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Aviation History
1937
1937 - 1161.PDF
MAY 6, 1937. FLIGHT. 43* The Outlooks A fo Gaiety P ERHAPS there is something auspicious in the trans formation of the quondam Gaiety Restaurant into Ariel House, the headquarters of the Civil Aviation Department of tho Air Ministry. Some might think that the naming of the house from a character in The Temper.L was a trifle sinister, but, after all, Ariel's song with its " On the bat's back do I fly " is full of the same joyous spirit which inspires the private pilot. But, as the same house is full of associations dear to wireless fans (was it not once 2LO?), we should not be surprised if sometimes, in moments of aberration, the spelling gets altered into Aerial. The new organisation, however, is strictly businesslike, and the -division of the Department of Civil Aviation into three directorates shows how the civil side of flying has become a matter too great for a small staff to deal with the whole of it. That is a very welcome development. It was not Ariel but Puck who professed his ability to put a girdle round the earth in twenty minutes. Imperial Airways are not yet quite so ambitious, and if Mr. Wimperis is right in putting the limit of air speed at 600 m.p.h., then Puck's record will remain unchallenged. None the less, Imperial Airways do intend to girdle the earth, and if they fly at something less than the maximum possible speed the journey will be all the more enjoyable for the passengers. In any case a great work lies before the new denizens of the old Gaiety, and Flight wishes them all success in the coming days. Better Late Than Never / N the issue of March n last Flight commented, under the heading "Tomfoolery," on the French Air Minister's offer of a prize for an air race across the Atlantic. Our point was that such a race could prove nothing, would commemorate nothing (for the idea of hold ing it on the tenth anniversary of Lindbergh's flight had to be abandoned), and might well cost the lives of more than one crew. It is gratifying, though not surprising, to find that other influential parties have raised similar objections, and that these protests have made a due im pression on M. Pierre Cot, the French Air Minister. During his visit to England last week he was interviewed on behalf of Flight by Mr. E. J. Hart, with whom M. Cot frankly discussed the position. The following is a precis in English of M. Cot's remarks: — "There is not one word oi truth in the suggestion that my Government intends to withdraw its five million francs prize offer. That offer stands—unquestionably. But I do not ex pect that a race across the Atlantic will take place this autumn. On present indications, I think that it will be postponed until next year. Alternatively, new conditions may be drawn up tor another route. With so little meteorological data avail able, I should feel happier if a land route, of the same length, were substituted. It is not for my Government to impose conditions. We have no power to cancel the race. In an international contest the final decision must rest, naturally, "ith the aero clubs of the countries concerned, The main objection comes from the National Aeronautic Association at Washington. It has strongly urged the Aero Club de France to postpone the race—for humanitarian reasons. As a practical flying enthusiast, I endorse the American view that aviation would be ill served if the world's ablest pilots were allowed to embark on a venture, of which the end is so far irom certain. And until our scanty research work on con ditions over the North Atlantic is much farther advanced, 1 agree with the American opinion that it would be reprehen sible to endanger the lives of brave pilots. " Yes, I admit that I should have thought of all that before sponsoring the contest. The offer on behalf of my Govern ment was made in all good faith. I can only say that I regret the impulse that prompted me to make it, before more closely examining the difficulties which have since been raised in America.'' Frank confession of impulsiveness to some extent dis arms criticism, especially when accompanied by a readiness to take corresponding action. M. Cot says that his Govern ment has no power to cancel an international race, but that it can postpone it if sufficient protests are received from the aero clubs of the countries concerned. Postpone ment sine die would meet this case, and it now only remains for the aero clubs of other countries to follow the example of the National Aeronautic Association of the United States in protesting against the running of unnecessary risks for no sufficient reason. If all the mishaps which occurred during the Schlesinger race to Johannesburg had taken place in a race across the ocean, the .tragedy would have been big enough to have killed all air racing for a generation. Ocean Airships'( v r HE resumption of the regular airship services across North and South Atlantic makes the subject of air ships topical. The experimental flights across the North Atlantic this summer by heavier-than-air craft will doubtless provide experience for air mail routes of the near future, but the operation of flying boats and landplanes with reasonable pay-loads of passengers is still not in sight, and it would be well not to overlook the claims of the airship. During the wintei months, while she was laid up, the opportunity has been taken to increase the passenger ac commodation of the Hindenburg by 20 new outside cabins, bringing the total of passengers to 70. The Zeppelin com pany expects, in the L.Z. 130 nearing completion and the 131 which is to follow, to increase the passenger accommo dation to 120 or even more. This begins to look like real commercial trans-oceanic air travel, and it is greatly to be hoped that the negotiations which have been proceeding and are being continued between certain British and Ger man interests will result in a company being established for operating airship services across the North and South Atlantic. While only two airships are in existence it is obviously difficult to obtain a proper idea of operating costs, because the overhead charges which should properly be borne by each ship are difficult to decide. It is thought that an air ship of the Hindenburg type can be built for something like ^450,000, and that if two or more were ordered at a time this figure could be reduced. Neither hydrogen nor the diesel fuel oil is excessively expensive, so that doubtless there are possibilities of successful economic operation. The technical side may be said to have been proved already by the work of the two present airships. It is interesting to learn from representatives of the Zeppelin company that the Daimler-Benz sixteen-cylinder diesel engines have, since the minor troubles experienced on the first flight, been running very well and are con sidered entirely. satisfactory. . Blaugas was not used last year, but may be reintroduced for some of the engines. DIARY OP FORTHCOIVIING EVENTS—PAGE 446
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