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Aviation History
1927
1927 - 0220.PDF
MARCH 31, 1927 MR. F. L. BRAMSON said he was very interested in the stats n'.nU c:>m3nuninsurance. That was an excellent move, and nothing like that was to be found in this country. He would also like the lecturer to tell them whethertheir three-engined machines would definitely fly on two engines, because if they would that might have a considerable bearing on the insurance question.MR. HULB'SKT Was impressed by the fact that the German Luft Hansa had been able to persuade various states and cities to contribute towards the costof the air lines, and would like more information as to how they had been able to persuade them to do this. COLOKUL THE MASTEK OF SEMFILL said that before calling upon MajorWronsky to reply to some of the questions, he had a correction to make. Major Wronsky had been described as the Managing Director of the Luft Hansa.Actually, the position was that there were three managing directors of that company : A Financial Director, a Technical Director, and a Political Director.It was the duties of the latter to arrange for the negotiations with foreign countries when it was contemplated to start new international lines, orto extend existing ones, and this actually was the post filled by Major Wronsky. MAJOR WRONSKY said he was not a technical man, and so could not replyto some of the technical questions put to him. Concerning the 70 per cent, and 30 per cent, figures, these were not entirely German, but were international,and applied more or less in all countries, and to civil aviation in general. The figures related to 1924 and 1925, since the statistics for 1926 were not yetavailable. He would point out that steamers had subsidies for more than 50 years after their beginning, and Mussolini was still giving subsidies toItalian liners. Before the war, both Germany, England and France gave subsidies to their liners. As regards the question of the development of air traffic, he pointed outthat traffic in general was developed, not for traffic, but for trade. If the air routes carried, say 50.000 traders, and these 50,000 developed businessas a result of their journeys, then flying would pay. 'For aviation to pa;' it was necessary that the constructors should do all they could to produce the various German cities to handle air consignments. Concerning the reasons why German states and cities subscribed considerable sums to the Luft Hansa", there was no secret about this, and it was a result of the structure of the German Reich. There were a number of important towns and states, and they were jealous of one another, and the only secret lay in making them jealous enough. Amongst those who accepted invitations to the reception held by Colonel, the Master of Sempill at the Hotel Cecil, to meet Maj. Wronsky, prior to his lecture before the Royal Aeronautical Society, were : Capt. Acland, The Hon. Lady Bailey, Count Bernstorff, Mr. F. G. L. Bertram, Commander J. Bird, Maj. Brackley, Mr. L. Bramson, Sir Alan Cobham, Lieut.-Col. Edwards," Brig.-Gen. P. R. C. Groves, Lord Haldane, Col. Holt, Maj. Woods Humphreys, Sir Samuel Instone, Col. Barrett Lennard, Capt. Lingham, Maj. A. R. Low, Mr. F. Handley Page, Mr. J. L. Pritchard, Flight-Lieut. Reid, Mr. J. D. Siddeley, Sir Archibald Sinclair, Commander Smart, Mr. T. O. M. Sopwith, Mr. S. Spooner, Dr. Sthamer (German Ambassador), Mr. Holt Thomas, Lord Thomson, Col. Thwaites, Mr. H. T. Vane, Maj. Villiers, Sir Vyell^Vyvyan, Lady Vyvyan, Capt. Walker, Mrs. Weir. H H IN PARLIAMENT ParachutesCOL. DAY, on March 23, asked the Secretary of State for Air if "he eould state the makers of the parachute now in use in the Royal Air Force, and inWhich country these parachutes are made ; whether any recent tests have been made or demonstrations given for the use of the Salvator parachuteinvented by Lieut. Freri, either at Hendon or elsewhere ; and, if so, when and with what result ? Sir Samuel Hoare : As regards the first part of the question, the makers arethe Irving Air Chute of Great Britain, Ltd., of Letchworth, where the para- chutes are being made. As regards the remaining parts, the position remainsas stated in my reply to the hon. member on December 15 last. Col. Day : Is the right hon. gentleman aware that the Salvator parachutehas never failed yet, and does he not think the saving of life is of paramount importance ? Sir S. Hoare : I should not like to express an opinion on the Salvator para-chute until we have carried our experiments further than we have done. Maj.-Gen. Sir Frederick Sykes asked whether delivery of the 2,230 parachutesagainst orders outstanding on August 7,1925, was duly completed by December, 1926 ; whether, in accordance with the arrangements made, one-third of thesewere manufactured in this country ; whether further orders have been placed ; if so, Whether manufacture will take place in this country ; whether Britishmaterial will be Used ; and whether, before any such order Was placed, every available British type of parachute was thoroughly tried out V Sir S. Hoare : As regards the first and second parts of the question, thenumber of parachutes due for delivery by December, 1926, was 1,500, and these were all actually delivered in June, 1926, the contract date thus being antici-pated by some months. The contract was for 2,261 parachutes in all, and of these 761 were to be manufactured in this country and are at present inprocess of delivery. The answer to the third and fourth parts is in the affirmative. As regards the fifth part, all the material and components otherthan the silk will be British. As regards the last part, I would refer to the reply which I gave on November 25, 1925, and to my speeches in the House,on February 26 and June 24, 1925, explaining the circumstances in which the contract with the Irving Company was placed. Col. Day : Can the right hon. baronet say whether we are pledged to take afurther contract for any further number next year ? Sir S. Hoare : There is a contract running until December, 1927. Mileage Costs of Air Transport Services MR. RENNIE SMITH asked the Secretary of State for Airif he could give theaverage costs per mile flown for British aeroplanes for each of the years since 1921, and the total number of miles flown each year ? Sir S. Hoare : On the assumption that the purpose is to ascertain thecost to the State per mile flown resulting from the division of the total amount of the subsidies paid each financial year by the total mileage flown on all BritishAir Transport Services, the figures are as follow : 1921-22, miles flown 259,000, average cost per mile, 5s lOd • 1922-^S778,000, 4s. 8d. ; 1923-24, 1,004,000, 2s. 6d.; 1924-25, 890,000, 3s. ljd '• 1925-26, 865,000, 3s. 2d. ' These costs, however, are misleading as no account is taken in them of theprogressive increase in the capacity of the machines employed. More comparable figures are furnished by the cost to the State per ton-milein respect of Imperial Airways, Ltd.'s services, which is as follows since that company began to operate:— 1924-25, cost per ton mile, 7s. ; 1925-26, 6s. Hid.; 1926-27 (estimated), os. 5%u. Airship Experiments, Cardington MR. ROSE, on March 24, asked the Secretary of State for Air if the airshipnow under experiment at Cardington is to be inflated by helium or hydrogen gas ; and the estimated cost of 5,000,000 cub, ft., respectively of thesegases ? Sir Philip Sassoon : The airship will be inflated with hydrogen and theestimated cost of 5,000,000 cub. ft. of hydrogen is £2,500 ; the cost of helium would be very much greater, but no exact data are available. Mr. Wells : Can the hon. member say whether they have started to build the airship at Cardington yet ? Sir P. Sassoon : No, sir. Cardington and Howden Airsheds MR. ROSE asked the total cost of the alterations to the Cardington airshed ; and whether any cost has accrued to the State in respect of the airshed at Howden, in which an airship is being constructed by private contract ?Sir P. Sassoon : The answer to the first part of the question is approxi- mately £100,000. As regards the second part, £50,000 was paid to thecontractors for the Howden airship, in accordance with the terms of the contract, as a contribution towards their capital expenditure on shed, plant,etc., necessary for the execution of the contract. Howden AirshipMR. ROSE asked the dimensions, major diameter, and total length of the airship now under construction by the Airship Guarantee Co. at Howden ;how much money has already been advanced to the company ; and what was to be the full cost involved ?Sir P. Sassoon : The diameter is about 130 ft. and her length about 710 ft. As regards the second and third parts, the contract provides for the paymentof a contribution of £50,000 towards the company's capital expenditure on shed, plant, etc., and of a sum of £300,0(10 for the airship itself ; the formersum'and an instalment of £100,000 of the latter have been paid. Oxford and Cambridge Squadrons SIR H. BRITTAIN asked what progress was being made with the air squadrons at Oxford and Cambridge ; and, having regard to the possibilities of research dealing with the whole science of aeronautics, was he prepared to give the fullest possible facilities to encourage the work being done in these two universities ? Sir P. Sassoon : As regards the first part of the question, I am very satisfiedwith the progress made with these squadrons to date, and shouid like to express my appreciation of the assistance which I have received from theUniversity authorities in their development. They have undoubtedly stimulated interest in aviation in the Universities. Each squadron nowconsists of about fifty undergraduate members, and at Cambridge there is a considerable waiting list. In addition to flying training, courses of instruc-tion have been arranged in aeroplane construction and rigging, engine construction and maintenance, wireless telegraphy, air navigation, andother subjects of aeronautical interest. The number of applications for commissions is very satisfactory. The answer to the last part of the questionis in the affirmative. I am anxious to give every encouragement to the universities to undertake problems of aeronautical research, and I hopethat valuable results will thus be obtained. Lubricating OilMR. H. WILLIAMS asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he was considering the purchase of a branded lubricating oil for use in aeroplanes inplace of lubricating oil to a specification, as hitherto in use ? Sir P. Sassoon : The whole question of obtaining lubricating oil for aircraftis under consideration. Civil AviationMR. LANSBURY asked the Under-Secretary of State for India Whether, m connection with the Imperial Airways scheme, it was the intention of theGovernment of India to proceed with 15 additional stations and the appoint- ment of staff for the same ; whether he would inform the House of the totalcost involved in carrying out this scheme ; and whether the whole amount would be chargeable to Indian revenues and subject to the vote of the IndianAssembly ? Earl Winterton : The total demand for civil aviation in the Budget for1927-28 was Rs. 3,96,000. This was all votable and has actually been voted. The Secretary of State for India has not received full details of the manner inwhich the money is intended to be used, and cannot say how many »•.'* stations are to be proceeded with. The Royal Air Force Memorial Fund THE usual meeting of the Grants Sub-Committee of theFund was held at Iddesleigh House on March 24. Mr. W. S. Field was in the Chair, and the other Member of the Committee present was Mrs. L. M. K. Pratt-Barlow, O.B.E. The Committee considered in all 6 cases and made grants to the amount of £70 19s. The next meeting was fixed for April .3, at 4 p.m. 194
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