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Aviation History
1920
1920 - 1109.PDF
OCTOBER 21, 1920 World, and no figures as to the rate of premiums indicate anything intelligible unless the amount borne by the assured in respect of every claim is clearly specified. In my opinion, and I have had some slight practical experience in building and repairing aircraft, it cannot be of profit to the assured to pay the premium necessary to cover full Accidental Damage unless he, which is very unlikely, possesses no means of his own to undertake repairs. Repairs up to a certain amount can nearly always be executed without increasing his estab- lishment charges and without greatly increasing his labour charges, for aviation enterprises are of such a nature that the assured is always in possession of certain workshops, technical, personnel, etc., the activities of which are, to a certain extent, dependent upon weather and other factors. This results in a certain proportion of their time being available for repair work which can be carried -out without any material increase in permanent charges. Now it is in respect of the first part of any loss that the bulk of an insurance premium is charged. Cut out the first part of any loss and the premium at once shrinks. If aircraft owners would specify that they would bear a certain amount in respect of any loss, they themselves fixing that amount as the one which, having regard to their repair facilities, they can bear without materially increasing their establishment and labour charges, then they will find that the premiums charged by under- writers to which they are at present accustomed will fade away to a remarkable degree. That is one way to secure low premiums. As an underwriter I am very anxious to see lower premiums than at present exist for they mean satisfied policy holders and more policy holders, and that in turn means a larger field over which to average my risks. That means safety for me and a steady business. Again, as one intimately connected with aviation since the very early days I have the cause of British Aviation very much at heart, and I am most anxious to see lower premiums, because I know that they must greatly assist in the development of aviation in the British Empire. Thirdly, I feel, and I think it is also felt by other under- writers, that half or more of any aviation risk depends upon -the qualifications of the pilot and of the technical personnel responsible for the proper maintenance of the aircraft, especially the heart of the aircraft, the engines. These . personal factors were not, I think, given the prominence they deserve during the Conference, and yet it appears to me that they are extremely important. The Civil Department of the Air Ministry has done much valuable work in connection 'with creating regulations for and granting certificates to pilots and ground engineers, who are, I feel I must emphasise, the paid employees of Air Transport Companies. There is no country in the world so far ahead as we are in these ways, but while expressing my appreciation of that most valuable work I do suggest that a great deal more might be done. I will not labour this point because, well, it is rather 'S a delicate one and also because those to whom I especially address myself know well all that I might say and the forceful arguments which I might employ. But since criticism is not of much value unless constructive, I will venture to make one suggestion, and that is this, that at each important aerodrome (there are but few), there will be stationed a well qualified officer-inspector to note the work of those of the personnel certificated or licensed by the Air Ministry, and to report any matters which it appears might adversely affect the safety of the public. Where lesser aerodromes are concerned I suggest that one officer could look after several of them. Some of those commercially interested in aviation will perhaps throw up their hands and exclaim, " What ! more control ? That is far from what we want ! " but I think that the long-headed ones would not adopt such an attitude but would support such a scheme designed to minimise risks—their risks besides those of the public from whom in the end. they must live. And again, that which is sauce for the goose is also sauce for the gander. They would give the public medicine in the form of airborne mails (I am quoting from the words of a speaker at the Conference), and surely they should not object to measures being taken to render that medicine as safe as possible. I believe, that such a scheme would go a long way towards minimising risks and reducing rates of premium. If underwriters can be better informed, and if risks can be lessened, there is no doubt at all that very much lower insurance premiums will be quoted, and once we can get them down to a commercial level then it follows that aviation has become a sound commercial fact, for I think it is fairly obvious that the rate of insurance premium is the index finger which points unfailingly towards the soundness or otherwise of a commercial enterprise. During the last session of the Air Conference we listened to Sir Trevor Dawson's extraordinarily interesting and informing paper on Airships. It is clear that they hold very great possibilities and that, having regard to the large values concerned, values which will probably run into millions before very long, the Insurance market will be strained to its utmost to grant the necessary insurance protection. The remarks I have made apply with even greater force to Airship risks than they do to Aeroplane risks, because their nature is more of an unknown quantity. There is a great deal more to be said upon this subject, and many constructive suggestions might be made, but that would call for more of your valuable space than I am bold enough to expect. I hope, however, that the three salient points I have dwelt upon may have the consideration of those commercially interested in Aviation, and that my remarks may be of some practical assistance. October 15. "UNDERWRITER" THE NEW AIR COUNCIL THE London Gazette of October 19, announced that the King had been pleased by and with the advice of his Privy Council to order that the Air Council shall consist of the following members :— " One of His Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, who V . shall be President of the Air Council. . The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Air. --•• C The Chief of the Air Staff. . . -The Controller-General of Civil Aviation. ' -The Director-General of Supply and Research ; and • The Secretary of the Air Ministry. The Chief of the Air Staff is to be appointed by the King, but all the other members of the Council are to be appointed Death of Colonel Massy ; COL. H. S. MASSY, C.B., of Grantstown Hall, Tipperary, late Commanding 19th Bengal Lancers and General Staff, India, who died at Sandgate,. Kent, on October io, will be remembered as one of the founders of the Aerial League in 1909. Col. Massy, who did a great deal to awaken public interest in military aviation in this country, had had distin- guished war services, including the Afghan War and the Yowaki, Burmese, Chin Lushai, Miranzai, N.W. Frontier, and Tirah Expeditions. He served as A.A.G., India, in 1904-6, and rejoined for the late War, serving under the War Office. He was mentioned in dispatches many times. Aeroplanes for Poland Stopped * IN spite of the clause of the Peace Treaty whicbstates by the Secretary of State, who may also appoint additional members, but not more than two. The Secretary of State is responsible to Parliament for the Council, and is to delegate to the other members their various duties. When the Air Council was established in January, 1918, the Secretary of State, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary, and the Chief of the Air Staff were appointed members, but the other members were : The Deputy Chief of the Air Staff, the Master-General of Personnel, the Director-General of Aircraft Production in the Ministry of Munitions, the Comptroller-General of Equipment, the Administrator of Works and Buildings, and two additional members. Later the Deputy-Chief of the Air Staff ceased to be a member of the Council. _ • - H n ' * •"•""••'•' ^-^'••< •• ; that navigation on the Kiel Canal is entirely free, the Germans appear to have stopped a Dutch steamer, bound for Dantzig at the Holtenau Lock and ordered the captain to either return to Rotterdam or discharge cargo. It appears that the cargo consists mainly of American tinned beef for the Polish Army with two English (? American) aeroplanes and three machine guns. A Seaplane Honeymoon in Peru UP-TO-DATE ideas prevail in the matter of weddings at Lima, Peru, evidently,as it is announced that after the marriage on October 12, of Major Sison, an air officer, attached to the Peruvian War Ministry, and Sefiorita Rosita Porras, a niece of the former Chancellor, the bride and bridegroom started on their honeymoon in a seaplane, bound for Ancon. IIII
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