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Aviation History
1934
1934 - 0485.PDF
FLIGHT, MAY 17, 1934 WALSALL MUNICIPAL AERODROME Some 63J Acres in extent, it is hoped to be completed by Whitsun N Tuesday, April 24, following the receipt by theTown Clerk of Walsall (Mr. H. Lee) of the formal approval of the Air Council to the establishmentof a Civil Aerodrome on the Aldridge Road Site, which was purchased by the Walsall Corporation a yearor two ago for the purpose, the official representative of the Air Ministry (Mr. W. A. Campbell), inspected theAerodrome, including the site for the Hangar, Clubhouse and petrol pumps, the erection of which was approvedby the Town Council a short while ago, and the sanction in respect of which has been received from the Ministrvof Health. There were present at the Inspection the Chairman ofthe Trade Development Committee (Councillor Cliff Tib- bits), the Town Clerk (Mr. H. Lee), the Borough Surveyor(Mr. J. Taylor), Mr. E. A. Bayley, of Sussex (the Lessee), and his partner, Mr. C. Bilson, the Deputy-Borough Sur-veyor (Mr. Hughes), and Mr. J. B. James, of the Town Clerk's Department. In the presence of the Inspector tests of the surfacewere made by means of a steam roller, two loaded motor lorries, and motor cars, in order to ascertain whether theground passed the stringent conditions laid down by the Air Ministry. The Inspector expressed himself as wellsatisfied with the result of the tests, and the Town Clerk has received intimation from the Ministry that the issue of a licence, to include flying instruction on light aero-planes has been recommended. The actual landing area is 63J acres, and the maximumrunaway is 550 yards and the minimum 400 yards. Ample provision has been made for the parking of cars of mem-bers and visitors. The Hangar will be 90 ft. in length, 75-ft. span, and 14 ft. high (doors). Three petrol pumpswill be installed (National Benzole, Shell-Mex, and Anglo- American). The Clubhouse will include office, 25 ft. by20 ft., club-room, bar, attendants' quarters, etc. The contractors for erecting the Hangar and Club-house(Messrs. T. Partridge & Co., Ltd., and Messrs. Deacon & Boardman), both of Walsall, are pushing forward withthe work with all speed, and it is expected the Hangar will be completed before Whitsuntide. A Company has been formed by Mr. E. A. Bayleyunder the title of " The Walsall Aircraft & Motors, Ltd.," and will commence operations, in conjunction with theWalsall Aero Club, within the course of the next week or so. The Company are commencing with three Planes,comprising a three-seater Cabin Plane to be used for Taxi work and Pleasure Flights, and two " Miles Hawk "Monoplanes. The latter are two-seaters, equipped with dual control for Instruction and Solo flying. It is antici-pated that Sir Alan Cobham's " Flying Circus " will visit the new Aerodrome early in June. HESTON THE National Air Safety Committee demonstrationat Heston, on May 10, already fully reported onpage 493, went through according to plan in veryfavourable weather. Mr. J. J. White, president of the Westchester Aviation Country Club, and Mr. Henri Ottinger, a former U.S. air- line pilot aod flying instructor, landed at Heston on May 6 in one of the latest Waco cabin biplanes, which they shipped over from America. The Waco was taken ashore at Bremerhaven, whence they flew it across the Channel in very rough weather. Mr. White, who is also very well known in the business world, is shortly starting on a Con- tinental tour with this machine. During the week ending May 9, 81 passengers travelled between Heston and the Channel Islands by Jersey Air- ways, Ltd., and on May 11, Wrightson Air Hire were well booked. Mrs. Mollison has their " Leopard Moth " and Lady Young and Miss Warner have " Moths " on a day's hire. Lady Young is the wife of the Governor-General of Northern Rhodesia, whose previous post was Nyasaland. She is sen experienced pilot, and while in Nyasaland she founded a successful flying club, and was largely respon- sible for the activity in constructing aerodromes and pro- viding facilities for flying in Nyasaland. She and her family are regular travellers by air, and she purchased forher own use the " Gipsy Moth " in which Mr. Norman, early last year, made a tour of Africa on behalf of theBeit Railway Trust. Miss Warner is being taken by Capt. G. W. Ferguson, Navigational Instructor at Heston, on along-range navigation lesson to St. Inglevert and back. Dr. J. E. Thomson, who had some dual instruction atHeston last year, has returned to complete the training for his "A" licence. He was one of the founders of theSingapore Flying Club, which operates with seaplanes, on which he has done a certain amount of dual flying. A new nineteen-year-old American pupil is Miss CecileHamilton, who had the first of a course of flying lessons last week. As soon as she has " taken her ticket " inEngland, she intends to travel on the Continent for four months. She is then returning to the States to take atwo-years' ground engineering course at the New York University, before going in for flying as a career. Baron H. d'Erlanger, brother-in-law of Mr. RoderickDenman, of Heston, made his first solo flight late on Thursday evening, after the finish of the Safety FirstFlying Demonstration. In the first ten days of May, School flying hours showan increase of 164 per cent, upon the figures for the same period last year. CROYDON ^-||i—HE completion of 1,000,000 miles' flying by Capt. •I O. P. Jones is of considerable significance in com- III mercial aviation. Amongst other things, it means that quite a large proportion of senior aix line pilots must be nearing that figure. I do not know if any of the foreign pilots keep their logs in miles or kilometres, but it would be interesting to know the mileage of a man like Mr. Smirnoff, of K.L.M. I believe he flew most of the war in the Russian Air Force, and he was with the early S.N.E.T.A., which preceded the present Belgian S.A'B.E.N.A. Since joining K.L.M. in 1921, or maybe early 1922, he has flown with the greatest regularity, and, incidentally, senior K.L.M. pilots all do the 18,000-mile round trip Amsterdam-Batavia-Amsterdam four times a vear. O. P. Jones flew some 543 hours in the service, 611 with Sir Alan Cobham, 1,002 with Instone Air Lines and the rest with Imperial Airways, Ltd., except 18 miles which, somewhat unexpectedly, he has flown privately. What this mysterious 18-mile flight may have been, and why he did not go by car, is an intriguing mystery. How- ever, as he has flown no less than 46 types, from " Heracles " down to power gliders, the 18 miles may have been accomplished on a glider from which the power plant had been removed. It has. been estimated that he has crossed the Channel 4,500 times and has carried about 65,000 passengers. Jones is noted for his beard, his bull terriers and his beer mugs. There is a fashion at the moment for little cardboard 485 C_2
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