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Aviation History
1927
1927 - 0945.PDF
DECEMBER 15, 1927 THE MIDLAND AERO CLUB LUNCHEON AT BIRMINGHAM THE Midland Aero Club gave a luncheon at the (Queen's Hotel, Birmingham, on December 9, at which the Lord Mayor (Alderman A. II. James) officiated as Chairman and the principal guest was Air Vice-Marshal Sir Sefton Brancker. In his speech the Lord Mayor said he was forced to ask whether in connection with civil aviation history would repeat itself, and that the English nation would wake up at the eleventh hour and find themselves hopelessly in arrears. Compared with progress made on the Continent he thought they had every reason to complain that as a nation they were not abreast of modern requirements in civil aviation. He thought he could see the time when the equipment of our large industrial concerns would not be complete without its aviation side, and when Castle Bromwich Aerodrome would probably be used as a starting-off place for commercial enterprises when people wished to get into direct touch with the Continent. He pressed the claim of the Midland Aero Club to the greatest possible amount of public support for its progress. It had done extremely good work, it was capable of doing much better, given a certain measure of Government plus public support. Sir Sefton Brancker then referred to the British achieve- ments in the production of light aeroplanes and said that the public should be educated to the use of this new form of transport. The Midland Aero Club had a record remarkably free from accidents and stood high for safety and reliability in flying—in fact, no club had a better record. One reason why such clubs were supported was that air transport was growing in every other country in the world. Britain, naturally, suffered from its disadvantageous geographical position on the edge of Europe, which now possessed over 50,000 miles of authorised air lines. Last year 17,000,000 miles were flown on these routes, but this country's share was only 850,000 and Australia's 450,000 miles. This was wrong. This country did not understand what the figures meant. There were 19 or 20 air lines oper- ating from Berlin every day in every direction—Norway, Sweden, Russia, France and Spain. The people there had the advantage of seeing civil aviation regularly, took it as a matter of course, and were prepared to encourage it. Air transport was more important to England than any other nation in the world, both from warlike and trade points <$> 3> of view. Generally, it did not pay, but they could see civil aviation in front of them as a commercial proposition, and the time was nearer than was thought. Possibly, in five years some lines would pay, and many more in ten years. When commercial aviation did pay there would be a tremendous boom, then they might well see the picture foreshadowed by the Lord Mayor—airships leaving Birmingham for the Continent. Sir Sefton referred finally to the future of the Clubs and mentioned that the policy of the Air Ministry was one of non-interference. Mr. H. A. Pepper, Chairman of the Midland Aero Club, claimed that the Club started before military aviation was thought of, and despite the war interruption it had resumed its activities with such effect that it now possessed 213 members, of whom 82 were flying members. Forty-two members flew regularly and 22 were under instruction. He was afraid that people did not know what a tremendous amount of work the Club had done during the last two years, The members had flown 92,000 miles during that period without accident and had every reason to feel proud of the light aeroplane. It would be a great advantage for any big industrial centre to possess an aerodrome near the city. There was an opportunity of securing a place for an aerodrome within two miles of Birmingham as the City was going to take over Perry Barr. Major R. C. Vernon Brook said that Chambers of Commerce could do much to help aviation. Birmingham had come top in the manufacture of tubes for metal aeroplanes and certain alloys of great importance in engine construction. Mr. Gilbert Vyle claimed that Birmingham had not done so bad in respect to civil aviation as compared with some places. Even now there was not much in the way of starting a Continental service from Castle Bromwich and taking busi- ness men to Paris or Amsterdam, and he felt that such a scheme would meet with good response. Other guests present included :—Brig.-Gen. Ludlow, Brig.- Gen. P. C. R. Groves, Col. J. L. Mellor, Col. W. E. Matthew, Major B. T. J. Ford, Major Jackson, Sir David Davis, Sir Percival Bower, Sir Charles Rafter (Chief Constable), Sqd.- Ldr. J. A. C. Wright, Mr. J. D. Siddeley, Mr. H. A. Butler, Mr. G. H. Lanchester, Mr. Wilfrid Hill, Councillor W. Griffith, and Major Dennison. LltfHT 'PLANE CLUBS London Aeroplane Club, Stag Lane, Edgware. Sec, H. E. Perrin,3, Clifford Street, London, W.I. Bristol and Wessex Aeroplane Club, Filton, Gloucester. Secretary,Lieut.-Col. C. Fleming, Filton Aerodrome, Patchway. Hampshire Aero Club, Hamble, Southampton. Secretary, Maj.Ross White, Hamble, Southampton. Lancashire Aero Club, Woodford, Lanes. Secretary, C. J.Wood, Oakrield, Dukinfield, near Manchester. Midland Aero Club, Castle Bromwich, Birmingham. Secretary,Maj. Gilbert Dennison, 22, Villa Road, Handsworth, Birmingham. Newcastle-upon-Tyne Aero Club, Cramlington, Northumberland.Secretary, A. H. Bell, c/o The Club. Norfolk and Norwich Aero. Club, Mousehold, Norwich. Secretary,H. O. Bennett, 5, Opie Street, Norwich. Nottingham Aero Club, Hucknall. Nottingham. Hon. Secretary,Cecil R. Sands, A.C.A., Imperial Buildings, Victoria Street, Nottingham.The Scottish Aero Club Movement, 101, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow. Secretary, Harry W. Smith. Suffolk Aeroplane Club, Ipswich. Secretary, Courtney N. Prentice, " Hazeldell," Stowmarket, Suffolk. Yorkshire Aeroplane Club, Sherburn-in-Elmet, Yorks. Secretary,D. M. N. Coles, The Aerodrome, Sherburn-in-Elmet. LCOiTOX AEROPLANE CLUB REPORT for week ending December II.—Flying time, 8 hrs. 30 nuns.;dual instruction, 2 hrs. 45 niins. ; solo flying, 5 hrs. 25 mins. : passenger flights, 20 mins. Dual instruction.—With Capt. F. G. M. Sparks : H. M. Samuelson, ColonelHume, Rich Hayes. Miss Wilson, H. Kennedy. With Capt. S. L. F. St. liarbe : I. A. Simson, J. Barros, A. I. Mulder.Solo flying. —H. M. Samuelsou, R. Sanders Clark. C. E. Murrell, J. . Hofer, W. Hay.G. H. Craig, Major Beaumont, A. R. Ogston, H. Petre.Passengers flights.- With Capt. S. L. •'. St. Barbr : Mrs. Carberry. Christmas closing.— The Club will be closed down on the evening of Thurs-day, December 22, and will re-open on the morning of Thursday, 29th. BRISTOL &. WESSEX AEROPLANE CLUB FLYING report week ending December 10. — Flying time. 5 hrs. 10 mins. ;instruction, 3 hrs. 20 niins. ; soloists, 1 hr. 50 mins. Instruction (under Mr. K. H. W. Bartlett) : Messrs. Hon. I!. L. liatlmrst,A. K. Arnold, ]•". J. Farr, li. H. Bryan, A. F-. Stephens. Soloists under instruction : Messrs. Hon. H. C. H. Bathurst, A. H. Downes-Shaw. " A " Pilots : Mr. C. F. Pitman.Flying was only possible on Sunday and Saturday. The Club will close for the Christmas Holidays on December 22, and willreopen on Saturday December 31. HAMPSHIRE AEROPLANE CLUB RETORT for Week ending December 8. —Total flying time, 4 hrs. 20 mins. ; instruction, 2 hrs. 15 mins. ; solo, 1 hr. 40 mins. ; test flights, 25 mins.Instruction with Flight-Lieut. Thomson :—Capt. Molyncux. M.C.. Lieut, (.raham, R.N., Capt. Kirby, M.M., R.N.R., Mr. Cripps, Mr. Hall, and Mr. Bernry. Lieut. Graham was the only licensed soloist, the unlicensed soloists beingCapt. Molyneux, Mr. Cripps, Mr. Fawkes, and Mr. Hall. Fog and rain prevented flying practically all the week, so the opportunitywas taken to change the engine in GE-BOH. On Wednesday, Mr. Hall, who is only 16 years of age, made an excellentfirst solo flight aftersix hours'dual. He flew his second solo on Friday equally well. Unfortunately for this club, he is sailing for South Africa on the 15thof this month, but we trust our loss of such a promising pupil will be to the advantage of aviation in the Colony. LANCASHIRE AERO CLUB REPORT for fortnight ending December 10.—Flying time. 26 hrs., 25 mins.Instruction, 12 hrs. 25 mins. Solo flights, 8 hrs. 15 mins. Passenger flights, 4 hrs. Tests, 1 hr. 45 mins. Instruction with Mr. Brown :—Messrs. Cohen, Heath, Tweedale, Browning,Hall, Chart, Kills, Gort, Allott, Barlow, Brooking, Crosthwaite, Weale, Pattrieoux, Miss Hill and Miss Baerlein. Soloists (under instruction) : Messrs. Ruddy and Browning.Pilots : Messrs. Slater, Rowley, Meads, Costa, Nelson, Michelson, Cros- thwaite, Twemlow, and Lacayo.Passengers (with Mr. Lacayo) : Messrs. Hartley and Mayall. (With Mr. Michelson) : Miss Cotsworth. ' (With Mr. Twemlow) : Messrs. E. Twemlow,Allott and Hale. (With Mr. Brown) : Mr. Leeming. (With Mr. Scholes) Messrs. Fletcher, Crabtree, Etchells and Shackleton.We have no humorous comments to offer this week, because there is a strong north-east wind blowing with great persistence and the writer has neveryet been able to discover anything in the least humorous about a strong north-east wind.Mr. Browning did his first solo this week and is coming on well. About next May. when we may expect a temporary break in the clouds, it is hopedthat he will get a chance of accomplishing his height test. In order to give the staff a holiday, flying will cease from Fridayevening,December 23, and will recommence (weather permitting) on Saturday morning, the 31st. 853
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