FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1937
1937 - 0743.PDF
MARCH 18, 1937. FLIGHT. 287 Commercial Aviation* all this before, and this time, I hope, those concerned will get ae geological survey done to find out whether the surface will take an extra spot of rain. Architecturally, Croydon may be a matter of inextinguishable mirth, and the surface may be like a contour map of a rough night at sea, but at least we can keep on using the place. Amsterdam, one of the best-drained aerodromes in Europe (it needs to be, having been originally a vast lake and being even now below sea level), is only just usable this winter. On Sunday Croydon experienced a complete black-out FROM the point of view of the visitors, neither Jersey itself nor its new airport could have had more suitable weather than that experienced for the official opening of the long-awaited air transport centre. Jersey Airways' morning service left Heston in QBI condi tions, with visibility of the 800-yard order, and between Farn- borough and Portsmouth the leading D.H.86, piloted by Mr. Israel, flew through snowstorms so thick that the ground was occasionally lost entirely. This ground, in any case, was covered with a fine mantle of snow. The Channel made a coloured pattern of sunlight and shadow as the weather steadily improved. The new airport, only previously seen by the majority of the passengers in the course of construction—as an ugly brown patchwork—was bathed in warm spring sunlight, and the out line of the island of Guernsey, some twenty-five miles away, was clearly seen beyond the boundary at the end of the longest run. The contrast could not have been more effective. Although its whole landing area is not quite finished, the airport, which lies some five miles to the west of St. Helier, is most impressive to the newcomer, who is accustomed to less complete and handsome layouts. The surface resembles a tennis lawn in texture, and the white terminal building lying between the two large hangars, is one of the very best of its kind. The building is economically planned yet roomy, and the control officers—Lt. Phillips and Mr. Roche—have a view of the entire landing area. As far as is possible all obstruc tions are grouped in one spot, and the D/F and normal aerials will all lie to the east of, and behind, the terminal buildings. There are four G.E.C. floodlights, and a concrete Scion. Senior for Jersey JERSEY AIRWAYS are trying out a four-engined Short Scion Senior on their regular services for a few weeks. This machine has about the same passenger capacity as the D.H.89, which has been used to carry the company's lighter loads. And Now Another PLANS for a service between Newcastle and Norway are under consideration and developments are expected shortly. Several important airline concerns are understood to be inter ested in the project, and it is expected that the service will be run jointly between English and Norwegian companies. A ser vice between Aberdeen and Oslo is expected to start this spring. R.A.A. Replaces L.A.N.A. THE French air line Lignes Aeriennes Nord-Africaines ceased to function at the end of 1936, and with it the routes which it operated, i.e., Algiers-Oran and Algiers-Constantine-Bone- Tunis. The French Government decided to entrust to the company Regie Air-Afrique the operation of a route between Casablanca and Tunis. The new route was due to start work on March 15, and it is reported that M. Henri Germain, of L.A.N.A., has sold the aeroplanes and ground station equip ment to Air-Afrique. The machines, it may be remembered, are three De Havilland Dragons, but it is reported that the company will soon dispose of these and re-equip with four Caudron Goelands. The L.A.N.A. personnel has been trans ferred to R.A.A. around lunch time, and two K.L.M. D.C.2 machines landed at Gravesend, discharged passengers, and had them up in London with considerable dispatch. The air traveller, thanks to an adequate emergency airport just where it is needed, was scarcely interfered with. Lympne was im possible, and but for Gravesend the passengers would prob ably have had to return to Holland. So far as I can gather the authorities propose to abandon Gravesend to the builder without a sigh. A. VIATOR. white line has been laid down along the entire length of the 900-yard (E-W) run, which, at the same time, has obstruction- free approaches. The total present area is 77 acres, and the entire project cost the States about £128,000. A particularly interesting feature of the terminal building is that loud speakers have been installed at all key-points so that lost passengers may be found ready for a time-table departure, and so that officials and others may be collected as and when necessary. A number of important people spoke before the airport was officially opened by Mrs. Coutanche, the wife of the Bailiff of Jersey, who opened the proceedings with a speech of intro duction. The Bailiff of Guernsey, Mr. Carey, followed with congratulations, and Mr. J. G. Gibson, of the Air Ministry, replied for the visitors. Mr. Guy de Gruchy, the president of the Airport Committee, gave an unequivocal account of the history of the airport, which was first mooted in 1932. He showed how the optimis tic estimates entertained during the earlier days of the scheme proved to be ridiculously low and how the landowners and others concerned helped the committee. No litigation had been necessary in dealing with some eighty owners. Jersey Airways will lose a vast amount of good publicity now that the company's machines are no longer landing on the beach in the direct view of the inhabitants of and visitors to St. Helier, but the loss should be amply balanced by the convenience, both from the maintenance and time-table-plan ning point of view, of the new airport. This will now be their centre of operations, and the company's fleet will normally be housed and maintained there. Aero-maritime Starts WHEN last week's homeward-bound Air France South American mail machine left Dakar for Toulouse, she car ried mail to the weight of 1,220 lb.—a record for the normal service. The explanation is that the South American mail was augmented at Dakar by that from the West African coastal towns, which was brought on the inaugural return flight of Aero-Maritime's service. Incidentally, the Air France machine was making the 161st regular ocean crossing. Extended Agreements TWO agreements between Imperial Airways and the Govern ment have recently Deen extended. One is for the Eng land-South Africa service, the agreement for which has been extended until June 1, owing to the fact that it will not be possible to inaugurate the through flying-boat service on April 1 as was originally intended. It does not appear even certain that the new scheme will be started on the later date, since power has been reserved to make a further extension if neces sary. The rate of subsidy for the period between April r and June 1 will be reduced to £28,000 per annum, mainly because of the continued use of machines for which full obsolescence provision had already been made. The second extension is for the Khartoum-West African ser vice. This agreement also terminated on March 31, but it is proposed to continue it, with provision for extensions to Accra and Takoradi when the aerodromes at these places are avail able, for a further period of twelve months. The present weekly service terminates at Lagos. The subsidy will be pay able monthly in arrear at the rate of £250 for each weekly flight in either direction, subject to an overriding maximum of £25,000 per year. FROM SAND TO SWARD Jersey's New Airport is Officially Opened
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
