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Aviation History
1925
1925 - 0754.PDF
NOVEMBER 12, 1925 ground in this respect. Sir Charles recalled that in the pastBritons had been pioneers upon the seven seas. Today, they had an opportunity, if they would take it, to establisha similar leadership in the last of the elements to be con- quered by man—the air. The honour of leadership wouldbe to whoever could establish and maintain supremacy by having the highest proportion of the most skilful pilots.The coming of the light aeroplane gave the young men of the present generation the opportunity to become " knights ofthe air." Sir Samuel Hoare, in replying, said he welcomed the chanceof coming to Manchester, and of ascertaining on the spot how the Light Aeroplane Club was progressing. He congratulatedthe Club on having for its President a man like Sir Charles Wakefield, who had done so much to develop British flying.When he (Sir Samuel) was Secretary of State for Air, two years ago, he was very anxious to try the experiment of fosteringlight plane clubs, and he was now very glad that within a few months of his return to office they had been able toStart a certain number of light plane clubs. Sir Samuel then referred to the progress already made, and said that by wayof an example, he would take two of these clubs.—the London Aeroplane Club, and the Lancashire Aeroplane Club. The most anxious that the light plane clubs should be self-supporting and as free from Government interference and control as possible. He would appeal to the citizens ofManchester to give the Club support and so help it to become independent. The experiment they were making with the light planeclubs was an important one. The aim was not merely to enable a few enthusiasts to make joy rides in the clouds.If that were all that was intended, the Daily Mai! would not be giving .£5,000 next 3?ear in prizes, and the Air Ministrywould not be giving the support it did. The experiment was something much more important, and was part of the funda-mental policy of making fuller use of the discovery of flying. Hitherto, the air had been the province of a limited numberof highly trained military pilots, and the problems connected with the air had been almost exclusively concentrated in aGovernment office. This was too narrow a basis for great development. They wanted to get men and women directlyinterested and to get them to think about air problems. The light aeroplane clubs would help greatly in two difficulttasks with which he was at present confronted : firstly, that of home defence against air attack, and secondly, the improve-ment of Empire communications by air. Histask, and that Air iM i ni ster visits Avro Works: Our group includes, from left to right. Air Vice-Marshal Sir S. Brancker, Director of Civil Aviation, Sir William Letts, Sir Kenneth Crossley, Sir Charles Wake- field, Sir Samuel Hoare, Mr. A. W. H u b b le , Mr. John Lord, Mr. Harry Fieldes, and Mr. Dobson. former already had 150 members and 100 on the waiting list,whilst 80 of the Club's members were actually flying. On October 15, the first " A " licence was granted to a memberof the London Club. At Manchester, the nucleus of the present Club was founded as a result of a movement initiatedby the enterprise of certain members three years ago. He was pleased to note that today there were 150 membersof whom all but 10 were flying members. There were 30 associates, and 27 members were under flying instruction.He was glad to learn that four members had been trained nb initio, two of whom were ready to take their " A " licences.Sir Samuel here referred to the cost of flying by members of the light 'plane clubs, which appeared to be very littlehigher than the hire of a motor-car for a similar period. The Lancashire Club started with a great advantage in havingat their disposal the Woodford Aerodrome of A. V. Roe & Co. This firm had probably produced more training machinesthan any other firm in the world, and the Club was fortunate in being so closely associated with such a firm. The AirMinister paid a tribute to the two flying instructors of the Club, Messrs. Scholes and Cantrill, both of whom, he was gladto note, were officers of the Royal Air Force Reserve, and who were giving their valuable services for nothing, thushelping on the great work. He was at Manchester that day to wish the Club all success in its enterprise, and to tell themthat he fully realised their difficulties, among which he re- ferred to the relatively small number of machines. He was of his successors, would be made much easier if they hadto assist them in every great city a nucleus of men and women who had flown themselves and who understood the problemsof the air. Mr. John Leeming. Chairman of the Lancashire Aero Clubsaid they owed a great deal to the Director of Civil Aviation, Air Vice-Marshal Sir Sefton Brancker. They had alwaysfound that they were able to go straight to Sir Sefton with their troubles and, being not only a stranger to, but a haterof, red tape, Sir Sefton had always been able to help by getting things done without delay, and the Clubs had come tolook upon Sir Sefton as their best friend. He thought the luncheon would mark the turning point in the life of the Club,and expressed the hope that the next time the Air Minister visited Manchester he would be met, not by three machines,but by a whole squadron. Sir Sefton Brancker thanked Mr. Leeming for the kindwords he had said about him, but at the same time he was afraid that by his reference to Sir Sefton's hatred of red tape,Mr. Leeming might be found to have ruined his (Sir Sefton's) reputation as a civil servant ! He assured the clubs that inhim they would always have a good friend, and after telling some amusing anecdotes in his own inimitable manner, hecalled attention to the fact that aviation history was inti- mately bound up with Lancashire, where many years agoMr. A. V. Roe produced his first tractor biplane, a type which had now become almost universal. 754
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