, that we as a nation must be first in airships, and to that end airship services, subsidised by the Government, will probably be the order of the day so far as these machines are con- cerned. We are inclined to agree to this, though we are by no means as certain of the practical future of the airship as we are of that of the aeroplane. That, however, is merely by the way for the present. Beginning with a very brief sketch of the history of aviation in England, the author proceeded :— " The history of aviation in this country is lamentable> but glorious. No country has had the practical results of flying put under its very nose more than Great Britain. The first great meeting after Rheims was held at Blackpool. In 1909, I brought Paulhan to London. In 1910, the first great town-to-town flight in the world, London-Manchester, for which a prize of £10,000 was given by the Daily Mail, took place, and nothing in my very full life gave me greater plea- sure than organising it. The Circuit of Britain was an event which ought to have convinced anyone. The airmen in the Circuit of Europe, in which I acted for this country, after passing through France, Holland and Belgium, arrived in London to meet more police than public. The first flight on Salisbury Plain, which I arranged with the late Captain Dickson, at the Military Manoeuvres in 1910, would have convinced anyone but a Britisher. But luckily, like Britishers always do, we got there in the end. Now this is all ancient history, but why I refer to it is because our want of initiative was due to public apathy and apathy on the part of business men. No country depends more on public opinion than our
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