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Aviation History
1938
1938 - 0730.PDF
200 FLIGHT. MARCH 17, 1938. THE CADMAN CIV A Special Digest of the Committee's Recommend Air Service Modifications : Changes in Air Mil duction : Criticism of Imperial Ai Lord Cadman, chairmanof the committee which completed its enquiry intwo months. THE body which, during the last month or two, hasbeen rather loosely referred to as the CadmanCommittee, was actually appointed on November 30, 1937, by the Secretary of State for Air, to en- quire into matters raised in the course of the debate on British civil aviation which was held in the House on November 17. There were no specific terms of reference, but on November 24 the Under-Secretary of State for Air said 111 the House that Lord Swinton had written to the Chair- man of the Committee in the following words: " . . .1 do not think it is necessary to give the Committee formal terms of reference, as the scope of the enquiry was clearly stated by the Under-Secretary of State in the course of the debate. While broad question of principle on which the policy of the Govern- ment has been fully explained to Parliament would not fall to be reviewed by the Committee, I should wish the Committee to exercise the fullest freedom in examining any matters raised in the debate, whether affecting the Air Ministry or Imperial Airways ; and I think the debate itself affords the most convenient terms of reference. The Under-Secretary stated that I should discuss with the Government Directors of Imperial Airways the system employed by the Com- pany in dealing with its staff, including the methods by which pilots and others are enabled to have their grievances or representations fairly considered. It is my intention to discuss this with the Government Directors. At the same time, I should very much value the opinion of your Committee on this matter, and I should therefore be much obliged if you would treat this question also as included in your enquiry." The Under-Secretary also said that Lord Swinton wished him to add that the Committee would be at liberty to discuss those questions which could not, in the limited time available, be raised and dealt with in the House. In general terms, therefore, the Committee investigated: (a) Charges of inefficiency in the Air Ministry and Imperial Airways ; (£>) the present state of British civil aviation, particularly in Europe; (c) the system employed by Imperial Airways in dealing with its staff; and (d) other questions not specifically raised during the debate. The following matters were excluded from their consideration : (a) Broad questions of principle on which the policy of the Government had already been fully explained; (b) matters dealt with by the Maybury Committee; and (c) specific grievances of the staff and of individual pilots in the case of Imperial Airways. Between December 2, 1937, and February 4, 1938, the Cadman Committee held thirty meetings and received oral evidence from sixty-eight witnesses representing eighteen companies, associations and the Air Ministry itself, with written evidence from thirty-two further individuals, com- panies and associations. We have endeavoured, as far as possible, to give the Government's decision or opinion following each series of specific recommendations. THE POSITION TO-DAY The Committee considers that there was reason for " murethan apprehension " in the matter of this country's civil air transport except where the Empire services were concerned,and that a great deal of reorganisation and additional expendi- ture would be necessary. Some progress had been madetowards the reorganisation in internal air transport which was envisaged by the Maybury Committee, but "the picture stillremains a black one." In Europe the route-mileage flown by Imperial Airways was less than that flown fourteen years agoand this company was operating obsolete aircraft while British Airways had found it necessary to use foreign machines.British mail to Switzerland was being carried entirely by foreign machines and the assistance of a Belgian company hadbeen invoked for the conveyance of mails to Belgium. Severe foreign competition was developing on the NorthAtlantic route, services to the West Indies and across the Pacific were the uncontested monopoly of an American com-pany, and there was no British airline to South America—a ioute which had been operated for several years by French andGerman companies. No medium-sized transport machine of British constructionwas available to compare with the leading foreign types, and foreign manufacturers not only dominated the European marketbut had gained a firm footing in the Dominions. Responsibility for these defects could not be attributedsolely to the present administration. The original purpose in the creation of Imperial Airways in 1924 was to secure develop-ment of British air services in Europe, but three years later there was a fundamental change of policy and the Governmentdecided to concentrate on the Imperial routes. This policy was not reviewed until the Inter-Departmental Committee on Inter- " The present demand for modern high- speed all-metal liners of medium size has laid bare the defects of the past policy." national Air Communication was appointed in 1935- In themeantime, foreign companies with liberal financial assistance were elaborating a European network while the Air Ministryneither supported nor encouraged development of new routes. A state of inertia was perpetuated by the limited sum madeavailable for all civil aviation purposes, a sum which was ic- stricted for a number of years to ^500,000 per annum. Following the recommendations of the Inter-DepartmentalCommittee a British subsidised service to Scandinavia was im- provised, but, since no planning had been done, really suitablemachines were not available and foreign machines were pur- chased. The Committee was surprised to learn that, althoughthe contract with Imperial Airways was soon due to expire, no decision had been made in the matter of European air servicepolicy. . Aircraft operation and aircraft construction seemed in thepast to have been treated as separate and distinct questions, not as related elements of one problem. There had been noconsistent policy to encourage manufacturers and the subsidies paid to Imperial Airways were not conceived with any regardto such construction. The present demand for modern high- speed all-metal air liners of medium size had laid bare thedefects of the past policy.
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