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Aviation History
1922
1922 - 0387.PDF
LONDON TERMINAL AERODROME Monday evening, July 3, 1922 HANBLEY PAGE TRANSPORT continue to carry the-bulk of the passenger traffic, and are getting something like full loads for their new 12-seater " W.8B's." Passenger traffic, as a whole, has improved slightly during the week. Even the K.L.M., whose traffic is so largely goods, have had a considerable increase in their passenger^. The Instone Air Line have now a regular morning newspaper service to Brussels, but, owing to the shortage of machines, they are unable to take all the traffic that would be forthcoming for this service. As it is, they have to limit their load to the capacity of one of their Westland limousines, with which they are carrying out this service. There have been one or two sensational " take-offs " during the week, emphasising the need for strong nerves in those whose business keeps them regularly on the aerodrome, and also lending point to the general opinion that " someone is going to hit the fence" sooner or later. The Vickers " Vimy " which has been built for the Grands Express, and has had her two Napier " Lion " engines replaced by 400 h.p. Lorraine-Dietrich engines, was taking off into a south-west wind, and appeared to only just clear the Customs House, and to narrowly miss the giant Handley Page sign. This same machine went off to Paris on Saturday, piloted by Mr. Cockerell, and this time took off quite well. A Rather Too Exciting Moment THE second sensational take-off occurred on Saturday, when a Breguet was taking off in the same direction. M. Didier and several others were standing on the tarmac, when it suddenly dawned on them that the machine was not rising and was hurtling along the ground straight towards them. There was a sudden rush as they scattered in all directions, while a little group of people by the weather-hut endeavoured to get into the next county in quick time. The machine, however, rose just as it reached the tarmac, and managed to scrape over the top of the weather-hut by inches. Had the pilot been a few yards to the right, he would have caught the wind indicator mast, as he was well below thejjvane. The K.L.M. continue to carry big loads of goods to and from Holland. On one of the early morning machines, there was a load of 900 lbs. weight, which Mr. Hofstra took off the ground in the " F.3 " with ease. The parcel post by aero plane to Holland is, apparently, becoming popular. One day's consignment, recently, weighed as much as 130 lbs. This is a very encouraging sign, as, with the facilities of the Post Office for collecting and delivering from all parts of the country, there is no reason why this traffic should not become . a mainstay for all the airways. It is free of a great drawback that attends ordinary goods traffic—this drawback being that goods require so much expenditure in motor-vans for collection and delivery that it costs as much, if not more, to collect goods by motor transport as the entire charge for conveying them to Paris by air, leaving nothing for the flying portion. The Instone Air Line have, apparently, over-staffed them selves with pilots, and are now having to reduce their numbers. Messrs. Bradley and Keys are, I understand, leaving the firm, and are open to engagement as pilots either at home or abroad. Mr. Keys flew over to Stag Lane in one of the Surrey Flying Service's Avros, in order to take a " D.H.9 " belonging to the " taxi " service of the De Havilland Aircraft Co., to Dublin. As it happened, however, when he arrived at Stag Lane, it was decided that, as two of the De Havilland taxiplanes were already held up in Dublin by the authorities, no more should be sent; and so Mr. Keys took a machine out for photographic work instead. He is delighted with the courtesy of this firm, who flew him back to Croydon in a " D.H.9 " when he had completed his day's work for them. An Important Early-Morning Conference DURING the week, Major-General Sir W. S. Brancker held another of his early-morning meetings at the air-station. Brigadier-General Festing accompanied him. and the meeting was attended by representatives of the various British air transport companies and pilots. General Brancker asked for suggestions as to the requirements of the firms in the way of new machines—such as what performance they required, and what load they wished the machines to carry. It is evident that he intends to ask designers to submit designs for machines for next year's work that will embody the experience so far gained in air transport. In addition, the form in which weather reports should be transmitted to pilots while in flight was discussed ; also new regulations with regard to the tests pilots should undergo in order to obtain their licences. I understand that it was proposed that pilots should make a stipulated number of landings, with machines empty, and also with full load, and that an examina tion in engines should also be part of their tests. Everybody at the air-station is impressed by General Brancker's keenness, and by his evident desire to do all in his power to further commercial aviation, and, at the same time, to safeguard passengers. The British Success at Brussels I HEAR that as a result of the competition for commercial aeroplanes held at Brussels on Sunday, June 25, and won by the Handley Page " W.8.b-," this firm have obtained an 1 order from the Belgian Government for six of these machines. Up to the present, however, I have been unable to obtain definite confirmation of this. The " S.E.5's " which the Aircraft Disposal Co. sent to these competitions have been flown back to Croydon during the week. Mr. Courtney, while flying one of these machines, experienced engine trouble while still five miles out over the Channel, and had the utmost difficulty in reaching the English coast. He succeeded, however, in arriving over the Dover aerodrome, only to discover that it was covered with sheep and hurdles ; so he was compelled to land on the cliffs, pulling up within 20 yds. of the edge. During bad weather in the Channel, Mr. Robertson, flying the Daimler Airways " D.H.34 " attempted to get across from the English side, when, suddenly, the masts of a ship loomed up out of the clouds. He found that he was actually below the top of the masts, which were in the clouds, and wisely decided to turn back, alighting safely at Lympne. E a AEROPLANE v. INSECTS : We referred recently to some experiments carried out at Ohio in which an aeroplane flew over a plantation of Catulpa trees, spraying them with arsenate of lead, with a view to destroying a plague of caternillars. Above will be seen a Curriss hinlane. niloted bv Lieut. 'Mac-rfadv. riisrhnrtfintf i«-e «' nAicnn .<ioc " caterpillars. Abov l Curtis biplane, pilote y . Macready, discharging its which successfully accounted for practically every caterpillar. 387 poison gas,
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