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Aviation History
1921
1921 - 0544.PDF
AUGUST II, 192I LONDON TERMINAL AERODROME Monday Evening, August 8. Two air transport companies have created new records for themselves this week. The Instone Line have carried no fewer than 188 passengers over the London-Paris route, and the Messageries Aeriennes have flown 103 air travellers over the same route. Both these figures are records for the firms concerned. In spite of this, however, the total of all traffic for the week was below that for the past few weeks, being only 482. This is due to a falling-off in passengers on the Amsterdam route, and to an epidemic of engine-trouble on the " Goliaths." Only nine passengers travelled by air during the week between London and Amsterdam, a fact which well illus- trates the extraordinary fluctuations in traffic that air transport firms have to face. There is no apparent reason for this sudden " slump," but one theory advanced is that Dutchmen do not as yet believe in flying in anything but the best weather, and, if conditions are at all doubtful, prefer to go by boat. Types of Air Travellers THERE is, of course, a vast difference between the type of passenger to Holland and the type flying to and from Paris. On the Paris route a very large proportion of the traffic is provided by Americans " doing Europe" and who include the flight to Paris as an essential feature of their itinerary ; whereas the Amsterdam traffic is composed almost entirely of Dutch and German business men. The British business man hardly enters into the calculation so far. He has not yet learned to fly. As a class, in fact, he does not seem to know the " airway " exists ; and, even should he hear of it, he makes no effort to obtain details or use the facilities offered. Of course there are honourable exceptions, but it seems too early yet to hope that air trans- port should overcome the conservatism and inertia of the average British business man. The number of " aliens " travelling by air is really remark- able and, if an analysis of the passport officer's books at Croydon could be obtained, it would show an overwhelming preponderance of foreigners. To ail intents and purposes, in fact, the British air traveller is a negligible quantity. *• Derelict Airship Mast THE airship mooring-mast is a desolate sight. The altera- tions to the mooring " head " had not been completed when airships, and everything appertaining to them, went into a state of suspended animation on August J , and the mast-head now hangs over drunkenly—held up by temporary sheer-legs. "Puffing Billy," and the rest of the accumulation of work- shops and winches, at the foot of the mast, are shrouded in torn tarpaulins, which flap dismally in the wind. The whole thing is a nuisance now that it is not being used. If it served any useful purpose the obvious disadvantages would have been outweighed, but, as it is, it is simply a danger to aeroplane pilots—standing as it does right in the way of the best position for taking-off. The mast has cost something like ^25,000, and the R. 33 has been moored there twice. On one occasion she was there for about half-an-hour, while on the other she stayed all night. If nothing more is done with the airships, this means that it has cost £12,500 each time the ship was moored at Croydon. In any case I understand that the land on which the mast stands does not belong to the Air Ministry, and that no permission to erect the mast on that land was asked for or obtained. I hear, furthermore, that the owners of the land have a promise from the Air Ministry that the mast shall be pulled down. Mr. Holmes, who has been piloting monoplanes for the K.L.M., is, I understand, joining the Instone Air Line. Mr. Holmes was one of the pilots of the D.H. 18's in the old " Airco " days, and has had considerable experience on this machine. Work of the D.H. 18's THE D.H. 18's are, by the way, doing wonderful work, going to and fro between Croydon and Le Bourget with the regularity of express trains. Mr. Hall keeps the Napier Lion " engines tuned to the pitch of perfection, and Mr. Barnard, who was not at first enamoured of either the machine or engine, is now loud in their praise. One of the funniest sights on the aerodrome is the procession which wends its way from the tarmac in the Customs enclo- sure, through the Customs house, and then disperses among offices and sheds, after the departure of the Instone machines each day. The entire Instone staff appears to congregate round the machines before they depart. On one occasion as many as 23 were present to see the two D.H. 18's get away. If all the other firms followed suit the aerodrome might haveto be enlarged. Aerodrome Improvements STILL further improvements are now being carried out on • the tarmac. Work has been commenced on the laying of a tarmac road from the sheds to the Customs enclosure. This will enable machines to " taxi " to and from the sheds with comparative ease, saving the wear-and-tear. The annual tar-spraying of the aerodrome roads is in full swing, and the tar has penetrated to the floors of the offices and sheds. Mr. Greig, of the Messageries Aeriennes and S.N.E.T.A., is extremely pleased with the week's record. Not only did the French service do well, but to and from Brussels there were 34 passengers—which is quite a lot for S.N.E.T.A. Things have gone so smoothly in fact that M. Didier, who is re- sponsible for departures and puts an enormous amount of energy into his work, has apparently not been able to get his full week's exercise from the manipulation of his own machines, and was seen lustily swinging the propellor of a reluctant " Goliath." Grands Express have had another epidemic of engine trouble, and their service, which has been as regular as clock- work for weeks, has been disorganised. It is not only on this side that trouble has been experienced, but in Paris as well. Nearly every engine on the service has given trouble at one time or another during the week, and many of the " Goliaths " have been laid up. > The New Air Schemes ALTHOUGH, officially, all schemes submitted to the Air Ministry for the running of services under the new subsidy were to have been in by A'ugust 1, I understand that some latitude is to be allowed in this respect. I hear, too, that there is a hitch in the negotiations with certain companies as the Ministry state that a company must find 50 per cent, of the purchase price of machines, the Air Ministry loaning them the other 50 per cent. This is not suiting some of the pro- moters of companies who thought they could, under the new scheme, run an air service with very little capital; or, in other words, risk little or nothing. During the week Mr. Olley, on one of the monoplanes, did not arrive at Croydon before dusk, and rockets and Verey lights were fired for his benefit. One of these fireworks ignited the grass ; but the C.A.T.O. staff are used to grass-fires now, and it was quickly extinguished. Captain Heme has been summoned under the Air Ministry regulations for not having his " airworthy " certificate en- dorsed daily by a certified ground engineer. The case is to be taken at Croydon on Saturday. • lL, .^ • t Air-Race Projects MR. PERRIN, of the Royal Aero Club, has been attempting to arrange for week-end races at Croydon, but it is obvious that a great deal of work would have to be done if crowds are to be accommodated. It is doubtful, too, if any of the aerodrome can be spared for permanent enclosures, as, even now, some of the pilots complain that it is on the small side. Although statements as to air races at Croydon have appeared in the Press, nothing definite is known of such events at the aerodrome itself, and no orders for enclosures have been given. Captain Muir, of the Surrey Flying Services, flew to Brighton on Saturday to pick up a passenger who wished to catch the boat at Folkestone late on Saturday evening. The Vickers Viroy came to grief at Le Bourget on landing there on Saturday, her undercarriage giving way. Spares were obtained from Brooklands by air and taken over to Le Bourget on a D.H. 18. The Cricket Competition THE inter-section cricket competition is reaching its final stages. So far the Instone team are unbeaten, and the Meteor and Wireless team have only been beaten once. The next match is betApeen these two teams, and will settle the championship. If the Meteor and Wireless win they tie for first place, whereas, if Instones win, the championship is theirs. On Tuesday, after Customs' and Searchlights were all our for 33, Instones scored 41 for one wicket. As a contrast to this easy win, the C.A.T.O. only managed to win against Handley Page Transport on Thursday by one run. The position,of the teams is now :—Instones, 100 per cent. ; Meteor and Wireless, 66 per cent. ; Handley Page Transport, 50 per cent. ; C.A.T.O., 33 per cent. ; Customs, Searchlights, Police, o per cent 544
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