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Aviation History
1922
1922 - 0278.PDF
for granted that he will see to it that his views and recommendations are conveyed to the right quarters, and forcibly brought before the authorities. The onus of acting upon such advice will then rest upon the Government, and as we have little doubt that the new D. of C.A. will have a very large body of public opinion behind him, we look forward to his term of office with every confidence. At the same time, if Sir Sefton Brancker is to do for aviation and for the Empire what we are sure he is determined to do, he must be given every assist ance, and, as he himself said in a letter to the Air League of the British Empire, expenditure can only be justified when supported by a strong body of public opinion. We in FLIGHT have always done our best to impress upon the public the vital importance to the Empire of air power. There are signs that the daily press is also beginning to realise the fact, and hence we are hopeful of the future. Once let the man in the street realise how really urgent is the need for aerial preparedness, and public opinion will be so strong that no Government would dare to oppose it. As D. of C.A. Sir Sefton Brancker will do his share. It is up to the general public to see that the Govern ment ceases to fool upon our national security. • • * s . In the Union of South Africa Govern- African ment Gazette of February i, 1922, we Ratification are pleased to see that a Bill was in- 01 eluded " to enable effect to be given to International the international Convention for regu- Convention bating air navigation, and to make pro vision for the control, regulation and encouragement of flying within the Union, and for other purposes identical thereto." TheAviation Act, 1922, as the new Act may be cited " for all purposes," provides for the ratification on behalf of the Union of South Africa, by His Majesty the King, of the International Air Convention signed in Paris on October 13, 1919. The Bill confers upon the Governor-General powers to ratif ' any amendments of or additions to the Convention, to make regulations relating to the licensing, inspection, etc., of aircraft and aerodromes, the issue of certificates, and, in short, to act in the general interests of the Union, always in conformity witji, as far as they affect it, the International Air Convention. According to the Bill, the Governor- General may appoint a civil air board consisting of not more than seven persons, to act in an advisory- capacity and advise as to regulations made under the Act, matters arising out of the application to the Union of the rules made under the Convention, the encouragement of flying, and proposals for establish ment of air services. The Bill provides that in case of emergency the Governor-General may declare the Union or parts thereof to be restricted area and issue orders and instructions in respect of such restricted areas, as well as taking possession of and using for purposes of defence any aircraft or aerodrome in the Union, subject to payment of compensation. The Bill also requires all public aerodromes to be licensed or approved by a duly prescribed authority. The investigation of accidents has been given due attention, and the Act prescribes that the Minister (presumably of Posts and Telegraphs, who introduced the Bill) may appoint one or more persons as a board of enquiry to make investigations into accidents. The accident enquiry board is to be given power to examine witnesses on oath and to call for the pro duction of log books, licences, etc. We might quote from the Bill a number of- other provisions made for various contingencies, but suffice it to say that, taken as a whole, the Bill appears to be modelled on very sensible lines, and should go a long way towards establishing aviation in South Africa on sound lines as regards legislation. It is to be hoped that the introduction of this Bill will mark the begin ning of a vigorous policy on the part of the Union Government, so that South Africa may take the place in the world's aviation to which her importance and geographical conditions entitle her. • • • The The airship scheme submitted to the Airship ^jr ]\iinistry some weeks ago by Com mander Burney, and in which Messrs. Vickers, Ltd., and the " Shell " group were to interest themselves, was at first turned down, it may be remembered, the reason given being that, in the view of the Government, the financial guarantees asked for were too large. A modified scheme was then submitted in which the company, if the scheme was accepted, undertook to refund to the Government certain moneys after a period of years. The latest proposal has now been considered by the Air Council, and the following reply has been made by the Air Ministry:— The Air Council have had under further consideration your latest proposals for the establishment of a commercial line of airships to India and to Australia, and I am directed to inform you that, in the opinion of the Air Council, the scheme as now- put forward by you constitutes a notable advance upon any other scheme for the utilisation of airships in connection with Imperial communications which has previously been sub mitted to the Air Council. They further consider that, with certain additions, given below, the scheme offers a reasonable prospect of being able to operate ships satisfactorily between India and this country, subject to definite recognition of the fact that any under taking involving the regular use of airships as a means of communication must necessarily be of a highly speculative nature, especially from the commercial point of view. (1) The number of airships to be provided to be increased from five to six. (2) An airship base, complete with airship shed, and the necessary plant, to be erected in India. The Air Council are at this stage unable to make any state ment regarding the financial aspect of the scheme. So far as it goes, this reply from the Air Ministry is satisfactory. There still remains the financial aspect, to be studied by the Air Ministry and the Treasury. The reply, following the deliberations of these two bodies, may be less favourable. We say may, although we do not necessarily think it will be. For one thing, it seems possible that, if the scheme is turned down on financial grounds by the Air Ministry, the Admiralty may interest itself in it. It is well known that the Admiralty " turned down " airships on financial grounds, and if this scheme could be so worked as to give the Admiralty a certain interest in the undertaking at relatively low cost, some arrange ment might be reached whereby the Admiralty would sponsor the scheme, or a somewhat similar one. It is, however, unlikely that the Air Ministry would like the Admiralty to come forward and take up the " fathering " of the proposed scheme, and this fact may, conceivably, influence the Air Ministry to the extent of causing the suggestions of Commander Burney to be accepted. At any rate, the prospects for airships are, we think, brighter than they have been for a long i time,
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