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Aviation History
1934
1934 - 0621.PDF
FLIGHT, JUNE 28, 1934 The Outlook A Running Commentary on Air Topics Landing in Fog F OR air transport to be an all the year round business,airliners must be able to land with perfect safetywhen the visibility, due to fog or other bad weather conditions, is practically nothing. Extensive experiments,which are so far extremely successful, are being carried out both at the Tempelhof Aerodrome in Berlin by theDeutsche Luft Hansa people and also in Holland by the K.L.M. authorities. Over here a certain amount has beendone, but it is a subject which is of the utmost import- ance, and on which incessant research should be carriedout. Real Commercial Aviation C OMMERCIAL aviation is a very different matter fromcivil aviation. That is to say, it must not have idleplant of any description. In the past, aeroplanes and flying boats have been looked upon as pieces ofmachinery which were prone to break down frequently, and therefore it was necessary to have several machinesin reserve if any particular line was to be flown over with unfailing regularity. Imperial Airways have proved thatthis view is wrong. They have, for example, maintained the service between Brindisi and Cairo on a schedule oftwo machines each way every week, with only three flying boats of the Short " Scipio " class. People may betempted to think that that is cutting the margin of safety too tine. Imperial Airways think otherwise. In these Shortboats they have got their maintenance down to little more than is necessary for ships. Engines are changed periodi-cally, but the boats themselves, with their stainless-steel bottoms, require very little attention, and so the line goeson with a regularity which is the envy of all other airline companies throughout the world. Soon, we hope, the linewill run from Marseilles instead of Brindisi, but we do not expect that it will be found necessary to increase the fleetbecause of this. One or two of the old and well-tried " Calcutta " boats are always kept ready at Alexandriafor special jobs, and no doubt they could be requisitioned in case of need. The First Channel Flight O N another page an account is given of the celebrationsheld in France last Saturday in honour of the twenty-fifth anniversary of Bleriot's first flight across the Channel. The curious fact is that 25 years have not yetelapsed since that historic flight. It was on July 25, 1909, that Louis Bleriot risked his life in trusting to a rathertemperamental 25-h.p. Anzani engine and an outpaced destroyer. This particular celebration has missed thequarter of a century by one month and two days. The R.A.F. Display, 1934 NICELY balanced programme has been drawn up forthe R.A.F. Display at Hendon this year. From 12.30 to 17.30 hours the public will be continuouslyinterested and diverted by a series of events which show the very high pitch of training attained by the Royal Air"Force. In all there are 20 events on the programme, the most important of which begin at 15.00 hours, but thosein the morning will also be full of interest and beauty. It is important to make a note of this fact, for the crowdis always so great at Hendon on this occasion that wise spectators make a point of arriving early, and many ofthem bring their lunch with them. Those who do so need not fear that the time will hang heavy on their hands.Air racing, aerobatics, clever fooling, refuelling in the air, and practice in shooting at a towed target will be thefare for the morning, and these events by themselves would make a good day's enjoyment for most spectators. In the afternoon the interest increases, when the greatwing of fast day bombers goes through its evolutions, the intercepter " Furies " of two squadrons dazzle the eyeswith their rapid and really marvellous manoeuvres, the parachutes flutter down, the stately flying boats pass over-head, the coloured smoke writes intricate patterns over the sky, and finally the powder magazine of the; infamousenemies of Great Britain is blown sky-high in spite of all the efforts of its defenders to drive off the bombers andfighters of the R.A.F. The Prince of Wales, himself an Air Marshal, will be present, and who could deny that theabove fare is a dainty dish to set before the son of a King? One of the most remarkable things about the Displayeach year is the promptitude with which each event is brought off precisely at the time advertised in the pro-gramme. Formations take off and disappear for a while into the blue. Then as the clock marks the time for theirevent to begin, we find them flying over the aerodrome like an actor taking his cue. This means a tremendous lot ofpreparation and practice, and a Force which can work through such a programme without a hitch is a Forcewhich has been brought up to a very high degree of discipline. Work on the programme of the Display starts monthsbefore the date fixed for the performance. So early as last October the staff of the Fighting Area prepared a list of40 suggested events and submitted it to the Commander-in- Chief of Air Defence of Great Britain. In choosing eventsfor the Display, two considerations have to be borne in mind. In the first place the Display is not merely a showfor the public. It is the supreme point of the year's training of the R.A.F., and every event must bear somerelation to that training. Some of the events are made to wear a humorous aspect, and the antics of pretended pupilslearning to fly and mismanaging their aeroplanes have raised loud laughter. But none the less each item has somebearing on the training of the Air Force for its work. Secondly, the Display takes the taxpayer, into the confi-dence of the Air Ministry, and shows him something ol what he gets for his moderate expenditure on the AirEstimates. The events must be attractive to the public, and it is quite necessary for the Committee to practise thearts of showmanship. Incidentally, tha Display must pay for itself, and is expected to hand over a handsome balanceto Service charities. In choosing the items for the Display, the Committeemust consider the dates at which squadrons have to go to armament training camp for their annual course with liveammunition and bombs, and other considerations of the same sort. At last so many squadrons are chosen toappear at Hendon, and each is given its own event to practise. Early in March the Committee commences tomeet fortnightly and to settle the detailed arrangements. Various sub-committees are formed, for instance, the FlyingCommittee under a senior officer. It is their duty, among other things, to see that, while the events are attractive,nothing dangerous is attempted. Rehearsals start six weeks before the Display. The aerodrome managementmust be of the best if rigid punctuality is to be observed, and practising this is in itself a most valuable training instaff work. Everything must be co-ordinated, and each sub-committee must produce its own results and fit themin with all the other results. At the same time a separate programme must be prepared and practised for adoptionif the weather is bad. This had to be used for several events last year, but we hope it will not be necessary again. There is only one point on which we have ever heardserious criticism of the Display organisation, and that point was catering. It is a very difficult matter to feedhuge multitudes out in the wilderness, but we hope the efforts will be more successful this year. As we said above,the wise will bring a packet of sandwiches and a thermos— but please, oh please, no oranges! A last word to the spectators. Do not stand on thechairs. 621 B2
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