FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1938
1938 - 0366.PDF
132 Commercial Aviation FLIGHT. FEBRUARY IO, 1938. A SITE IN CYPRUS NICOSIA aerodrome, in Cyprus, has ior long been a snareand a delusion on the flying maps of the world. Actually the presence of so poor a place on recognised maps is a menace, and is voted as such by every pilot who has experienced it in even moderately bad weather conditions. These fine-weather landing areas possessing nothing in the way of housing facilities or buildings of any kind should be classified very distinctly. In view of the important geographical position of Cyprus in relation to existing air routes, it is interesting to note that at Larnaca, on the south coast of the island, there is being laid out an aerodrome which may conceivably be a future airport of the first degree. The area is at present being cleared to the dimensions of 1,000 yards x 700 yards. Its approaches are perfect in all. directions, being entirely free from any kind of obstacle. The, present surface is good, and a correspondent who was recently flying in that part of the world says that he drove all over the aerodrome in a car at 30 m.p.h. without finding more than three ridges which might cause a ballooned landing. An eight-ton roller is at present in active use, and it may be expected that even these minor faults will be eradicated. The soil is good loam, but has yet to be tried out in bad weather. It is understood that trials with a heavy lorry are under contemplation now that the January rains have soaked the terrain About twenty miles to the north-west is situated Stavrovouni Mountain, which has a peak forming a good landmark. To the south is Kiti Lighthouse, and to the north and north-west sides are salt lakes which in summer dry to a bed from which salt is collected, and from which revenue to the extent of £30,000 accrues to the island. The municipality of Larnaca is carrying out the work of construction, and the Government are paying a sum of £4,000 for the construction of a road from the present main road to the aerodrome. The Eastern Telegraph Company has a radio station situated at the north end of the town, two miles from the aerodrome circle Even now it performs good service to aircraft using the An unbeautiful landscape, but one giving a good idea of the clear appi oaches to the Larnaca site. The new road can be seen Near and Far-East routes. Operators are permanently on dutynight and day, and service includes meteorological reports. The prevailing winds are S.E. to S.W. from May to November,with a maximum velocity of 25 m.p.h., and N.YV. to N.E. from December to April. In conclusion, a portion of the speech made by Sir RichmondPalmer after presenting the O.B.E. to the Mayor and Solicitor- General of Larnaca at a luncheon given by the municipalityon November 6 may be quoted. Sir Richmond said: "You have here at Larnaca the best—by far the best—natural com-mercial aerodrome site in the island, and thus Larnaca's future can probably be accurately described as being "in the air'rather than ' in the clouds.' " Southampton Improvements THE Southampton Airport Committee has now asked theBorough Engineer to draw up plans for a terminal build- ing, this to include all the usual accommodation, as well as a restaurant with a good view of the aerodrome. Estimates for an additional hangar are also being prepared. Jersey Traffic MORE than 2,500 aircraft arrivals and departures have been• booked at Jersey Airport between the date of its open- ing, in the early part of March, and the end of last year. These machines carried a total of 32,442 through passengers on Jersey Airways' services with more than 450 tons of excess baggage, freight and mail—figures which suggest that this air- port is at least justifying its existence. Allied Airways Appreciated THE Norwegian Ministry of Defence has shown its appreci-ation of the work of Allied Airways (Gandar Dower), Ltd., by recommending a renewal of their Newcastle-Stavanger concession, which has just expired, until the end of 1941. It has also been re commended that Allied should be granted leave to extend the North Sea run from Stavanger to Oslo, utilising the military aerodrome at Kjeller until Fornebu Air- port is completed—which, it is expected, will be some time next year. The company wfll accordingly resume the crossing on April 10, flying, as last year, on five days a week. In May, test flights will be made over the new extension, utilising a D/F. service which is being installed at Kjeller for their benefit. Allied and Highland Airways, incidentally, have been having plenty of fun nearer home during the recent gales. On one day towards the end of January, when the wind was gusting up to 90 m.p.h., and hailstorms were almost continuous, the Orkney-Thurso steamer was unable to make the crossing. Not only did Allied Airways continue to schedule, but actually flew extra services to make up for the lack of sea communica- tion, Capt. Henry Vallance taking full loads of passengers and newspapers between Stromness and Thurso. The Shetland air mail has been flown from Aberdeen three times a week since November 23, in spite of the lack of radio facilities at the latter place, and 96 per cent, regularity is claimed. Condors for D.D.L. ? '"PHE machines of D.D.L. (Danish Airlines) in 1937 flew an -*- aggregate of 598,000 km. (371,500 miles), an increase of 30 per cent, over the preceding year's mileage. The total number of passengers arriving at or leaving Kastrup was 46,000, as compared with 33,000 in 1936—an increase by nearly 40 per cent. As to the purchase of new equipment, for which purpose capital was provided by means of the recent reconstruction of D.D.L., the company has changed its mind. It is reported that the idea of buying two Douglas D.C.3S has been aban- doned in favour of the new Focke-Wulf Condor. Powered by four engines developing 2,880 h.p., this German 26-seater will cruise at 335 km./h. The purchase of two Condors, each estimated to cost one million kroner, is said to be likely. Out of Chaos T^HE Sino-Japanese conflict, through its interruption of J- ground transport services, had, at least until a month or two ago, reacted favourably upon Chinese air services. The China National Aviation Corporation has been operating a special mail service between Hankow and Chungsha in Hunan, on a two-way, thrice-weekly schedule, in addition to its Upper Yangtze service and trie Chungking-Hong Kong service. The air services with Nanking and Wuhu have, of course, been discontinued, but round-trip air services between Hankow and Kuikiang, and Hankow and Changsha, four days a week, have been operated. Air Insurance and War Risks A CLAUSE recently adopted by the War Risk Committee ofthe Institute of London Underwriters puts air-bornfi traffic in the same relative position as water-borne traffic in regard to war risks. In effect, it rules out cover " on shore. The clause stipulates that the insurance " shall not attach to the interest prior to entering an aircraft, or after discharg- ing at the final place of discharge, or after the expiry oi '5 days, counting from midnight of the day of arrival of the aircraft at the final place of discharge, whichever shall f>rst occur." Also, insurance cover the interest a.t an intermediate place, whether during transhipment or not, "after 15 ('a^ (counting from midnight on the day of arrival of the aircraft with the interest) until the interest finally leaves such place, or, in the event of transhipment, enters the on-carrying air- craft."
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
