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Aviation History
1921
1921 - 0801.PDF
DECEMBER I, 1921 LONDON TERMINAL AERODROME Monday Evening, November 28. THE dense fog which played havoc with land traffic this last week-end, had an adverse effect, naturally, on the regularity of the London-Paris air service. For two days, in fact, it was demoralised. The 230-miles stretch over which the aeroplanes operate is particularly prone to fog, and, even when the British end is comparatively clear, fog may be reported either in the Channel or in Northern France. On both Friday and Saturday the fog persisted almost without any clearance at all at Croydon ; and yet only a few miles away the weather was clear. The result was that only one machine got away from Croydon on Friday, and none at all on Saturday. The outstanding event, however, was the performance put up by the " Goliaths " on both these days while en route from Paris to Croydon. These machines—one on each day— .were the only ones which succeeded in completing their journeys, all the others which left Paris descending at Lympne. It is a striking tribute to the confidence of pilots in these big Goliath machines, and, incidentally, it reverses the old order of things. At one time if anybody got through at all it was a British pilot, but it is evident that they will have to look to their laurels now. On Sunday pilots of aeroplanes stranded at Lympne made a determined effort, and machines came gliding into the aerodrome during the afternoon, though the weather was little if any better than on the previous two days. Monday morning saw the end of the fog, which was " rolled up " by a southerly wind in less than half-an-hour. Mr. Courtney Flies an "18 " Again ON Friday, owing to unforeseen circumstances, the Instone Air Line were again short of pilots ; but Mr. Courtney, being on the spot, deputised on one of the D.H. i8's. He was the only pilot to leave the aerodrome, but was compelled by the weather to descend at Lympne ; where, by some mysterious " juggling " of pilots, he was relieved of his machine and arrived back at Croydon in the Handley Page on Sunday afternoon. Mr. Courtney has been approached by the Disposal Com- pany to fly an Avro to Brussels, but, in common with other pilots, he does not consider the fee of £8, with no expenses, good enough. Pilots are prepared to fly D.H. 9's—or any machine of equivalent speed—to Brussels for this fee, as they can get back by the night boat; but an Avro takes longer on the journey, and, halts having to be made to replenish petrol tanks, the catching of the night-boat becomes a question of doubt—with the result that the fee is not con- sidered worth while. Captain Leverton, of K.L.M., is still at the aerodrome, not having started as yet on his tour of the European air-ports ; while his staff is busy clearing up outstanding items from the summer's flying. I understand that the Amsterdam end of the service has not shut down completely, and that the route between Amsterdam and Paris is still open, while the K.L.M. are open to take winter " taxi " jobs. Wireless Concert from the Air CAPTAIN MUIR has now another " freak " job. A lady, having bought a Westland which she has had fitted with the latest in aerial wireless installations, Captain Muir is to fly this machine over to Amsterdam. Whereupon the lady— so it is reported—is going to sing into the wireless transmitter and treat the Dutch wireless operators to a concert from the air. All this should have happened last Saturday, but the weather was too bad, and the performance is, therefore, postponed until next week. The Meteorological Office is experimenting with a new apparatus for ascertaining the height of fog. A balloon— or a number of small balloons to give the necessary lift— is attached to an instrument worked on the principle of the old weather-cock, in which the figure of a man or a woman came out of a little wooden hut according to whether the weather was to be fine or wet. The action of the moisture in the fog holds a small brass ring in place, but, when the instrument goes out of the top of the fog into dry air, the ring is released and slides down the string into the operator's hand, and the length of string let out when this happens gives the approximate height of the fog. This information is of little use at present, but when flying above fog becomes practicable it will be of great value. THE LONDON-CONTINENTAL SERVICES FLIGHTS RouteJ Croydon-Paris ... Paris-Croydon ... Totals for week I No . o f fl 18 20 ^8 BETWEEN NOVEMBER 20 AND NOVEMBER 26, ssenger s No . o f p a 34 48 82 No. offlights carrying Mail s 4 11 Good s 17 01II No . o f j< com p 12 14 26 Averag e flyin g tim e h. m. 3 19 2 16 Fastest time made by Goliath F-GEAO (2h. 42m.) D.H.18 G-EAKO(ih. 54m.)... INCLUSIVE Type and (in brackets) Number of each type flying B.(2),D.H.i8(i),G.(5),H.P. (3), Sp. (3). V. (1). B.(3),D.H.i8(2),G.(4),H.P.(3), Sp. (3), V. (i). • Not including " private" flights. t Including certain journeys when stops were made en route.% Including certain diverted journeys. Av = Avro B = Breguet Br. == Bristol. Bt. = B.A.T. D.H.4 = De Havilland 4, D.H.o (etc.). F. - Fokker. ' Fa. = Farman F.50. G. = Goliath Farman. 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 Expresses A6riennes j Handley Page Transport, Ltd.; Instone Air Line; Koninklijkie Luchtvaart Maatschappij; Messagenes A6riennes • Syndicat National pour l'Etude des Transports Aenens ; Co. Transaenenne. R.A.F. Sports Board THE Royal Air Force Recreational Council, which is responsible for the organisation and encouragement of all games in the Royal Air Force, has been re-organised, and will in future be known as the R.A.F. Sports Board. The Board will consist of a chairman, secretary and treasurer, appointed by the Air Council from officers serving at the Air Ministry, and of the Air Officers Commanding the Inland and Coastal Areas, R.A.F. Cranwell and R.A.P. Halton or their representatives. -"• ^ < •.. nut its duties through the channel of the various Royal Air Force games associations. These associations, of which there are nine, are governed by bodies of voluntary officials, and are responsible to the Sports Board for the encouragement and organisation of the particular game they represent. K.L.G. Aviation Plugs A CASE of mistaken iden4ity arose in the Accessory Section of last week's " Flight," in which the illustration representing the K.L.G. Aviation Plug really depicted a model G-i (for motor rar and motor cycle engines), and which, of course, is quite unsuitable for aero engines. 801
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