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Aviation History
1926
1926 - 0321.PDF
MAY 6, 1926 SIR SEFTON BRANCKER ON "AIR TRANSPORT" Resume of a Paper Read at the Junior Institution of Engineers AIR VICE-MARSHAL SIR \V. SEFTON BRANCKER, Director of Civil Aviation, gave much interesting and useful information concerning air transport on the occasion of the fifth Gustave Canet Memorial lecture, which he delivered before the Junior Institution of Engineers on April 30. Unfortunately, pressure on our space will only allow a comparatively brief resume being published here, and much interesting matter must necessarily be omitted. Sir Sefton explained the position of Imperial Airways, the national company, and showed by figures and maps the work it is doing with the aid of the Government subsidy. He said that in no case within Europe had air transport paid its way ; it existed only by the grace of subsidies, the systems of application varying in each country. The British company had complete freedom in its policy, and had been restricted in its activities only by certain international difficulties, which seemed likely to vanish in the near future. The company, and its predecessors, had already carried over 70,000 pas- sengers across the Channel, with only four fatal accidents. The first Empire air link outside Europe was about to be established. Imperial Airways had accepted a contract to operate a fortnightly service between Cairo and Karachi via Baghdad, and the new enterprise would commence on January 1, 1927. In the contract four days were permitted for the voyage of 2,500 miles, but it was proposed ultimately to perform the journey in 30 hours. Meanwhile, it would be the responsibility of the Indian Government to carry on the route from Karachi to Calcutta and Rangoon, and connection would eventually be made with Australia. The British Government had definitely decided to go on with airship development, and two big ships were at present on order. The present plan was to operate an experimental service to India with these two ships, with a base at Karachi and a temporary calling station at Ismailia. The most difficult problem which confronted air transport was the reduction of costs to a level at which the new form of locomotion could pay its way without financial assistance from the Government. Available data went to prove that the total cost of carriage by air was about 5s. a ton-mile at 90 miles an hour. That was, obviously, too high a figure to attract any considerable volume of freight ; it was very high, but not impossible, for passenger traffic, and it could be accepted as a legitimate charge for carrying first-class mail matter at high speed. The predominant factors in the financial problem were overhead charges, operating costs, and revenue. Obsolescence and depreciation were usually estimated at 20 per cent, per annum, but that was not sufficiently high to meet the constant flow of improvements in design which offered themselves. Already, since 1919, two complete generations of aircraft £ind one of engines had passed away. Most of the existing machines ought to be replaced by "all-metal craft fitted with air-cooled engines and provided with stability and economy devices. As regards engine maintenance, it was to be noted that about 60 per cent, of engine defects were due to the water system, valve breakage or distortion, or oil circulation. The development of the heavy-oil engine for use in the air was going on steadily. The engine was appreciably heavier than the normal petrol engine, but showed considerable saving in weight of fuel burnt per horse-power. A comparison of fares and approximate times by ordinary means of transport and air transport indicated that there was an average of about 5s. extra cost for each hour saved, not counting the fact that the journey by air saved appre- ciably in tips, taxis, meals, and sleeping berths. In conclusion, Sir Sefton said that mutual understanding and co-operation depended on time, not on space. With an airship service flying at a cruising speed of 60 m.p.h., New Zealand would be where Somaliland was to-day, Australia would come up to Aden, India to Egypt, and Canada two- thirds of the way across the Atlantic. These were possi- bilities which could not be neglected, no matter what it might cost to bring them about. COMMERCIAL MACHINE FOR AUSTRALIA : The A.N.E.C. Ill taking off for a flight at Brooklands aerodrome. Inset, two views of the machine in flight. Note the very small rudder. 277
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