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Aviation History
1920
1920 - 0153.PDF
EEBRU.•AJRY 5, 1920 •' "X method of carrying mails, light packages and even passengers. The actual journey has already been flown both ways. New Zealand, with its two islands and long seaboard, seems chosen by Nature for the use of seaplanes. In regard to New Zealand, proposals have already been put forward for the creation of an air mail service between Auckland and Wellington, Wellington and Christchurch, and there can be no doubt from the reports received that such a service would entail a great saving of time, but the high winds en- countered render steady aerial navigation somewhat difficult. England to Egypt Between Paris and Lyons the course is over typical north- western French country as far as Auxerre, and a forced landing, if necessary, may be safely made almost anywhere. South of Auxerre the country becomes more hilly and wooded, and difficulties increase, although no really high ground is passed. From Lyons the valley of the Rhone is followed as far as Marseilles, and presents few difficulties. The next stage to Pisa is a long and difficult one, as in view of the hilly nature of the country along the coast and the comparatively few landing-grounds available, it has been found better to take a more or less direct oversea course of nearly 200 miles. From Lyons, however, an alternative route over the Mt. Cenis Pass may be taken by proceeding via Chambery and Modane across the Italian frontier to Turin. Aerodromes exist both at Chambery and Turin, and possible landing-grounds are available in the neighbourhood of the railway nearly as far as Modane. Although through the actual Mt. Cenis Pass there is a stretch of bad country, the total distance offering difficulties does not perhaps exceed 50 miles, and although Mt. Cenis itself is 11,600 odd ft. in height, the Pass is only some 6,000 ft. Beyond Turin it is good flying country, and the course lies south of Milan to Bologna, and down the eastern coast of Italy to Foggia. This route has been favourably reported on, and in view of its directness is one worthy of the closest consideration. Geographically Italy is peculiar from a flying point of view- owing to the height of the central range or watershed, but in the northerly or southerly flight it is possible to travel over the coastal plain to Rome with many intermediate landing-grounds available. At Rome an alternative route is possible, namely by crossing to Foggia, a flight which involves a climb to nearly 10,000 ft. : from Foggia to Brindisi or Taranto, and so across the Straits of Otranto to Athens. This last stage covers some very difficult and mountainous country. From Athens to Suda Bay is an overseas flight of about 1 70 miles. The island of Crete is not ideal from the aviator's point of view, the mountains being of such a height as to involve a climb of between 9,000 and 10,000 ft. before the journey southwards can be continued, unless the island be circumnavigated. From Crete to Sollum on the north African coast is 242 miles over the Mediterranean. Thence, following the coast to Alexandria, the flight to Cairo is completed usually under favourable meteorological conditions. To return to Rome ; if instead of utilising the alternative I have just described, a continued course down the west coast of Italy is taken, a further landing place is available at Naples, thus making the journey to Africa ida Malta, with a possible landing at Catania in Sicily. The advantages of this route are obvious, involving as it does crossing the territory of two foreign powers only, but the actual mileage is greater and the oversea portion a long one. A permanent aerodrome has not been constructed in Malta as yet, but it is a point now under consideration, although owing to the rocky nature of the island there are considerable difficulties to be contended with. From Malta to the African coast, if Tripoli be our objective, is about 210 miles. On the other hand, Ben Ghasi, although involving a long oversea stretch of about 400 miles, is con- siderably more direct. Whichever course is chosen, once the African coast is reached, the flight to Egypt presents comparatively few difficulties. All the north Airiean desert country makes .-up to a certain extent for its general absence of civilisation ^by the §ood landing facilities it offers. :*Sft. - •• England to Canada From Cork, in the south of Ireland, to St. John's, New- foundland, is a journey of 1,935 statute miles, although the actual point to point journey from' the extreme west coast of Ireland works out at materially under 1,900 miles. Once in Newfoundland the j6urney to the mainland is •telatively simple—-some 600 miles to Halifax—thence to Quebec and Montreal. Great possibilities are open for the development of aeria routes from Montreal across the continent, touching, for instance, at Toronto. Port Arthur, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton—Vancouver being the ultimate goal. The use of flying-boats in Canada will undoubtedly be greatly developed owing to the large amount of open water in innumerable lakes, and after what has already been ac- complished in the establishment of aerial routes, it does not call for much imagination to conceive a flving-boat route spanning the entire continent. Canada, as a whole, offers a good example of the geo- graphical conditions affecting ordinary commercial inter- course by air and the utility of aircraft in providing the means of developing virgin lands where neither railways nor tele- graphs have yet penetrated. For instance, an air route employing either land or water aircraft might be established on the line of the Great Lakes, linking up the commercial centre of Montreal with Port Arthur, the gateway of the west ; then onwards to Winnipeg, whence lines could radiate into the North-West. Or again, an air organisation could assist the settlers who are ever pushing their habitations and carrying civilisation into the northern districts of Quebec, Ontario and the Prairie Provinces. III. CONCLUSION What of the future ? We are still at the experimental stage of aviation. It is essential that those who are responsible for its development show imagination and foresight. It is not sufficient merely to keep abreast of immediate requirements. Sound finance and an economic system are the bed-rock of Imperial commercial aviation. Though charges are at present high, the great speed of aircraft, the absence of road or rail wear and tear, are both in its favour. Increased public confidence and consequent increase in traffic will rectify cost. But in the meantime how is the machine to be kept work- ing ? How much responsibility must be assumed by the State ? State ownership has its champions, but is against British instinct. The principle is generally accepted that bureaucratic control destroys competition and initiative. The State can help—in the organisation of the great routes which I have described ; in meteorological and wireless services ; in the institution of research and experiment. But for a time, at any rate, it must do more. It must be recog- nised that though private enterprise must itself be vigorous and independent in its methods, at the beginning the British aircraft industry cannot live unsupported. Direct assistance is a necessity. Subsidised competitors are in the field. France is straining the pace, Italy is pushing her interests, the United States is grappling .with the problem, Germany is making feverish efforts. The signposts are clear. An Empire policy must be formed. In the no distant future, after the crucial domestic problems arising out of the War have received first treatment, the Imperial and Dominion Governments must define and adopt a considered policy towards aviation. It is not enough to believe—as I firmly do—that aerial transport being right is bound eventually to succeed. The seasoned tree can stand alone—the shooting sapling must be stayed. Some of the requirements of aviation on an Empire basis are :— 1. The maintenance of a highly efficient fighting force. 2. The expansion of commercial aviation to promote British trade and to supplement the fighting force when necessary by a reserve of personnel and material, knowledge and experience. 3. The co-ordination and co-operation of aerial com- munication throughout the Empire, and its relations to other countries. 4. The organisation of routes, aerodromes, ground com- munication and meteorological services on an Imperial basis. 5. The energetic promotion of research and encouragement of design. 6. Money to assist the institution of experimental mail services. 7. The encouragement of land survey, forest patrol, and other work in which aircraft can be utilised. There are great handicaps from physical, technical, Opera- tional, and financial points of view, but the strides which aviation has made in the past will be more than equalled in the future. The deadening blanket of scepticism or apathy •which undoubtedly exists in official, commercial, and, in fact, in every grade of society, and which has always greeted the birth of any new great development in the normal activities of the world, will gradually disappear. Every decade has had its doubting Thomas. ' The responsibility must be faced. If it is, I am quite D*53 . . .
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