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Aviation History
1934
1934 - 1213.PDF
NOVEMBER 15, 1934. FLIGHT. 1215 VIVATE A SECTION FOR OWNER-PILOTS AND CLUB MEMBERS HAVING overhauled and equipped my machine tomy own satisfaction, I took the opportunity oftesting it out on a business trip to the Continent before finally setting ofi on my Far Eastern tour. This involved visiting a number of aerodromes in Bel- gium and Germany, and it may be interesting to give a few particulars of these. My first stop was Ostend, which is a military and civil Customs aerodrome. The grass surface is level, but there is a rough strip on the S.E. boundary which should be avoided. The hangars are very much in line with the prevailing wind, so care is necessary when taking off, as they are not too easy to clear. The town can be reached in ten minutes by taxi, which costs about thirty francs. Customs facilities are available on weekdays and Sundays alike, and meteorological in- formation can be obtained on the aero- drome. My next visit was to that fine old town of Antwerp, which was a prosperous commercial centre in the eleventh cen- tury. Here lived the foremost Flemish painters, of whom Rubens was the chief, many of whose most important works are to be found in the magnificent Gothic cathedral. The aerodrome at Antwerp has full Customs facilities and is large, being eight hun- dred by a thousand metres. It is well drained and level, with a good grass surface. The main aerodrome buildings are well laid out, and I was able to obtain the fuel I wanted. One criticism which might be made from the owner-pilot's point of view is that after landing near the Customs office—as I was staying overnight—it was found necessary to taxi at least half a mile to the hangar on the other side of the aerodrome, where private machines are accommodated. As there are no fuelling facilities near this point, this taxying had to be repeated when leaving, which is not at all a satisfactory arrangement. It was interesting to note the prevalence of light aircraft of English make. This is due to the fact that De Havilland's have a very live agent who also runs an excellent flying school. A Call al Brussels FROM Antwerp I intended to fly into Germany, but,having to pick up something which had been sent from England, I looked in at Brussels. The aerodrome there is, again, both a military and civil Customs airport. It is not an ideal landing ground, as it has an undulating surface, and after rain tends to become heavy, especially on the eastern side. Belgian aviation owes a good deal to the example set by the Royal Family, the late King Albert, in particular, having been an enthusiastic air traveller. Although one of the smallest countries in Europe, it is well to the fore in commercial air transport, nearly 800,000 miles having been flown on its regular air services during 1933. These figures are small compared with German returns, which, of course reflect the greatest volume of air traffic of any one European country. Air transport services NOTES by LORD SEMPILL A.F.C., F.R.Ae.S. in that country covered a mileage of six and a half millions during 1933, and the returns for the first six months of 1934 show an increase of nearly sixty per cent, of pas- sengers carried over the corresponding period of 1933. These figures are but an indication of the thoroughness of German air organisation, coupled with the flying enthu- siasm of the German people. The network of internal airways in that country is the densest in Europe, more than fifty towns being served by regular air services run by the Deutsche Luft Hansa. During the summer of 1933 twenty-six air lines were operated daily from Berlin. As may be imagined, private flying has gained much from the4 facilities thus made available. I have flown a good deal in Germany, and one cannot help being impressed by the airmindedness of the average German citizen. On this occasion my journey took me via Cologne, Frankfort and Mannheim. Cologne has a splendid aerodrome, and Customs facilities are very good. Private machines seem specially catered for in this respect, as they can be cleared at all hours by the aerodrome police. I have found it a feature of the main German airports that one can rely on very expeditious Customs clearances, and reliable meteoro- logical information, too, can usually be obtained. At Cologne good hangar accommodation is usually available, but the aerodrome itself is some little distance from the town, taxis taking about 25 minutes. Within easy reach of Cologne is some of the most beautiful scenery of the Rhine, and the old university town of Bonn is near by. Frankfort's Modern Aerodrome FRANKFORT-ON-MAIN, the original home of the Roth-schilds and the birthplace of Goethe, is worth a visit. It is served by a very fine aerodrome, one thousand by eight hundred metres in extent. It has an excellent grass sur- face and, being 300ft. above sea level, is never water- logged. All the aerodrome buildings are of modern design, and there is a very fine hotel and restaurant. The amenities at these German airports are such that people are encour- aged to visit them at all times. In the case of Frankfort, the airport is only a ten minutes' drive of the town. There is no doubt that the successs of aviation in Germany is largely due to concentrating first on adequate ground organisation, which has been made possible by the whole-hearted co-operation of the municipal authorities. My last port of call was Mannheim, one of the most important commercial centres of South Germany. Just to the north of this city lies Worms, the oldest town in Germany. Its romanesque cathedral, founded nearly a thousand years ago, is one of the architectural gems of the Rhineland. A few miles to the south-east, along the valley of the Neckar, lies the famous university town of Heidelberg. Mannheim aerodrome, although not very large, is quite a good landing ground with excellent hangar- age. It has Customs facilities and is fairly near to the town. '•• -r , _,•,.:..-;•:'••:•:.-•
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