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Aviation History
1934
1934 - 0931.PDF
SEPTEMBER 6, 1934. FLIGHT. REPORT ON CIVIL AVIATION BELOW we give a resume of the Report on the Progressof Civil Aviation, lyjj, which has just been issued bythe Air Ministry. Copies of this Report may be obtainedfrom H.M. Stationery Office, Kingsway, W.C.2 (price 5s. net). CIVIL FLYING Imperial Airways, Ltd., operated daily service betweenLondon and the Continent; a twice-weekly service between London and Egypt; a weekly service from London to India,extended to Burma, Federated Malay States, and Singapore ; and a weekly service from London to the Sudan, Uganda,Kenya, Tanganyika, the Rhodesias, and South Africa. Passenger and goods traffic showed, once again, a gratifyingincrease, 54,260 individuai passengers and 900 tons of mails and freight having been carried during 1933 over its regularlyoperated routes, as compared with 45,150 and 770 respectively during 1932. The total miles flown increased from 1,766,000in 1932 to 1,969,000 in 1933. The European summer time-tables provided connections withthe services of other air lines, so that cities in countries as far distant as Austria, Czechoslovakia, Spain, Norway, and Swedenwere brought within a day's flying of London. Traffic on the Empire services also showed a considerable increase, thetotal ton-miles recorded during 1933 being 1,474,200, as com- pared with 1,015,000 in 1932. Investigations were continued during the year regarding thepossibility of operating transatlantic air-mail services, and arrangements are under discussion with the Newfoundland andCanadian Governments and with Canadian Airways Ltd. At the same time proposals for co-operation with American in-terests will, it is hoped, result in the early institution of a service between Bermuda and the U.S.A. Internal Regular Services The following companies operated regular internal air servicesduring 1933, in addition, in most cases, to pleasure flying and special charter work (a detailed list of these services is givenin the Report): Blackpool and West Coast Air Services Ltd. (Liverpool, Blackpool, and the Isle of Man); British Amphibi-ous Air Lines Ltd. (Blackpool and the Isle of Man); Eastern Air Services (Nottingham and Skegness); Great Western Rail-way Co., per Imperial Airways Ltd. (Cardiff-Haldon-Plymouth, later extended to Birmingham); Highland Airways Ltd. (In-verness-Wick-Kirkwell, Orkney Is.) ; Hillman's Airways Ltd. (Romford-Clacton, Romford-Paris-Vichy, Romford-Manston) ;International Airlines Ltd. (Croydon-Portsmouth-Southampton- Plymouth) ; Midland and Scottish Air Ferries Ltd. (Renfrew-Campbeltown-Belfast, Renfrew-Campbeltown-Bowmore, Islay, Liverpool-Dublin); Jersey Airways (Portsmouth-Jersey, laterextended to Heston, London); Norman Edgar Western Air- ways Ltd. (Bristol-Cardiff); North Sea Aerial and GeneralTransport Ltd. (Hull-Grimsby); Portsmouth, Southsea, and Isle of Wight Aviation Ltd. (Portsmouth-Ryde, Shoreham-Portsmouth-Ryde-Shanklin); Spartan Air Lines Ltd. (London, Heston-Ryde-Cowes). Air Survey and Photography The Aerofilms Ltd. library of 40,000 photographs of generalinterest was increased to 43,000 during 1933, including addi- tional views of 119 towns in the United Kingdom, ChannelIslands, and Irish Free State. Contracts of particular interest included those for the photographing of an aqueduct 14 mileslong, the covering of over 31 miles of ground in Hampshire for aichjeological research, and a photographic record of the newSilent Valley Reservoir in Northern Ireland. The Air Survey Co., Ltd., has concentrated upon establishingair photography as a recognised method of rapid map revision mainly covering scales of 6 in. and 25 in. to 1 mile. Suchareas, totalling 200 sq. miles, have been photographed in Middlesex, Surrey, and Essex. The company has also suppliedvertical photographs of numerous areas in Greater London to the Ordnance Survey Office. The activities of the Aircraft Operating Co. have been con-fined to its African associated concern, which carried out some twenty contracts, consisting of township surveys and surveysfor mining companies. H. Hemming and Partners Ltd. was incorporated in Sep-tember, 1933, and secured a contract with the Bulolo Gold Dredging Co. Ltd. in New Guinea for the outfitting of thatcompany's air organisation with air photographic equipment required for the examination of certain areas in New Guinea.An important contract was also secured with the Western Mining Corp. Ltd. for an air survey of certain areas in WesternAustralia. Miscellaneous Services Heston Air Port, which is owned and operated by AirworkLtd.. cleared for Customs 2,932 persons during 1933, an in- crease of 57.5 per cent, over the previous year. Airwork Schoolof Flying showed an increase of 50 per cent, in the number of hours flown. In May, Airwork Ltd. took over the manage-ment of the municipal airport at Manchester (Barton). Surrey Flying Services carried 293 passengers on specialcharter flights, 25,600 miles were flown, and approximately 10,000 joy-ride passengers carried. The National Aviation Day Display Campaign was continuedduring 1933, and 3°° towns were covered and more than 800,000 people paid for admission to the displays. Schools and Clubs A total of 6,425 hours' flying was carried out by Air ServiceTraining during 1933—an increase of 50 per cent.—and eighty- seven persons, civilians and air force officers of thirteen differentnationalities, underwent instruction. During 1933 sixty-one civil pupils received training at the de Havilland School ofFlying, while, in addition, seventy-seven persons, including sixty-three under the Daily Express Scheme, were given triallessons. At the end of December last 136 students had been acceptedfor training, on completion of their probationary term, at the College of Aeronautical Training. The membership of the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navi-gators of the British Empire had increased to 171, and ihe number of associates to 106, by the end of 1933.The number of Light Aeroplane Clubs at the end of 1933 was eighteen, and three new clubs were approved—BrooklandsFlying Club, Cardiff Aeroplane Club, and Scarborough Aero Club. Important Flights Sq. Ldr. O. R. Gayford and Fit. Lt. G. E. Nicholetts It-ItCranwell in the Fairey Long-Range monoplane (Napier "Lion") on February 6 and landed at Walvis Bay, S.W.Africa, on February 8, having covered a total distance ot 5.141 miles in 57 hours 25 minutes—a world's long-distance record,subsequently beaten by Rossi and Codos in August, 1933 J. A. Mollison, flying a D.H. "Puss Moth" ("GipsyMajor"), left Lympne at 8.12 a.m., February 6, and arrived at Port Natal, Brazil, 6.20 p.m., February 9. Distance, 4,60cmiles; time, 3 days 10 hours 8 minutes. Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Mollison, flying a D.H. "Dragon" (2"Gipsy Major"), left Pendine Sands at 12 noon, July 22, and arrived at Bridgeport at 9 p.m., July 24 Distance, 3,300 miles;time, 39 hours. Air Com. Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, flying a Percival"Gull" ("Gipsy Major"), left Lympne on October 4, arrived at Wyndham, Australia, October n. Distance, 10,000 miles;time, 7 da3's 4 hours 44 minutes. C. T. P. Ulm, accompanied by G. V. Allen. P. S. G. Taylor,and J. Edwards, flying an Avro X monoplane (3 Wright "Whirlwind"), left Harmondsworth at 10.30 p.m. onOctober 12, arrived Derby, Australia, at 4.15 p.m., October iy. Distance, 10,000 miles; time, 6 days 17 hours 45 minutes. Sq. Ldr. The Marquess of Douglas and Clydesdale andFit. Lt. D. F. Mclntyre, in Westland " Wallace " and Houston-Westland aeroplanes (Bristol " Pegasus "), flew overMt. Eeverest from Purnea, on April 3 and April 19, a height of over 30,000 ft. being obtained. AIRCRAFT DEVELOPMENT •-•••• ; ' New Types , ;"; ;;—•• The following new types of aircraft were granted Cirtificates of Airworthiness during 1933:—Airspeed "Courier" (Arm- strong-Si ddeley "Lynx IVC"); Cierva Direct Control Auto- giro C.30P (Armstrong-Siddeley "Genet Major ") ; De Havil- land " Tiger Moth" ("Gipsy Major"); De Havilland
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