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Aviation History
1935
1935 - 1491.PDF
JUNE 20, 1935. FLIGHT. 667 PRIVATE Ownership Figures YEAR by year since the appearance of the first private owners type the number of owners has mounted— but increasingly slowly since the mid-period increase. Dozens of reasons have been produced to explain the comparatively sluggish expansion. First the fact that aerodromes and suitable landing grounds were few and far between ; then the high cost, which has been conclusively proved to be not nearly as high as the groundlings would have us imagine; and, finally, the alleged difficulty and danger involved in the actual control of an aeroplane. The number of aerodromes is increasing much more rapidly, in proportion, than the number of owners, and the A.A. list of landing grounds is more than surprisingly large. A new generation is arising to take the place of those who could afford to fly but who prefer to remain on solid ground. The present-day machine is both safe and reliable if carefully handled and maintained, and the difficulties and dangers appear to the pilot to be a great deal less than those involved in high-speed private trans-, port on the roads. Because the stakes are infinitely higher the possible losses are also correspondingly increased. After all, one is not forgiven an error of judgment at 60 m.p.h. on the road, and the private owner is averaging twice as much in many modern light aeroplanes. .. . . Weather or No IT seems, then, that we must look elsewhere for the real reasons, taking as a clue the interesting fact that the great majority of owners of a few years ago are still owners to-day.- Once a private owner, always a private owner, in fact. There is no doubt that the English climate makes flying difficult and even dangerous to the semi-novice on at least sixty "of the three hundred and sixty five days of the standard year. For the sake of airway safety the owner is specifically kept out of certain areas in bad conditions— such conditions, in fact, in which the amateur pilot, without radio, is, in any case, most unlikely to be out and about A thousand yards of horizontal and a thousand feet of vertical visibility are the categorical figures. Many prospective private owners are disturbed by early flying "memories when an instructor, naturally eager for safety and a good insurance rate, prevented them from flying club machines in doubtful weather. High winds can be troublesome to the novice in a training type with a low wing-loading, and the instructor's favourite nightmare concerns a punil who is still out with failing daylight and in thick weather. But the owner learns that the pupil's bad weather is really not so bad after all. I shall never forget the surprise I felt six years ago when, taking off in rain soon after making my first solo, I found that I could see so very well. Even the habitual hirer of club or other aeroplanes is sometimes found gazing out of his window, quite unable to make up his mind whether to borrow an aeroplane or to go by car. When he has made up his mind the probability is that all the machines have been booked. However, everybody with a good radio set can listen to the hourly broadcasts—half after the hour—sent out by Heston on 1186 metres, and others can ring up one of sixteen meteorological offices in different parts of the country. Very shortly a central broadcasting station will be in action at Borough Hill, Northamptonshire, and the service will then be much more comprehensive. Those Regulations PROBABLY the impressive number of rules and regu lations do more to prevent ownership than any other single thing. I know one first-class engineer who sold his machine in a mild temper because the excellent little modifications which he made to an obsolete machine were torn off by zealous inspectors, and at least two other present owners who imagine, at least, that they are breaking the law by carrying out minor jobs of work with out ground engineers' licences A, B, C and D. Each keeps his aeroplane in a private hangar and each probably does the various little jobs with greater care because he has to fly the machine. Perfectly good ground engineers and maintenance companies have been known to leave undone that which they ought to have done. The Gorell Committee recommended that the possession of a C. of A. should be optional in the case of a private owner's machine, but suggested that third-party insurance should be compulsory—a suggestion which cffectivelv re duces the value of the option. It also suggested that the number of documents carried should be reduced, for this country, to a third-party insurance certificate. Where Ignorance is Not Bliss E 'EWYONE knows about the yearly C. of A. inspection and overhaul for "subsequent aircraft." The fee -is £5 5s-- P'us tne cost °* doing everything that the inspector requires to be done. Every machine must, at present, carry certificates of registration and of airworthiness, a journey log book and the pilot's licence. Aircraft and engine log books are kept at home and each entry must be signed by a qualified ground engineer. After a careful study of the terrifying A.N.D. eleven and the cross-questioning of various people, I must confess to being still in the dark on the question of what the private owner may or may not do—and so, apparently, is the private owner, who simply muddles along in the hope that he will not be put into prison. The fact that the log books must be signed by a ground engineer helps to clarify the situation, and " repairs " include overhauls, replacements, repairs and work 0/ a like nature Presumably, therefore, one is not to be allowed to chin<?e a plug, adjust a tappet, clean a filter, adjust a control cable or mend a tear in the fabric. INDICAIOK.
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