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Aviation History
1932
1932 - 0308.PDF
FLIGHT, APRIL 1, 193* AIRPORT NEWS CROYDON HE hopes of a great many were dashed by the in clement weather over the Easter. Everybody was looking forward to brilliant sunshine after the experience of the few days before the holiday. As regards Continental traffic, passenger figures created a new record, Imperial Airways and Air Union Paris ser vices having been full to their utmost capacity. Imperial Airways in particular were booked full for all services several days beforehand, and those coming along on the off-chance at the last minute were disappointed, as there was not a vacant seat. It is an undoubted fact that the H.P. 42's are proving a very great attraction to passengers, and it is most advisable for anybody contemplating travel ling to book as many days ahead as they possibly can. The joyriding over the holiday was not what it would have been had we been given really good weather, and one feels very sorry for the companies concerned, as holi days mean a great deal to them in the way of increased business. Friday was a very good day, however, every available machine being kept very busy. Visitors have been plentiful, and many large parties were conducted round the aerodrome, although the desire to try a joy- ONDAY, March 21.—We omitted to report in last week's notes that just after dusk on Sunday even ing, March 20, Lt. Cathcart-Jones arrived on the " Stinson Jnr." G-ABTZ. This machine is well fitted for night landings, as strong electric lights are placed under the wings, which show up the ground forward in an excellent manner. Lt Cathcart-Jones had arrived from Paris to clear Customs. Capt. Barnard arrived back from Berlin in " Fokker FVII " G-EBTS, after non-stop flight, with the English Ice Hockey Team. The journev back was made in 6 hr. 20 min., in spite of head winds ; the outward journey took 6 hr. The " Junkers " machine of Personal Flying Services, Ltd., G-ABDC, left for Paris at 7 a.m., with three passengers. TUESDAY, March 22.—G-AAUS, the " Moth " machine of Texaco Oil Co., arrived from Baldonnel to clear Customs. Sqd. Ldr. H. G. R. Malet, R.A.F. (retired) has pur chased a " Redwing," and proposes to transfer his acti vities to civil aviation, after 17 years' service. WEDNESDAY, March 23.~Ca.pt. Barnard's " Fokker '' G-EBTS departed for Hamble for overhaul. G-ABDC (" Junkers ") returned from Berck. The petrol companies appear to be preparing for a busy summer in aviation, as two new machines made their appearance at Heston to-day. Lt. R. Bentley arrived with G-ABUS, the new Comper " Swift " acquired by B.P. & Shell Co., while Mr. Hanstock took delivery from Henly, Ltd., of the new " Puss Moth " G-ABUJ for the Anglo-American Oil Co. Lady Catherine Willoughby, the eldest daughter of the Earl of Ancaster, had a flying lesson on Airwork, Ltd., School " Puss Moth," and expressed her delight with the machine. G-ABSU (" Stinson Jnr.") cleared Customs for the South of France after having undergone minor repairs. The first of the private owners at Heston to go on Easter tours departed to-day, when Mrs. Rhodes-Moor- house and her son William, in their " Moth " G-ABOA, left for Tours via Paris. They are making a circular tour via Biarritz, Marseilles, Dijon and Paris. THURSDAY, March 24 —Mr. A. B. Gibbons, on his Pobjoy " Klemm " (G-ABTE), cleared Customs and left for Paris at 8 a.m. in a very thick fog. Mr. Loel Guinness, with one passenger, left later in his " Puss Moth " (G-AAXR) for Paris, while Mr. Gordon Self ridge, Jnr., cleared Customs for Paris with his " Puss Moth " G-ABMS, from where he has gone on to Berlin. Mr. Harbin arrived from Paris in his " Puss Moth G-ABTV. ride was marred by the fact of the high wind and the rain. Imperial Airways had a W.10 in front of the public enclosure all day on Friday, with a notice advertising joyrides at 10s. 6d. per time, but no flights were made, as the smaller companies proved quite able to cope with this side of the business. It is agreed that the large week end parties that take flights with Imperial Airways are a good proposition, and really help to educate the public to travel by air, but the smaller companies are well able to cater for the passenger that only wants a flight round the aerodrome, more as an entertainment than anything else. This Easter has been marked by the absence of private owners to Croydon, but I believe a great many of these have been over to the Continent, and have kept our worthy- friends at Heston very busy, thereby relieving Croydon of most of the private traffic—rather a very good thing, as it would only add to the danger that the Air Ministry have decided must be removed in August. In conclusion, may Whitsun weather prove better than Easter brought us. The traffic figures for the week were:—Passengers, 917 ; freight, 41 tons. P. B. FRIDAY, March 25.—We woke up feeling that the old saying " The better the day, the better the deed " must really be true. It was a wonderful day, and from early morning we were kept very busy. The School was fully occupied, while Customs had many clearances, among them being Mr. S. Davenport, for Biarritz, in his " Puss Moth " G-AAZM ; Mr. Russell, and one passenger, to Berck in " Moth " G-AAKU ; Mr. Leicester, to Paris, in " Moth " • G-ABBX ; Mr. Styran in G-ABFP, the Blackburn " Segrave " of B.A.N. Co., with two passengers (Mr. Sweeny, captain of the Oxford golf team, and the Hon. Max. Aitken), for Le Touquet ; Mr. Hey and one passen ger in " Puss Moth " G-ABLR, to Berck ; and Mr. Garnet and one passenger in " Puss Moth " G-AAZW, to Berck. : PH-AFN (" Pander " with Gipsy engine) arrived from Amsterdam with Herr Vantien and passenger. Herr Vantien flew on to Liverpool, returning on Saturday, the 26th inst., when, after a very rough trip in fog and rain, he and his passenger were thankful to find the new hotel available at Heston. They stayed the night here, and left for Holland on Sunday morning. We were very interested to hear that Herr Vantien had flown PH-AFN solo from \ Holland to Java and back. Among the private owners, of whom there were many, ' who took advantage of the fine weather we noticed Mrs. : Spencer Cleaver, with her " Puss Moth " G-ABFV, and [ Capt. Cochrane with his " Puss Moth " G-ABMN. Mr. r Amherst Villiers (of Amherst Supercharges) took the air in l one of the School machines. ; We were glad to welcome back Capt. Neville Stack, on his return from Czecho-Slovakia, where he has been pilot- ? ing Mr. Bata, the millionaire boot manufacturer. Capt. Stack gave a very interesting account of their trip » to India in a " Fokker " F.7, fitted with three Walter " Castor " motors, each of 240 h.p. Particularly interest- l ing was his account of his treatment in Turkey, where he said he received every courtesy and help and was made the l first British pilot member of the recently-formed Aero Club of Turkey. The members of the Aero Club of Turkey wished to welcome to the club any strangers, in particular r British flyers, who visit Constantinople. They pointed out the necessity of having permits and passports in order so s as to obviate any Customs or official difficulties. t Capt. Stack gave it as his considered opinion that the use of an aeroplane for business purposes for long-distance s journeys results in great saving of time, thus allowing I much more territory to be covered and more sales to be 5 made, and so increasing business without increasing the 3 staff. As an example, he gave Mr. Bata, a very clever business man, who keeps a fleet of ten aeroplanes with ' eight pilots solely for business purposes. By his factory in England, which is now being erected, Mr. Bata has had HESTON AIR PARK 284
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