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Aviation History
1925
1925 - 0830.PDF
DECEMBER 17, 1925 IN PARLIAMENT Re-Occupation of Air Stations SIR F. SYKE5, on December 3, asked the Secretary of State for Air whatair-station properties previously in ownership or part ownership of the State and disposed of after the War, have been, or according to present proposalsare to be reoccupied by the Air Ministry ; and if he will ascertain and state the total sum realised from their disposal and the total estimated cost of reac-quisition. Sir S. Hoare : As regard the first part of the question, none of the air-stationsproperties which have been or, according to present proposals, are to be reoccupied by the Air Ministry, were previously owned in whole or in part bythe State and disposed of after the War. The following stations which were occupied during the War under compulsory powers and released are beingreoccupied :—Bicester, Boscombe Down, Filton, Castle Bromwich, Hendon Hucknall, Suttons Farm, Upper Heyford, Waddington, Wittering, Threeother stations, North Weald Bassett, Turnhouse, and West Drayton, which had also been occupied, were partly purchased by the Liquidation Department,from whom the Air Ministry has since repurchased the portions retained. As regards the second part of the question, buildings which existed at the Stationsreferred to were sold by the Liquidation Department, in many cases for removal and to a number of separate purchasers, and in other cases were disposed of tothe owners of the land in part settlement of their claims for reinstatement and to ascertain the total sum realised would involve the investigation of alarge number of records and accounts extending over a considerable period. I cannot see that any public purpose would be served by an investigationinvolving so much labour and resulting in a figure which is in no way com- parable with the cost of reacquisition. The total estimated cost of acquisitionof the lands and reacquisitiou of buildings, where existent, is £243,000. This total includes nothing for the purchase of Hendon, which has formed thesubject of complicated negotiations involving war debts ; these negotiations are not yet complete. Accidents MR CASSELS asked the Secretary of State for Air the number of deathsin the Royal Air Force due to machines crashing during the year 1924. Sir S. Hoare : The number of deaths of Royal Air Force personnel in airaccidents during 1924 was 70. Halton CollegeSIR FREDRIC WISE, on December 7, asked the Secretary of State for Air the number of boys at Halton College, and the number of tutors, doctors,etc. ? Sir S. Hoare : The number of aircraft apprentices at Halton is 1,740, andof the instructional staff (to whom I assume that my hon. friend refers) 253. The medical staff at Halton Hospital consists of nine officers and 94 airmen,but their duties are not confined to providing medical attendance for the school, the hospital being a central one for the whole Air Force. Cnwwell Cadet Training School.SIR F. WISE asked the number of cadets at Cranwell, and the cost per cadet to the State ? Sir S. Hoare : The answer is 103 cadets and the annual cost, according toan investigation carried out for the year 1923-24, approximately £550, including all overhead charges, but excluding flying training.Sir F. Wise : Are there any boys at Cranwell besides cadets ? Sir S. Hoare : As far as my memory goes there are about 800 boys there inaddition to cadets. Sir F. Wise : Is the cost of the boys included in that amount ?Sir S. Hoare : Yes, but that is an entirely different calculation. The two institutions, although at the same place, are run quite separately.Mr. Morgan Jones : Does the cost stated in the answer cover the cost of buildings as well ?!• Sir S. Hoare : No, Sir. It is the maintenance cost, and obviously it would not cover the cost of the buildings. Hospital Beds BRIGADIER-GENERAL CHARTERIS asked the Secretary of State for Airthe present number of equipped beds in hospitals under the Air Ministry ; and the average daily number of patients in these hospitals during the currentyear ? Sir S. Hoare : The answer to the first part of the question is 1,586 ; to thesecond, 528. Of the 1,586 equipped beds, 1,139 are in hospitals in Iraq and Palestine which cater for the whole garrisons, i.e., Army as well as Air Forceand British as well as Indian troops and, in Palestine, the British Gendarmerie in addition. I may add that it is necessary to provide beds considerably inexcess of the average occupation in order to be in a position to cope with epidemics, casualties, seasonal illnesses, and the special conditions underwhich the forces in the Middle East are serving, but their number is and will continue to be brought under constant review. Fatal Accidents BRIGADIER-GENERAL WARNER, on December 9, asked the Secretary ofState for Air the percentage of fatal flying accidents that have occurred in the Royal Air Force from January 1, 1924, to September 1, 1924, andfrom January 1, 1925, to September 1, 1925, in comparison with the number of hours flown in each period ?Major Sir Philip Sassoon : The number of aircraft hours flown per fatal accident during the period in 1925 referred to was greater by 92 per cent,than the figure for the corresponding period in 1924. I need hardly remind my hon. and gallant friend that it would be unwise to draw too definitedeductions from comparative figures taken over arbitrarily selected periods, but, as he will see, there has been a most striking and satisfactory decreasein the ratio of casualties to hours flown. Brigadier-General Warner : IE this most satisfactory diminution in fatalflying accidents due to the initiation of any new system of training, or in the training Of young pilots is any new type of special aeroplanes being used ?Sir P. Sassoon : It is the general increase in efficiency all round, and the causes mentioned by my hon. and gallant friend may have played a part. Aircraft COLONEL GRETTON asked the Secretary of State for Air if he is now ableto give the number of machines in the Air Force efficient and immediately ready to fly on emergency under war conditions both at home and stationedabroad ? Sir P. Sassoon : The first-line strength of the regular squadrons of theRoyal Air Force at the present time at home and abroad is approximately 650 machines. This figure, like that which I gave in reply to the previous ques-tion on the 2nd instant, excludes the establishment of 58 first-line machines on the strength of auxiliary and special reserve squadrons. This establish-ment is now in course of being completed, and these 58 machines, though not immediately ready for flying under war conditions, could then be made avail-able on emergency at very short notice. Machines on the strength of train- ing, experimental and research units are also excluded. Bentley Priory Purchase SIR F. HALL asked for what purpose the Ministry are arranging to buyBentley Priory, Stanmore, for the use of the Royal Air Force ; how the purpose is now met ; and what is the total cost involved in the scheme ? Sir P. Sassoon : As regards the first part of the question, Bentley Prioryis being purchased fur use as headquarters of the re-organised Inland Area, Royal Air Force, which is to form in April next. As regards the second part,the existing Inland Area headquarters are at Hillingdon House, Uxbridge, and this accommodation, when vacated, will be used for the Fighting Areaheadquarters of the Home Defence Force, which is part of the approved Home Defence expansion scheme. As regards the last part of the question,the total cost involved in the acquisition and adaptation of Bentley Priory will be approximately £40,000. I may add that the purchase and adaptationof these premises is the most economical method of providing the accom- modation required for these headquarters ; to purchase a site and erect newbuildings thereon would entail a much heavier outlay. Sir F. Wise : What is the acreage '!Sir P. Sassoon : I think it is 41 acres. ROYAL AERONAUTICAL SOCIETY Special General Alee-tin?.—A Special General Meeting of the voting members of the Royal Aeronautical Society has been called for Wednesday, December 30, at 5.30 p.m., to receive the Council's recom- mendations for the revision of the rules necessitated by the proposed regrading of the membership, alteration of subscription and formation of branches. Lecture.—The next lecture of the Sixty- first Session will take place on Thursday, January 7, 1926, at 6.30 p.m. in the Library at 7, Albemarle Street, W. 1, when Prof. A. J. Sutton Pippard, D.Sc, F.R.Ae.S., will read a paper on " The Experimental Analysis of Frameworks with Special Reference to the Problems of Airship Design." The chair will be taken by Air Vice-Marshal Sir Sefton Brancker, K.C.B., A.F.C. Sixtieth Anniversary of the Society's Foundation.—A conver- sazione will be held in the Aeronautical Section of the Science Museum on the evening of Tuesday, January 12, to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of the Society's foundation. J. LAURENCE PRITCHARD, Hon. Secretary Lecture Programme, 1925-26 (Second Hal] of Series.) January 7.—Prof. A. J. Sutton Pippard, D.Sc., F.R.Ae.S., " The Experimental Stress Analysis of Frameworks with Special Reference to the Problems of Airship Design." January 21.—Maj. J. S. Buchanan, A.F.R.Ae.S., "The Schneider Cup Race, 1925." February 4, 7.0 p.m.—Joint Meeting with the Institution of Automobile Engineers, at the Royal Society of Arts. Mr. C. L. Lawrence, ment." February 25.—Mr. A. J. Flights." March 4.—Maj. G. H. Scott, A.F.C., A.F.R.Ae.S., "The Development of Airship Mooring and Handling." March 18.—Flight-Lieut. H. Cooch, " Landing Aeroplanes in Fog." April 15.—Capt. G. T. R. Hill, A.F.R.Ae.S., "The Tailless Aeroplane.". April 29.—Lieut.-Col. V. C. Richmond, A.F.R.Ae.S., "The Results of Recent Airship Flight Tests." Lectures take place at 6.30 p.m. at 7, Albemarle Street, unless indicated otherwise. American Aircraft Engine Develop- Cobham, " Long-Distance Aeroplane 830
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