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Aviation History
1919
1919 - 0131.PDF
Recently The Times inaugurated a Meteorology new and remarkable feature by the Aerial publication of aerial meteorological Services records, to which we drew passing atten tion last week. It is undoubtedly a landmark in journalistic enterprise, and The Times deserves unstinted credit for the departure, par ticularly because of the manner in which it directs attention to the pressing necessity for establishing a real State meteorological service. It is not a matter that should or can be left to private enterprise, which indeed we recently pointed out when drawing an analogy between the work of the State in relation to marine navigation and that which must be undertaken Age Limits in the R.A.F. ^ FROM regulations just issued by the Air Ministry to govern the* granting of permanent commissions to those at present holding temporary commissions, it is evident that the R.A.F. is to remain a young man's service. For subalterns there is no minimum age, but the maximum is 27, and they will be compulsorily retired at 42. For captains there is no minimum, but if applications become too numerous, length of service in that rank will count rather than age; then maximum is 35 and they must leave at 45. For majors the minimum is 25, the maximum 38, and the retiring age 47. For lieut.-colonels the minimum is 30, the maximum 45 and the retiring age 53. For colonels the minimum is 35, the maximum 48, and the retiring age 57. In the case of those serving in the ranks of the Regular Forces previous to the war and who have since been granted commissions these limits need not be applied. Officers over 24 years of age by the Government in connection with commercial aviation. This must be one of the very first tasks to be undertaken in the interests of aerial navigation in the future, since without such a service there can be no really far-reaching scheme any more than there could be marine navigation without harbours and coastal lights. We are quite aware that the matter is engaging attention, but the pity is that the State has once again been forestalled by private enterprise., True, the latter is on a relatively insignificant scale, but the basic fact remains that The Times has actually done something which the State should have carried out, especially as it has the war-created machinery of observation ready to its hand. <$> <$> must have had at least three and a half years service (com missioned or otherwise) during the present war. Those over 23 must have had three years service, those over 22, two years, those over 21 one year, while those under 21 will be specially considered by the Selection Board. A Selection Board has been established by which all applications will be considered before submission to the Air Council. The Board will visit home and overseas stations to interview applicants. The members of the Board are as follows :—Brig.-Gen. T. I. Webb-Bowen, C.M.G., Chair man ; Col. A. M. Longmore, D.S.O. ; Lieut.-Col. W. D. Beatty ; Lieut.-Col. F. S. Pilling ; Major J. H. Tyler, M.B.E., Secretary. It is not at present possible to state what scales of pay, pensions, and allowances will attach to permanent commis sions in the R.A.F., but these will not necessarily be as good as the scales now in force. The Pilot's and the Observer's cockpits on the D.H.9 machine with which on January 3 an altitude record of 30,500 ft. was put up at Martlesham by Capt. Lang, R.A.F., as pilot and Lieut. Blowes as observer, both of whom are inset. At the nose of the machine is seen the Napier " Lion " engine which enabled the height to be attained, whilst the many gauges and instruments installed on the pilot's dash and in the observer's cockpit form in themselves a useful study for the uninitiated. I3« G 2
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