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Aviation History
1933
1933 - 0468.PDF
FLIGHT, AUGUST 31, 1933 /lipnopT Tlmnf CROYDON /—[ir-'HE list of well-known people passing through the '-' I Airport of London last week reached a quite HI formidable length. On Wednesday Gen. Smuts left by Imperial Airways, homeward bound for South Africa. He was bidden farewell by Mr. N. M. Butler, representing the Prime Minister, Sir Edward Harding for the Dominions Office, and Mr. Bertram of the Air Ministry. Gen. Smuts recognised as an old friend Constable Kennedy, now of the airport police, who 31 years ago was a trumpeter at the Vereeningen Peace Conference, South Africa. Regular frequenters of the airport will know Constable Kennedy's famous black wall-eyed dog which is on duty whenever he is. He brought the dog home from " Mespot," and it is said to be half jackal. On Thursday, by the 1,15 p.m. Scandinavian Air Express, H.R.H. Princess Ingrid of Sweden travelled home after her annual visit to this country. Thursday was an ideal flying day, and, as Princess Ingrid remarked, continued her unbroken record of " lucky " flying weather. She was seen off by Princess Helena Victoria and Lady Patricia Ramsay. Amongst other well known travellers were Mr. Gordon Selfridge to and from Berck by Air Union, Steve Donoghue by Sabena to Ostend, where he rode in the Grand Prix d'Ostende. For this event Sabena had extremely heavy bookings, and were obliged to supplement the regular service with five extra machines in three days. Imperial Airways probably broke all records for well known travellers on a single aeroplane when, on one of their inward aeroplanes from Paris, the passenger list included the names of Mrs. Rosita Forbes, the two Fairbanks (father and son), Werner Krauss, the German singer, and Sir Percy Lorraine. Thursday saw the inauguration of a Croydon-Plymouth service operated by a company called International Air Lines, Ltd. Maj. F. L. Richard christened one of the " Monospars," which are to be used, by the name of " Sir Francis .Drake." Now that almost every firm connected with air travel or taxi-work has its representatives in uniform the time is perhaps ripe to mention that uniforms are not primarilv intended to be worn in the evenings in local taverns and cinemas. It is also to be regretted when a company chooses a uniform practically indistinguishable from that of Imperial Airways, Ltd., and possibly it is a matter for the consideration of the Guild of Air Pilots and Navigators when members of the ground executive wear gold pilots' " wings " on uniforms. Reputable companies have striven to make the com mercial air company's uniform a symbol of efficiency and good organisation, equal in every respect to that of the higher grade Merchant Service officer. The standard should on no account be lowered. Some of the French aeroplanes in and out of Croydon have already appeared with the new title " Air-France " painted on them. I hear that the French " Golden Clipper " machines are maintaining a steady average of 1 hr. 31 min., and that this particular type is always fully booked up. Imperial Airways bookings to and from Paris, accord ing to their officials, have increased rather than decreased since the " Golden Clippers " were placed on the Paris line. You cannot have it both ways, and it remains to be seen which the travelling public prefers, an extra turn of speed or the perfect comfort and service given to the traveller by the large "pullman " planes of the British company. According to Air Union, K.L.M. and Sabena officials, a gratifying feature of this summer's bookings has been the large increase of passengers to such places as Scandinavia, Marseilles, Prague, Vienna, and, in fact, in all far distant places which can now be reached in a single day's flying. " A. VIATOR." FROM HESTON ONE of the 5.A.T. Ford aircraft is at present in the Heston workshops undergoing slight modifications which will enable it to obtain validation of its commercial C. of A. The British Air Navigation Co. were booked up for the week-end of August 25-28 to the full capacity of their pilots and machines, mainly for Deauville and Le Touquet. During the previous week-end they made no less than seven trips to Deauville and back and four to Le Touquet. Newcomers to Heston in the private charter business are the firm of Wrightson & Pearse. They specialise in large charters, and their green " Dragon " Lucretius is already a familiar sight around London. Their first customer (some time ago) was H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, who chartered a machine for the opening of a hospital in Suffolk. On Saturday, August 26, they took Mr. Steve Donoghue and a party of jockeys to Eastbourne, and then on to Belgium for another meeting. On Saturday the night watchmen dealt with a rush tele phone booking for the early morning Spartan service to Ryde. The passenger was far. Ashwin, who attended an urgent operation in Shanklin and returned to London the same day. The day after he made the same journey by air to see how the patient was progressing. The Airport Hotel has been full for the last week, and resident staff have been shifted round to make room for visitors. Mr. Hay and his mother, members of the York shire Aeroplane Club, who make a point of staying the night at Heston before any trip abroad, were among the visitors. They are flying out to Budapest with Mr. Garnett in two '* Puss Moths," and will take part in the Austrian Rally, flying from the requisite distance of 300 miles. Mrs. Cleaver, who has been flying all round Scot land, touching at Glasgow, Inverness, Edinburgh and Wick, among other places, arrived back at Heston this week. On Monday, the 28th, she is expecting to take delivery of her new " Gull," which is the first of its kind to be fitted with dual control. Mr. Durrant Campbell (whose mother is known for her enterprising Mediterranean tour in a Sikorsky) arrived home this week after touring France in his " Gull." Mr. R. L'Estrange Malone left o the 25th for Dusseldorf, where he dropped his passenger, Herr Rebling, a very well-known German pianist, who has been fixing up concerts in England. On his return, i'r Malone brought Herr Brengs, a German war pilot, home with him from Cologne. Mr. Edwin Freshfield acc< panied him in another machine. Miss Heather Thatcher lunched at Heston on Tuesday, the 22nd. , , Lt. Com. F. G. L. Bullock, R.N., and his wife V'ee Miss Eve Milner) left Heston for Le Touquet in a Norman Edgar " Fox Moth " on Tuesday, August 22, after tn< marriage at Brompton Oratory. . J During the week ending August 24, 44 machines clea Customs at Heston. , The Comrades of the Royal Air Force held a vei^ successful flying garden party at Heston Veranda-' L. Sunday, the 20th. Capt. Baker, Mr. Tangye ^p ;rse Draper gave aerobatic exhibitions, while Wrightson & l"(an took 115 people for paying joyrides and Mr. ^laPe-e a "A" and not a " B " "pilot) was kind enough to ^effl. number of non-paying rides to the " Comrades ^ selves. Mr. Brie gave demonstrations and joyrides on ^ " Autogiro." Sideshows included a treasure hunt tor ^ flight tickets, and many people were shown roun aerodrome and the works of Airwork Engine Service, 878
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