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Aviation History
1919
1919 - 1142.PDF
suggests in effect is : " We will make you a present of all this material and write off all our losses on past Estimates, but for Heaven's sake don't ask us to add a penny to any future Estimates, because it can't be done." If, as we believe to be the case, that is the present attitude of the Government, it certainly points to an intention to allow civil aviation to fend for itself in the future. * • • Assuming the theories to be right—and iw^kfli1 h>r the sake of argument no harm can Would Mean ,, , ,, ° ,. ,, • • result from the assumption—the wiping out of the Department would throw the development of civil aviation ovei to private enterprise. Now, if that should result, it would follow that the control exercised by the Government would be merely analogous to that exercised over motoring. It would be confined to simply making sure that the factors of safety of aircrait conformed to a reasonable standard and that a system was in being whereby transgressors of the law could be brought to book with a minimum of trouble. There the functions of the State would almost of necessity end because there are lengths of control to which the State can not proceed without being a partner. Such a measure of control would be all that is needed if flying were not international and if British com mercial aviation were simply to be developed within the confines of the British Isles. But it is not. It is essentially an international affair and can never be anything else. That being so, it is clear that a greater measure of Government control is essential and that cannot be exercised except by a strong Department of Civil Aviation with power to encourage development and even to assist in financing the movement until such time as commercial aviation is able to stand on its own feet. Now, it being clear that control is necessary, how is it to be exercised in default of the existence of a Civil Department ? In that case, it can only be administered by the military side of the Air Ministry. That is perfectly clear. Equally clear is it that com mercial flying cannot possibly develop under military control, if only for the reason that no European Power would allow quasi-military machines to have ^ • The Gordon Shephard Memorial Prizes SIR H. H. SHEPHARD, father of the late Brig.-Gen. G. S. Shephard, D.S.O., M.C., of the R.A.F., has, in memory of his son, placed a sum of money in trust, the income of which is to be applied to the provision of annual prizes for essays by officers, N.C.Os. and men of the R.A.F. The subjects for the essays will concern the airman's work in the air, and this year separate prizes will be given for essays on : (i) Sea and Fleet Reconnaissance and (2) Aerial Naviga tion and Pilotage. The administration of the yearly compe tition will be carried out by the Air Council. Permits to Visit R.A.F. Aerodromes IN future, visitors to R.A.F. aerodromes must first obtain permits from the Air Ministry. Requests for permits should be addressed to the Secretary, Air Ministry, and should state clearly the purpose for which & permit is required. The permits, if granted, will be issued subject to such restrictions as the Air Ministry may direct. R.A.F. Aircraft Using Civil Aerodromes IT is notified by the Air Ministry that in the event of R.A.F. officers on duty landing at aerodromes not owned by the Government, the aerodrome authorities, having charges to be paid, should render a bill to the Officer Commanding the Unit to which the officers belong. Officers have been AUGUST 28, 1919 the constant and unquestioned right of aerial access to their territories, and this country would be a mere " dead-end." Another point is that, although we do not look forward to another great war in our time, there is no certainty that within the next 10 or 15 years we may not be engaged in another struggle for existence. At least, common prudence dictates that we should take elementary precautions against being caught unprepared. In the event of another war it is unquestionably true that air power will play a great, even a decisive part in the struggle. Now, it is obvious that we cannot establish military air bases sufficient to give us the requisite aerial supremacy to ensure victory or to maintain great non- remunerative stations all over the world. Nor need we do so if the development of civil aviation is approached in a proper way. We can have those stations and establishments on all the great arterial air routes, but they will be civilian stations, under civilian control and management, and instead of being a dead charge on the Estimates—as purely military establishments would be—they would pay their own way after the first year or two. They would then be available in case of war, and in the meantime, we should be building up a huge reserve of machines and pilots ready against the day they would be needed for Empire defence. Again, the war 'plane is not suitable to the traffic of peace, but the machine designed for commercial flight can be readily adapted for war if the need arises. On every count, therefore, the case is good for the encouragement of the commercial side of aviation, even if that encouragement should entail some reduction in the sums available for the purely military development of flying. The principal point to keep in mind in this connection is that military material and per sonnel, constructed and trained purely as such, are next door to useless for civilian purposes. Further, they do not and cannot pay their way, but are a dead expense to the country. On the other hand, civilian personnel can be so trained and machines so constructed as to be available for either peace or war and can be made to pay their way. To conclude, therefore, the arguments are all in favour of economy in the fighting branch of the Air Service and for spending on the civil side—so long as neither economy nor spending are carried to a dangerous excess. instructed to sign a receipt for services obtained in these circumstances. R.A.F. Aerodromes Relinquished THE Air Ministry announce that the aerodrome at Guston Road (Dover) and the landing ground at New Holland (Yorks) are being relinquished by the R.A.F. Warning to Aircraft PILOTS of aircraft are warned by the Air Ministry that kite-balloons will be flown from time to time for purposes of meteorological observation at the following places ; Merifield (Tor Point) ; Larkhill (Salisbury) ; Caldale (Orkneys) ; North Queensferry (near Edinburgh). The cables of these balloons when flying will be marked by streamers at intervals of not more than 500 ft. The New Aliens Order IN the new Aliens Order, which comes into force on September 1, there are one or two interesting changes. For instance, the list of " approved " ports at which aliens may land now includes the air stations at Lympne, Felixstowe and Hounslow. Also the Air Council is given the same power as the Admiralty and the Army Council to recom mend the Home Secretary to declare any area to be a " pro tected area " from entering or remaining in which aliens may be prohibited, or if allowed to remain to be subjected to special restrictions. 1144
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