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Aviation History
1937
1937 - 1792.PDF
2 FLIGHT. JULY I, 1937. afternoon was of a static character. Then the lunch and the speeches, both very desirable, took up a certain amount of time, and some complaints were expressed that prospective buyers were not given enough time for a careful and minute examination of all the accessories. This year there should be no complaints on that score, for the whole of the first day was allowed for careful scrutiny, while all the flying took place on the second. To make the S.B.A.C. Display still more at tractive next year, it might be thrown open to the general public for the rest of the week. vvestward and Southward Hoi F EELINGS were poignant at the Imperial Airways' lunch at Southampton on Tuesday that the chair man of the company had not lived to see the inauguration of the Empire air mail scheme up to the terminus at Durban, which was due to be started that day. But though the great leader is gone his work remains, and Imperial Airways, despite occasional set backs, flies on determinedly towards its goal. Tuesday's ceremony marked a notable step forward, for henceforth all letters for places in British Africa down to Durban will go by air as a matter of course. The writers of the letters will not be consulted on the subject; the aero plane is now accepted by the Post Offices of the Empire as the normal way of sending mails through to their destination. This now accomplished fact turns our thoughts back to the old days of Air Conferences in the Guildhall when the representative of the G.P.O. invari ably said: '' We are sympathetic, but we demand regularity. When your aeroplanes can fly without fre quent forced landings from engine trouble, we will consider sending all our mails by air." Now the forced landing is an exceptional event, and the G.P.O. is will ing to expend up to £200,000 per annum for the advantage of using the speed and reliability of the aeroplane. Talking of set-backs, it is rather surprising that the latest one should come from America. It was arranged long ago that the first trial commercial flights across the Atlantic should be made simultaneously by Imperial Airways and Pan-American Airways, the former start ing from Ireland and the latter from the United States. In some American papers sarcastic remarks have been published that Pan-American Airways were ready to start, but had to wait until Imperial Airways were ready. Then the date June 24 was fixed for the two inaugural flights, and now comes the news that Pan- American Airways have demanded a postponement to July 5. It is disappointing but not serious. The simul taneous flights will take place in due course, and of their technical success no doubts are felt. AT THE CORONATION-YEAR DISPLAY : The Royal party keenly interested in last Saturday's R.A.F. Display. Left to right are H.R.H. the Duke of Gloucester, Lt.-Col. Muirhead (Under-Secretary of State for Air), Her Majesty the Queen, Lord Swinton (Secretary of State for Air), His Majesty the King, Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Edward Ellington (Chief of Air Staff) and H.R.H. the Duchess of Kent. The Duke and Duchess of Kent arrived by air.
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