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Aviation History
1926
1926 - 0706.PDF
for something like seven hours. It would be difficult indeed to find a better proof of the intense interest which the Manchester district takes in aviation, and when the Air Ministry is looking around for ways and means of developing the " air sense " we suggest that here is fertile ground only awaiting cultivation. Already the Lancashire Aero Club has done some extremely good work, as will be realised when we point out that during the one year in which the Club has been actively engaged in flying (work was commenced on September 29, 1925) its machines have flown 785 hours, which represents approximately 51,000 miles, or about 4,000 separate flights. During that period seventeen members have been trained up to the point of taking their pilot's certificate, and no serious accident or injury to any member has been caused. Three mishaps have occurred in which machines were damaged, but in no case was the pilot even scratched. This is a record of which Mr. John Leeming, the Club's chairman, and those associated with him may well be proud, and Sunday's success was well earned and will, it is hoped, have enriched the exchequer by a substantial amount. Concerning the Lancashire Air Pageant itself a fully illustrated report is given elsewhere in this issue, and there is little need to refer here to more than one or two phases which appear to us to merit special mention. One was the arrival, through some of the worst weather of the season, of the various competing machines. A large number of these, in fact the majority, were of the low-power type, with engines which in most instances did not exceed 75 h.p., and in many cases were of lower power than that. Yet in spite of the very adverse weather conditions— wind, rain and thunderstorms, all these little machines 5EPTEMBER 30, 1926 without exception arrived at Woodford during the day preceding the meeting. This fact demonstrates to the full, if such proof were needed, the great advance that has been made of recent years in the airworthiness of aeroplanes of relatively low power. Another excellent feature of the Woodford meeting was the participation by service pilots on R.A.F. aeroplanes in the demonstration flights. This pro- vided a proof of the really serious way in which the authorities regard the light 'plane movement, and we hope that, now that the " propriety " of such participation has been officially accepted, at any rate " in principle," the R.A.F. will be allowed to take an increasing part—in a dignified and proper service manner, of course—in similar aviation events. The presence of Squadron-Leader Longton and Flying- Officer Waghorn, merely as individuals on civilian machines, represented a principle which has long been recognised, but was none the less welcomed for that. One little item from the Lancashire meeting— not in itself a very conspicuous one, but one which may in time become of great importance—was the offer by A. V. Roe & Co., of free landing and housing facilities from Saturday till Monday for all machines visiting the aerodrome. This " sporting gesture " was one which the Air Ministry might well copy. At the moment we have not very many privately- owned machines (and among privately-owned we include the light 'plane clubs' machines), but as time goes on the number will grow. It would, we think, be very good policy on the part of the Air Ministry to offer free landing and housing facilities (the latter for a reasonable period, of course) to such machines at those service aerodromes on which civilian air- craft are permitted to land. I" FLIGHT" Photographs "WHAT LANCASHIRE THINKS TO-DAY " : Two views showing the crowds which assembled to seetheLancashire Air Pageant at Woodford Aerodrome on Sunday last. These two views were taken from the same view-point, one looking down the hill towards the hangars, and the other up the hill towards the aerodromeboundary. It is estimated that some 20,000 people visited the Pageant. 630
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