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Aviation History
1933
1933 - 0678.PDF
FLIGHT, SEPTEMBER 28, 1933 to make separate arrangements for the performance of any trip if in doubt as to the contractor's ability or intention to undertake such contract trip. The contract stopping places are : —For the overseas divi sion, Singapore, Batavia, Sourabaya, Ranbang Aerodrome on Soemba Island, Koepang and Darwin ; for the eastern division, Darwin, Katherine, Daly Waters, Newcastle Waters, Anthony's Lagoon, Brunette Downs, Alexandria, Camooweal, Mount Isa, Cloncurry, McKinlay, Win ton, Longreach, Blackall, Tambo, Charleville, Roma, Too- vvoomba, Brisbane, and Charleville, Bourke, Narramine and Cootamundra ; for the western division, Katherine, Victoria River Downs, Wave Hill, Ord River, Hall's Creek, Fitzroy Crossing, Noonkanbah, Derby, Broome, Hedland, Whim Creek, Roebourne, Onslow, Carnarvon, Geraldton and Perth. Copies of tender. forms and detailed conditions of tender are being forwarded by air mail, and will be available at the office of the High Commissioner, Australia House, Strand, at an early date. CIVIL AVIATION IN CANADA INFORMATION in this country regarding civil aviation in Canada is inclined to be a trifle vague, and what reports have drifted across the Atlantic appear to have been none too encouraging. Mr. J. A. Wilson, Controller of Civil Aviation in Canada, who is at present in England, assures us, however, that much constructive work is being done by the Government, and a sound foun dation is being laid upon which can be built, easily and quickly, as soon as the financial resources of the country- warrant the necessary expenditure, a successful industry. In the year following the war aviation aroused a great deal of interest in Canada, and many ventures were in augurated, generously backed up by a far-seeing Govern ment. Clubs sprang into beiag, and mail and pa_ssenger services were started, connecting up most of the large towns. Flying Clubs were subsidised and within the space of two years a perfect network of clubs was scattered about the country. Mail services were started, and, with the assistance of the Post Office, spread across the width of the continent. By 1928-29 twenty-four hours had been cut off the time taken by mails to cross Canada, and a lighted airway stretched across the 1,300 miles between Winnipeg and the Rocky Mountains. Then came the slump and the ensuing necessity for stringent economy. Faced with a situation which, as in most other countries, looked like developing into a national crisis, the Canadian Govern ment was forced to put into effect drastic economies, and aviation was probably the greatest sufferer. Later on, when conditions started to show signs of slight improve ment, the Government once more turned its attention to aviation. In the year 1931 the Government, working on the unemployment relief scheme, started to construct landing grounds, and in a year's time over 100 had been completed, for the most part on the trans-continental air mail route. At the present time there is only one air line in Canada which operates a really extensive regular programme ; that is Canadian Airways, Ltd. This company is not sub sidised by the State, but flies for the Post Office under contract. The only subsidised flying in Canada is that done by the clubs, subsidy being paid to them at a rate of so much for every pilot trained. In fact, Canada is one of the few countries where mails are not the chief item of remuneration to a company operating air lines. Mr. Wilson states quite definitely that if air transport, and in particular air mail transport, is to come into its own, it must prove itself to be as reliable as railways and at least 50 per cent, quicker. Air mails must also be flown during the night, for otherwise they cannot expect to compete with an excellent train service for which the darkness is no impediment. Turning to the subject of a transatlantic air service, Mr. Wilson said that there was one fact which seemed to escape the notice of most people ; the distance between Liverpool and Montreal is just over 3,000 miles ; the distance between Liverpool and St. John's, Newfoundland, just about 2,000 miles, which means that a third of the total distance, namely, that between Newfoundland and Montreal, could be safely traversed by air transport flying over the land practically the whole way, which would re present a saving in time of just about a whole day. A few statistics will not be out of place to show that aviation in Canada is not as dead as most people seem to think. The total number of club members carrying on dual instruction exceeds 10,000 ; the total amount of freight carried during 1932 was 3,129,974 lb., which com pares very favourably with 2,372,467 lb. of 1931 and 1,759,259 lb. of 1930. The amount of mail carried during the same year was 413,678 lb., which shows a slight de crease on the figures of the two preceding years, which only tends to prove what has been mentioned above that mails are of secondary importance. The policy of the Canadian Government during the last few years has been to keep aviation alive by judicious nursing of ground equipment, such as landing grounds, beacons, wireless, etc., so that when the time arrives for the further promoting of aviation all will be ready. When questioned about the types of machines used in Canada, Mr. Wilson admitted that German and American machines were used more extensively than British, but it was the policy of the Government to use Canadian pro ducts first, British second, and American third, providing the goods were on the market. The Junkers machines had proved very efficient in the past, and if British machines had been available which were as suitable for the particular jobs, at the same cost, the Canadian Govern ment would have come to England to buy. The D.H. " Moth " and the D.H. " Dragon " were machines which were eminently suited for flying in Canada, and these machines had been purchased, the former in large quan tities and the latter as supply demanded. Spartan Cruisers for Jugoslavia AT Cowes Aerodrome, on September 19, the first of a number of Spartan " Cruiser " aeroplanes (" Gipsy- Major "), illustrated below, constructed for the Societe de Navigation Aerienne " Aeroput " of Belgrade, Jugoslavia, was formally accepted by their Chief Technical Representa tive, Mr. Mitrovitch. Before a signature was obtained to the delivery note, the machine was thoroughly inspected by him, and test flights were made at an all-up weight of 5,700 lb. He expressed his complete satisfaction with the machine. This order was obtained in the face of very keen British and Continental competition—in fact, repre sentatives of a foreign air ministry were actually sent out to Jugoslavia when it was known that " Aeroput " were purchasing new aircraft. The Spartan " Cruiser " was chosen because of its extremely robust construction, its good all-round performance, and the great safety factor of its three-engined installation. The Chief Test Pilot of Spartan Aircraft, Ltd., Lt. Col. L. A. Strange, demon strated the ease with which the machine at full load would maintain height at over 6,000 ft. on any of the two engines, and that it could cruise comfortably at 118 m.p.h. We understand the high standard of the interior finish and equipment, which was supplied by L. A. Rumbold & Co., Kingsgate Place, Kilburn, London, N.W.6, particularly pleased the purchasers. /: :';•: ".v ' 980
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