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Aviation History
1934
1934 - 1271.PDF
NOVEMBER 29, 1934. FLIGHT. 1275 in the United States of America? Earlier this year the American Government apparently reached the conclusion that even the United States Exchequer could not continue its lavish expenditure on civil aviation, and that the Post Office could not continue to carry such enormous annual losses. In consequence, the air mail contract rates were re- duced. The result was that leading representatives of the air transport industry, in evidence before the Commission only last month, frankly stated that they were on the verge of ruin. He would give the accual words of three of the leading witnesses. The first stated that the companies '' were facing huge monthly deficits " and that there was " no visible possi- bility of profit." The witness said: "Most, if not all, of the present companies carrying mail, express, and passen- gers by air in the United States can continue only so long as their capital reserves hold out or until their officers and stockholders are no longer willing to permit the con- tinued rapid dissipation of their money." The evidence oi the second was equally emphatic. He, too, said that with some exceptions '' the aggregate result of the last few years of intensive effort . . . has been substantial financial losses." The third, giving evidence as recently as the 18th of last month, stated that " at the present rate all the lines will be in bankruptcy not later than June 30th, 1935." Were these the methods which Britain was asked to emulate? Her problem was fundamentally different from that of internal air lines in the United States, and they should recognise the fact and shape their plans accord- ingly. Indeed, when they turned to American external air transport they saw that the Americans had found them- selves confronted by very similar problems to those with which Britain has had to contend. In this field America had regarded as inevitable the use of types of aircraft different from those employed on internal services, and, in consequence of this and other factors, had accepted the necessity for materially slower time schedules. [This is another point to which Flight has drawn attention.— ED.] Colonial Cooperation Lord Londonderry went on to say that in any scheme for the development of Imperial air communications. Britain had to act in the closest co-operation with her Dominions and Colonies, and the time was not yet ripe for him to make any detailed statement of plans. He would there- fore confine himself to saying that they were drawn up long before the Melbourne Race and that they allowed for a seven-day schedule between this country and Australia— that, incidentally, was reported to have been suggested by the K.L.M. as a practicable time schedule with the Douglas machine about which they had heard so much. In due course Britain hoped to improve even on that programme. The Douglas machine, while undoubtedly a remarkably successful one, which reflected the greatest credit on its designers and constructors, was, save for certain limited purposes, quite unsuitable for use on Imperial air services, where the present aim was to achieve a paving load of 3^ to 5 tons, under conditions in which the Douglas would give less than half that load. Nine months ago they at the Air Ministry were considering the advisability of the purchase of one of these machines, because of its great technical merits. They decided the purchase was not worth while. They had, in fact, purchased another equally interesting machine of American design and manufacture. They must continue to aim at getting British air trans- port eventually on a firm commercial basis, though they must be prepared to assist it financially for a longer period than was contemplated ten years ago, and very possibly on a more liberal scale. Having formed that view, he had, with his advisers, and in continuous consultation with the Postmaster-General—for one of the main instru- ments for the furtherance of Imperial air transport, the mail, fell within his province—been co-operating with the Board of Imperial Airways for many months past on far- reaching plans of development. Long before the recent race they had completed their plans for nearly halving the schedule on the Australian service. They were now aiming at similar accelerations to South Africa and to the Colonies. They aimed at faster aircraft, greater frequency, greater comfort, and a further development of air mail traffic. Striking a Balance But all these things they planned to achieve without destroying that approach by Imperial Airways to a com- mercial basis of operation which had been so steadily proceeding for the past ten years, under the prudent, but always progressive, direction of its very able chairman, Sir Eric Geddes. Their object was to lay solid foundations which would endure. It was a question of striking a balance between those speeds of operation which were technically and those which were economically feasible. They would not shrink, if need be, from recommending a larger public contribution to civil aviation for the; next few years—provided they were clear that they were getting results which justified that expenditure. They regarded it as a thoroughly healthy sign that the percentage of subsidy to Imperial Airways' total receipts had been steadily falling year by year until it was now under 45 per cent. ; he would add that the revenue received by the United States Post Office on American external air services in 1933 was no more than thirteen per cent, of its ex- penditure. They regarded it as a matter of satisfaction, not for lamentation, that the present subsidy to Imperial Airways per ton-mile carried was markedly lower than in the case of the French, the Italians, the Germans or the Americans. If these facts had meant a declining share in the world's air traffic, he would go a long way towards agreeing with the critics, but so far the reverse was the case. Lord Londonderry concluded by saying that it was in no spirit of complacent satisfaction that he had reviewed Britain's past achievements, but in the light of the facts there was no shadow of justification for panic measures based on feverish exaggerations. Diary of Forth Club Secretaries and others are invited to send parti Nov. 16-Dec. 2. I4th Internationa) Aviation Exhibition, GrandPalais des Champs-Elysees, Paris. Nov. 29. " Engine Research." R.Ae.S. Lecture by Capt.A. G. Forsyth. Nov. 30. Yorkshire Aeroplane Club Annual Ball, HotelMajestic, Harrogate. Dec. 1. De Havllland Works Annual Dinner, WharncliffeRooms, London. Dec. 4. College o! Aeronautical Engineering, Annual Dinnerand Dance, Grosvenor House. Dec. 6. "Flaps and other Devices." R.Ae.S. Lecture by R.P. Alston. coming Events culars of important fixtures for inclusion in this list. Dec. 6. " Recent Progress of the Autogiro." R.Ae.S. Lectureby Senor Juan de la Clerva. POSTPONED to Second half of Session. Dec. 7. Martlesham Heath Annual Dinner. Dec. 13. " Recent Research in Metallurgy." R.Ae.S. Lectureby Dr. W. H. Hatfield. Dec. 15. York County Aviation Club, Christmas Dinner Partythe Club House. Dec. 18. Herts and Essex Aeroplane Club Annual Dinner and Dance, Park Lane Hotel, Piccadilly, London. Dec. 19. Banquet and Dance in honour of Mr. C. W. A. Scott and Mr. T. Campbell Black, Grosvenor House. Dec. 29. Association Football, R.A.F. v. Oxford University, at Ilford.
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