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Aviation History
1919
1919 - 0389.PDF
_ Flight, March 27, 1919 First Aero Weekly in the World Founder and Editor: STANLEY SPOONER A Journal devoted to the Interests, Practice, and Progress of Aerial Locomotion aa« Transport OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE ROYAL AERO CLUB OF THE UNITED KINGDOM No. 535. No. 13, Vol. XI.) MARCH 27, 1919 rWeeklv, Price 64. L Post Free, 7a. Flight and The Aircraft Engineer notorial Office: 36, GREAT QUEEN STREET. K1NGSWAV, W.C. 2 Telegrams : Trudiiur, Westcent, London. Telephone : Gerrard 1828. Annual Subscription Rates, Post Free : United Kingdom »&s. T4. Abroad.. .. .'.• 3JJ. od. These rates are subject to any alteration found necessary under war conditions CONTENTS. • Bditorial Comment: PACK The Future of Civil Flying 389 The Matter of Organisation .. .. 38 Experiment and Research .. .. .. .. .. 390 An Objectionable Proviso .. .. .. .. . 390 Difficulties to be Surmounted .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 390 Accidents and Insurance .. . .. .. .. 392 Wot Charity, for Heaven's Sake ! 39 An Australian fiovernment Priz; .. .. .. .. 392 The Meteorology of the Atlantic Flight .. .. .. .. 30 i Flight—and the Men. Major-General E. L. Ellington ., .. 301 Kree Ballooi.ing ..* .. .. .. .. .. .. 394^ The Royal Aero Club. Official Notices 396 The Napier Lion Aeromot r.. .. .. .. .. .. .. 397 Oxygfn and the Transatlantic Flight .. . 403 The Society of British Aircraft Constructor- Pinner .. .. .. 404 Airisms from the Four Winds .. .. .. .. .. 40S " Lighter-than-Air Craft" .. .. .. .. .. 410 Questions in Parliament .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 416 Personals .. .. 417 The Royal Air Force 419 SideWinds .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..421 EDITORIAL COMMENT yiE TIMES of Monday last contains an article on civilian flying, which bears the obvious impress of official inspiration and sets forth what must be assumed to be the concrete intentions of the Government in relation to the future measure of assistance to be given to the move ment. It begins by pointing out that there are many beliefs in the public mind that must be dis- pelled and many erroneous impressions 6 Q f uture that need .correction. It is desirable. Civil Flying therefore, that a survey of the matter generally and a consideration of the many problems ahead should be made at this point in its history. Because flying played so great a part in the defeat of the Central Empires, because the aeroplane has become so common an object, the belief has become current that once peace is definitely signed one will be able to hail an aeroplane at Charing Cross and make forthwith a tour of the European battlefields. It is pointed out that regularity and stability are the two things to be aimed at as the basis of civil aviation. Only the Air Ministry can ensure these, and to thoughtful people it must be apparent that there is still a great mass of pioneer work to be done before the first commercial air service can be opened. The first point to be dealt with is finance. Civil aviation is for the moment an experiment in Govern ment activity. It would, the writer contends, be fatal to spend too much money on it at first, and every pound spent must be accounted for. We are not quite certain about this, inasmuch as it is extremely difficult to say what would be too much, and in our view, bearing in mind the certainty that aviation must develop into a standard means of transport, it would be better to err on the side of generosity than on that of parsimony, which might easily cripple the development of the movement for years to come. However, this point may be allowed "to pass for the time being. The article goes on to say that there is no doubt the money will be granted without delay—which is good news indeed—but it must not be supposed that further sums (in addition to the first £500,000 (?)) will not be called for in the near future as matters develop. For the present, it was desired by General Sykes that not a penny of public money more than was absolutely necessary should be locked away. An entirely new public department can have few more difficult problems to solve than that of its estimates for expenditure, and, having no precedent to go upon, and, perhaps, no clear and final view of the limits of development it may reach, it will undoubtedly draw from its critics charges both of extravagance and niggardliness. That seems to be a fair statement of the position, and we welcome it as such, in the belief that it represents the official point of view. We next come to the question of The Matter ^e organisation of civilian flying, so Organisation far as *ne Department is concerned. It is stated definitely that flying is to be divided under two heads, of which one will be State flying and the other commercial aviation. Under the first will be placed all work that is in any way connected with the three Services,,, with the Customs and with the Police. Under the second
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