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Aviation History
1934
1934 - 0957.PDF
SEPTEMBER 13, 1934. FLIGHT. COMMERCIAL /\VIAT/ON AIRLINES AIRPORTS ON THE IRISH ROUTE Impressions of a Trip to Belfast by Railway Air Services. The D.H.S6 from the Passengers' Point of View ALTHOUGH it is possible to argue more or less indefinitelyabout the value of short internal air routes in countriesL where the surface transport has already been welldeveloped, the existence of quite a short sea passage in a particular route puts a very different complexion on the matter. On the day before the opening of the new Ards airport we had the opportunity of travelling to Belfast by Railway Air Services, and, after experiencing the journey on previous occa- sions by train and boat, there remained no doubt that the addi- tional cost of the air journey was more than justified. Leaving Victoria Station at 2.25 p.m., the passengers were in their Belfast hotels before 7.15 p.m. after travelling in the tranquil state of mind only possible where there are no connections to be lost or taxis to be hailed. The surface journey, incident- ally, takes something like twelve hours. A Continental Connection The time of starting—3.10 p.m. at Croj'don—has been the subject of a certain amount of criticism, but it has one quite considerable advantage. Passengers from Paris, for instance, can leave the Rue des Italiens at 11.45 Pm- by Imperial Airways, and still be in good time to catch the Belfast and Glasgow machine at Croydon. Actually, we were in Paris at 9 a.m. on this particular morning, but, as a regular air route was not used for the journey to Croydon, this is another story. We left Croydon, straight off the tarmac, in a blinding rain- storm, with memories of the bVack opening day of the service. Passing Bicester at 3.40, the " 86 " touched down at Castle Bromwich at 4.3. and left again at 4.16 through the smokemasses of the Midlands and intermittent curtains of rain. Meir Aerodrome loomed large at 4.3G, with Stoke-on-Tri'iil,grey-brown, to the left, and the Ship Canal, running like a silver ribbon as far as eye could see, was passed at 4.50.Barton gave the air-minded passengers something to think about as the pilot brought the machine in just over the boun-dary fence, tail down, and, even then, ran the length of the aerodrome. At 5.25 we were riding at 6,000 feet below a clear bluesky and above the clouds and the Lancashire coast, with the sea below a mottled silver shield. To the left, the coast ofWales could be seen, and far away to the right the Lake District rose up to meet the clouds. Just for once the mosthardened passengers sat up and looked around them. Incidentally, every passenger machine should have an airspeed indicator and an altimeter in the cabin. In spite of the claim that the payers of fare should, for their peace of mind,be kept in dark ignorance, such things add tremendously to the interest of a long flight. Furthermore, each passengershould be given a fairly detailed map, showing the route followed and the more salient landmarks, which he or shecould take away as a souvenir. Whereas in a train one reads a book, in an aeroplane the desire to look out of the windowis almost irresistible. Aldergrove, where we touched at 6.36, though an excellentaerodrome is really an unreasonable distance from Belfast, but, perhaps, when Ards is extended in due course, even themost cautious operator will use it. Incidentally, aerodromes can be boring places, and the passengers should be told where SINGAPORE-BRISBANE: The first of the D.H. 86s for the Qantas ]ap of the Australian route, In the airnear Hatfield. The provision of dual control explains the "different" shape of the nose, in which a landing searchlight is also mounted. Mr. L. J. Brain, chief pilot of Qantas Empire Airways, Ltd., is to fly the machineout to Australia. (Flight Photo *
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