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Aviation History
1923
1923 - 0093.PDF
FEBRUARY 15, 1923. overhaul, which works out to about 135,000 miles or 1,500 hrs. a year. This aircraft has not been fully worked and I believe we can get 2,000 hrs. a year from one machine with good organisation and heavy traffic. We are also progressing ill the amount of flying done by pilots. In 1921, it was generally considered that a pilot could not be expected to fly more than about 400 hrs. in the year. On the experience of 1922, I am inclined to think that a pilot can fly 600 hrs. in the year quite easily. In July last one firm's pilots averaged 62 hrs. flying each, and 8 pilots who have been flying regularly during the 6 months—June to November—averaged 48 hrs. a month, each without any ill-effect. This is another distinct step towards economy. The increase of traffic carried on the London-Paris route, which is the only route of which we have statistics for more than one year, is disappointing. In 1920, 6,383 passengers crossed the Channel, and in 1921, 10,731. During 1921, in Certain quarters including Government circles, a profound optimism regarding the increase of traffic prevailed, and, generally speaking, the subsidies for 1922 were based on the expectation that there would be at least 20,000 passengers carried across the Channel during that year. Actually, only 12,365 crossed the Channel during 1922. The reasons for this, I think, are threefold : (1) the two unfortunate accidents I mentioned earlier took place just as the services were getting into their swing for the summer ; (2) the weather in the earlier part fo the year was exceptionally bad ; and (3) there had been a general financial depression in America and Great Britain. The nationality of these passengers is interesting. Out of the total 12,000 odd, 6,600 were aliens and 5,500 were British, and most of the aliens were American. During 1921, British aircraft carried only 49 per cent, of these passengers ; during 1922 we carried 76 "per cent. A satisfactory feature of the traffic is the increase in the carriage of mails, newspapers, parcels and excess luggage. During 1922, 208.6 tons were carried, which gives an average of 19 tons a month. During 1921, only 19.4 tons were carried during the whole year. A considerable proportion of this extra weight was newspapers, for which a regular service was run from Lympne to Ostend for some months during the summer. During the spring of 1922 the wireless telephone was brought into use for the first time in air transport. At first, this invention was looked upon askance by the pilots and its reliability was much criticised, but the pilots have now learned its value and object to flying without it, and from the moment this change of mind took place matters improved and the reliability of the wireless apparatus has steadily increased. General Progress of Air Transport outside the British Empire.-— I must now give you a few brief details regarding the progress of air transport in other parts of the world. France, of course, is leading the way. Her Government from the moment the War ended was inspired with the enormous possibilities of air transport, both as a military reserve and as a means of extending political influence in the countries through which it flies. During 1922 they had 13 air routes in opera- tion as against 8 in 1921, covering a total length of 5,300 miles as against 3,430 in 1921, and were scheduled to fly about 2,226,000 miles in the year. The most important of these is that running from Toulouse to Casablanca. It is a daily service, accomplishing the journey in 26 hrs. and covering a distance of 1,153 miles. This service is run very regularly and is now carrying about 190,000 letters a month. The French are anxious to start a line through Marseilles, Italy and Greece to Alexandretta, and a group of French business men and financiers are definitely considering the organisation of such a route in the hopes that we will organise a route from Alexandretta to Baghdad and on to India, so as to get a through line to India. The proposed French vote for civil aviation for 1923 totals 155,750,000 francs ; this includes the technical department which serves the military side of aviation as well as the civil. About 47,750,000 francs are devoted to direct subsidies ; it is difficult to gauge the exact value of this sum in sterling, but I should put it at almost £1,000,000 when the local buying power of the franc is considered. Germany also, in spite of her disadvantageous conditions, carried out a lot of flying during the summer of 1922. It is German policy to shut down all lines during the winter because they have so little equipment that they cannot carry out extensive air services throughout the year. During the summer of 1922 the Germans were operating 15 air routes as against 7 in 1921, covering a length of about 3,980 miles, as against 1,695 in 1921, and her aircraft were scheduled to fly about 1,030,000 miles as against 615,000. In America there is a great deal of private joy-riding going on, but there is no Federal legislation and no controlling authority for civil aviation. It is therefore impossible to gauge what sort of progress is being made. There is, however, a very interesting air service being run by the Post Office. It is operating regularly every day between New York and San Francisco, the journey taking approximately 56 hrs. The service has so far been run over a section by air by day, and then by night by train and then another section by air on the following day, but it is now intended to fly right through, and one section of the route between Chicago and Cheyenne is being organised for a night service. During 1922 a total of 175,000,000 miles were flown on this route, and about 49,000,000 pieces of mail were carried. Letters go by air service as a matter of course and the public are not charged anything extra. The Dutch are running a very efficient service between Amsterdam and London. It is supported by Government. They are using Fokker monoplanes with British Siddeley- Puma engines and the standard of their regularity and safety in running and general efficiency is very high ; I have always maintained that the Dutchman is going to make one of the best air pilots in the world, just as he was one of the finest sailors in the old days, and I think this initial service bears me out. In Belgium a new company has been -formed, in which the Government will have considerable interests, for the operation of air transport in Europe. It is not clear when_this company will start operations. In the Belgian Congo seaplanes have been operating (with considerable success) following the Congo River from Leopoldville to Stanleyville, a distance of 1,077 miles. Practically every other country in Europe is convinced of the importance of air transport, and is doing its best to develop it with the funds at its disposal. The Czechs are already negotiating for an agreement with ourselves, by which a combined British and Czech company will run over a certain section in Central Europe The Spanish are just about to bring to a conclusion the preliminary negotiations for a big rigid airship service between Seville and the Argentine. They have already for some time been running an aeroplane service between Seville and El Arish in Morocco. This service up-to-date has been equipped with British machines (de Havillands) and been manned by British pilots, and it has been remarkable for its regularity and efficiency. Air Transport in our Overseas Dominions.—Our overseas Dominions all realise the great potentialities of air transport. Australia leads the way. She has organised two long air- routes, one from Geraldton to Derby—1,200 miles—and another from Charleville to Cloncurry—580 miles. The Geraldton-Derby service runs weekly with Bristol Tourers, which carry only two passengers ; the operating company proposes to get larger machines as soon as they can. During the first 9 months of their operations they attained to 97 per cent, efficiency ; during the last four, 100 per cent. No accidents have occurred and the time saved over other methods of travel is 9 days. Letters are carried for a 3d. surcharge, and have averaged a little over 1,100 a trip. The annual Government subsidy to this service is ^25,000. The company has issued a dividend of 10 per cent, and has laid by more profits as a reserve. Two more routes are being organised—Adelaide to Sydney, about 1,050 miles, and Sydney to Brisbane, about 500 miles, at a total cost of ^29,000 more. The grant for civil aviation during 1922 was ^159,500, including ^88,000 for direct subsidies and /56,000 on aero- dromes. There are 20 Government aerodromes and 33 Government emergency landing places, and 10 private aerodromes in Australia—and at present there are 42 licensed pilots and 78 ground engineers. They only want up-to-date aircraft to make air transport a great success without much financial assistance. Australia is an example of the advantages to. air transport of bad communications and a good climate. In New Zealand a subsidy has been given to three companies on the basis of payment for pilots, aircraft, aerodromes, etc. In the year ending March, 1922, 69,000 miles were flown and about 9,400 passengers carried. In Canada private enterprise has done very little, but the Government have accomplished a great deal of most useful forest survey and fire patrol work, whereby a vast amount of time and a great deal of money has been saved. In South Africa and India practically nothing has been done because there has been no money to spend. In Newfoundland efforts have been made towards survey and reconnaissance for seals, but not much has been accom- plished so far. There is a scheme, afoot now for a service up 93
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