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Aviation History
1921
1921 - 0766.PDF
NOVEMBER tjt 1.921 LONDON TERMINAL AERODROME Monday Evening, November 14, 1921 THE London-Amsterdam air service closes down for the winter months on the 19th, re-opening on April 1, next, with one service in each direction daily. It is proposed, however, that on May 1, this should be increased to two .services each way daily. I understand that the reason for the decision to discontinue flying for the winter is to be found in the scarcity of freight from Amsterdam to London. The loads from London to Holland are not at all bad, and if those in the reverse direction were only as good it would probably be worth while continuing to run through the winter. The Dutch Government have refused to grant a higher subsidy for the winter months, and the K.L.M. have, therefore, decided to cease flying during the winter, rather than continue to run at an appreciable loss. The question of obtaining satisfactory loads from Holland has always been the " fly in the ointment " with this London- Amsterdam service. It was, for instance, this particular fact, more than any other, which influenced the new Con- tinental Air Lines in deciding to open their career as an aero- plane transport company with a service to Brussels rather., than to Amsterdam. -.-... ^ .-""_,. „?-•..: :^;. Aeroplane Fitted with Late Fee Letter-Box MR. HINCHCLIFFE has recently taken an exhibition Fokker F III from Amsterdam to Paris for the Aero Show, and tells me that it is fitted with an emergency exit through the plane. It is, of course, all nickel-plated in the approved style of exhibition machines, and is even complete with a letter-box for the late posting of air matts. While testing an F II recently, Mr. Hinchcliffe climbed it to a height of 16,000 ft. in one hour with the equivalent of eight passengers on board. This was the identical machine which visited Croydon and Cricklewood last year. Loads consigned by air continue to fluctuate greatly, but on the whole they are about what could be expected for the time of the year, always remembering the trade " slump," and the improvved facilities now offered by the rail-and-boat services to Paris. Handley Page Transport do not appear to be affected perceptibly by any fluctuations in traffic. The name " Handley Page " is such a household word that a number of people seem to think of an aeroplane and a " Hand- ley Page " as meaning the same thing. The machines of this service are, in consequence, always comfortably full. Strange Experience with an "Air Express " ^ MR. MACINTOSH had an uncomfortable experience on" Tuesday while piloting an 0-400 from Paris. No aeroplanes had left Croydon, owing to- fog over the aerodrome : and Mr. Macintosh, not having met any machines on his way from Paris, was beginning to wonder just how bad the fog at Croydon was. As he approached Lympne, therefore, he decided to fly low to read the ground signals telling of con- ditions at Croydon. Everything appeared " O.K.," so he put both his engines full on to climb higher on his journey to Croydon. Suddenly there was a noise like the humming of a big shell, and the machine swung round abruptly. A portion of the gears, together with the propeller, had fallen off one of the engines, and it was only with the greatest difficulty that he' was able to get the machine safely to the ground. The undercarriage was, in fact, damaged in alighting. The W. 8 went to Paris this morning, and her pilot has evidently not got out of the habit of taxying to the limit of the aerodrome before taking-off, as is advisable with the 0-400's. He " taxied " to the extreme corner of the 'drome, but was off the ground within a few yards. By the time he had reached the edge of the aerodrome he was, in fact, about 700 ft. up ! Airway Staffs in Uniform IT is rumoured that the various British air lines are about to put their entire staffs into uniform. The Instone staff are, indeed, supposed to-be measured for theirs this afternoon. Mr. Alfred Instone was at the aerodrome early this morning, but whether in connection with this vital matter or not is at present uncertain. Major-General Sir Sefton Brancker travelled to Paris in the " Goliath " today, and several other people prominent in the air world went over by air to the conference which is being held in connection with the Paris Aero Show. A "Goliath" equipped for night-flying is expected to visit the aerodrome on some dark night this week about midnight in order to test the feasibility of flying from Paris to Croydon after dark. Many machines now land here after dark, though they are not fitted for night-flying, and have neither navigation lights nor illuminated compasses : so that it should be an easy matter for a properly-equipped machine to accomplish the entire journey in darkness. The Disposal Company are busy on another batch of machines for Brussels, and several of them went over today. THE LONDON-CONTINENTAL SERVICES FLIGHTS BETWEEN NOVEMBER 6 AND NOVEMBER 12, INCLUSIVE Route Croydon-Paris ... Parit-Croydon ... Croydon-Amsterdam ... Amsterdam-Croydon ... Totals for week No . o f flights * 25 27 5 4 61 No . o f passenger s 34 63 2 3 102 No. of flights carrying Mail s 5 11 5 3 24 Good s 19 26 5 4 54 No . o f journey s completed ! 23 19 4 3 49 Averag e flyin g tim e h. m. 2 40 3 15 3 19 3 12 Fastest time made by D.H.i8G-EARO(ih, 55m.)... Spad F-ACMG (2h. 35m.) ... D.H.9 H-NABE (2h. 32m.) D.H.9 H-NABO (2h. 20m.) ^. Type and (in brackets) Number of each type flying B.(6),D.H.I8(I),G.(4),H.P.(4) Sp. U).V.(i). B. (4), D.H. 18(2), G.(5) H.P. (3) Sp. (4), V. (1). ' D.H.9 (2), F. (2). ':-,:•• D.H.9 (2), F (1) ^* * Not including " private " flights. f Including certain journeyi when stops were made en rout*. t Including certain diverted journeys. Av. = Avro. B. = Breguet. Br. = Bristol. Bt. = B.A.T. D.H.4 - De Havilland 4, D.H.9 (etc.). F. = Fokker. Fa. =» Farman F.50. G. = Goliath Fannan. H.P. = Handley Page. M. — Martinsyde. N. = Nieuport. P. « Potez. R. = Rumpler. Sa. = Saimson. Se. = S.E. 5. Sp. = Spad. V. = Vickers Vimy. W. = Westland. The following is a list of firms running services between London and Paris, Brussels, etc., etc.:—Co. des Grandes•xpresses Aeriennes [ Handley Page Transport, Ltd.; Instone Air Line; Koninklijkie Luchtvaart Maatschappij: Messageries Atrioones; Syndicat National ponr l'fitude des Transports Aeriens; Co. Transaerienne. France's New Air Lighthouse FROM France it is reported that the French Air Ministry has recently acquired a new aerial lighthouse, which is said to eclipse entirely anything that has hitherto been attempted in the way of lighting up the air routes. The new lighthouse, which, it is stated, is to be erected on Mount Africa near Dijon, at an altitude of 1,500 ft. above sea level, is said to be of 1,000,000,000 candle power, and, according to 7 he Times, it is expected that in clear weather it will be visible for a distance of 200 miles. The aeroplane would, however, have to be at an altitude rarely reached by commercial aeroplanes to see the light at that distance. 766
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