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Aviation History
1936
1936 - 1356.PDF
MAY 21, 1936. FLIGHT. 555 SHUTTLE SERVICE On Converting the Casual Holiday-maker Into an Enthusiastic Advocate of Aviation ; Comfortable, Uneventful and Useful Trips at Less-than-joyride Rates : How the Isle of Wight Air Ferry is Operated By JOHN GRIERSON (Chief Pilot, Portsmouth, Southsea and I.O.W. Aviation, Ltd.) THE word '' Ferry '' as applied to flying may seem at first sight to imply a status of inferiority as compared with more lengthy services. But con sider their differences—the long air line which must charge a high fare in order to carry a small number of passengers over a great distance, and the shuttle service transporting a horde of passengers for a dozen miles at less cost than a "joy-flip." May we not well find that it is the organisation which takes the larger number of passengers into the air in the most unthrilling manner possible that is rendering the greatest service to aviation at the present stage of development? I say "in the most unthrilling manner possible" with feeling, because a short time ago I happened to travel as a passenger on an important airline. To begin with, it was found that more load was to be carried than had been anticipated, and the start was delayed twenty minutes whilst petrol was being jettisoned. We took off in a strong wind and the pilot flew his course with deadly accuracy beneath a low ceiling, making no effort to avoid the higher ground, where we were bumped violently. Then, in case any of the passengers had failed to be actively ill en route, the final approach was made with almost 90 deg. bank at 200ft. over a very populous area— and, of course, the wind was still blowing a good 35-40 m.p.h. It is such thrills as these that make the un initiated swear "Never again for me! " and transform them into living advertisements for the dangers and dis comforts which aviation, in common with other forms of transport, can be made to offer. Conversion en Masse Our job on the ferry consists of introducing the masses to air travel, and doing all in our power to make them like it. For instance, next Sunday, as I write, we have booked two ramblers' clubs for transport to the Island. Their' total will not exceed sixty-five persons, which is a relatively small number, as already we have arranged to take parties of ninety and 130 across at future dates. However, the sixty-five' are representative of the majority who fly on our ferry. Using an Envoy, a Courier and a Fox Moth, we shall transport that gathering to Ryde within the hour. If it is calm and fine we shall fly at 1,000ft., but if it is bumpy we shall climb higher. There will be no tight turns, and we hope that those ramblers will go home and tell their friends that flying is just like driving in a motor car. We are dealing with the masses of the people, for there are few holidaymakers who cannot afford 6s. for a return ticket. These" are not the sort of people who are ever likely to build or own their own private aeroplanes, but they are the bricks and mortar from which an air-minded nation could and should be built. By careless handling we have it in our power to put thousands of would-be travellers off flying. We could give them a" thoroughly bad impression of air transport and thus convince them and their friends that flying is an extremely dangerous stunt, only to be undertaken by so-called dare-devils. Indeed, we believe that in sending away a passenger after a comfortable and thrill-less flight, however short it may have been, and thus converting his prejudice into enthusiasm, we have accomplished mure than does any record-breaking flight. I do not mean that record-breaking is not a most praiseworthy kind of flying, but to the average man it is a business of super- pilots and super-machines—a realm of aviation quite out side his ken. On the other hand, in this air ferry we are able to bring the use of aeroplanes almost to the doorstep of the average, and not necessarily wealthy, man and woman. From the pilot's point of view the ferry is not nearly so monotonous as many imagine. Our life is frequently enlivened by the variety of our passengers, and the remarks they make. Such examples as the gentleman who was standing in the public enclosure when a machine was being taxied past may be cited as typical. Seeing his hat lifted off his head and sent flying, he was heard to mutter : " Coo-er, it's even more windy up here than down on the front! " Not all of our flying is confined to the normal fifty flights per day on the ferry, of course, as we have twice- daily services to Southampton and Bournemouth, increas ing to four and seven respectively later in the season, and there are also charter trips. Our aircraft-consist of the Envoy and Wessex, which both carry eight passengers at cruising speeds of 150 and ro5 m.p.h. respectively, three Couriers, which carry five passengers apiece at 135 m.p.h., and the Fox Moth, seating three or four with a cruising speed of 100 m.p.h. It will be seen that our service depends a great deal upon the efficiency of the Airspeed retractable undercarriage,* and this has proved itself a mechanism of outstanding strength and reliability. The gear is oper ated hydraulically, and its position is checked by red and green lights as well as by a horn which sounds if the engine is throttled back whilst the wheels are retracted. Even when the wheels are folded-in they protrude to such an extent that very little damage would be done in the event of a pilot disregarding both his warning signals and landing with the wheels up. This was proved by Sir Alan Cobham when he was forced to land at Malta and deemed it best not to release the wheels. Special Charters Apart from the ordinary routine, we have a contract to fly for the 4th Anti-Aircraft Brigade on fixed courses between certain heights. This is done either in a Courier or Envoy, since both are fitted with two-way telephony radio, and the pilot is thus in constant touch with the ground-force carrying out the exercise. There are also newspaper contracts for transporting loads of the Ports mouth Evening News to Cowes for distribution through out the Isle of Wight. Last year we carried nearly 60,000 lb. of newspapers, including loads from London. In our endeavour to give the passenger a smoother pas sage we are forced to pay strict attention to the localities in which bumps occur. As an example, there is a wooded * In 1935 this gear made over 11.000 take-offs and 11.0C0 landings.
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