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Aviation History
1938
1938 - 0731.PDF
MARCH 17, 1938. FLIGHT. 261 AVIATION INQUIRY the Government's Rulings Thereon : The European nel : A Director of Civil Research and Pro- ,arger Subsidy for Civil Aviation The Committee felt that, in order to remedy the position,four elements in civil air transport must be closely associated aud co-ordinated. These were the machinery of Government,the aircraft operator, the aircraft constructor, and the organiser cf ground services. • ... ...._.... . * * * •?• • ~- ./*• .* In their observations on these points the Government alludedto the efforts which the Aii Ministry and the aircraft industry had recently made in the military sphere. Nothing could beallowed to impede the rearmament programme, but the Govern- ment felt now that it was possible to make further efforts toassist civil aviation. These observations continue to explain the civil policy pur-sued by successive governments. Their aim had been to help civil aviation to '' fly by itself'' and subsidies had been givenfor the routes which afforded the best prospects. The Govern- ment therefore deliberately adopted the policy of concentratingon Empire routes and the exploitation of these routes led to the conception of the Empire Air Mail Scheme, a developmentwhich was unique in the air services of the world. As a result, the Empire services constituted approximately ninety per cent,of the route mileage operated by Imperial Airways—these routes being served by flying boats which were second to none indesign and construction. All first-class mail was already being carried to South Africa, India and the East without surcharge,and the whole scheme had been- put through at rates of sub- sidy which compared favourably with those paid in othercountries. The Government was convinced that from every point of view this policy was right. The Air Ministry had,nevertheless, consistently encouraged the development of new civil types and it was now the intention of the Government toinvite Parliament to approve still larger expenditure on civil aviation. The principles to which the Government attached first impor-tance were as follows :— First, financial considerations made it impossible to incur anunlimited liability on civil aviation, and the limits within which expenditure could be incurred must be clearly envisaged. Secondly, in order that the available money might be spentto the best advantage, the Government considered that the decision between competing projects should be governed by two " Department of Civil Aviation, as at present constituted, is too taken up with routine matters . . . there must be more virility. ..." main considerations: First, the importance of maintaining anddeveloping air communications within the Empire, and secondly, the importance of-selecting at the appropriate timeroutes which afford the opportunity of substantial traffic and postal revenue and where important British commercialinterests are concerned. Thirdly, in deciding upon the ways in which the Governmentcould best encourage the development and production of civil aircraft, they would seek the co-operation of the air operatingcompanies and act in close consultation with Sir Charles Bruce- Gardner, the independent Chairman of the Society of BritishAircraft Constructors, who had been appointed by the aircraft industry to represent the interests of the industry as a whole,a'Kl one of whose duties it was to promote the development of CIV" aviation. THE AIR MINISTRY I lie Committee felt that it rested with the Secretary of State*°r Air to ensure the form of departmental organisation and B s™ection of personnel to remedy the position. Far-reaching• changes in organisation and outlook were necessary, though the L y of aviation could not fundamentally be separated:'i'' the civil aspect. They suggested that the Department ofVli Aviation, as at present constituted, was too taken up with The Report recom-mends a Permanent Under-Secretary for Air.Sir Donald Banks is ap- pointed. routine matters and that there must be more virility in theinitiation of policy. The Minister should be assisted by a second ParliamentaryUnder-Secretary of State whose sole concern would be civil aviation. This new Under-Secretary should define Governmentpolicy and constantly review its application, while his personal contact with the Secretary of State would ensure that civilmatters were-not placed in the background. Tlje responsibility of the Secretary of State in stimulating civil design and pro-duction development and in settling a far-Teaching policy would appear to have been neglected in many respects. At present it was the responsibility of a Service member ofthe Air Council to advise on research and development prob- lems. This officer served only for a certain period before beingtransferred and there could be neither continuity nor experience under such a system. The same applied in the case of produc-tion, where the member of council responsible was also a military officer appointed for a short period. This officer wasnot even concerned with the civil problems. Such a system was unsuited to the rapidly developing technique of aeronautics. Thecommittee recommended the creation of a post of Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Air, who, in addition to the presentduties of the Permanent Secretary, should assume control of research and development and also of supply and organisation.He would further be charged with the duty of seeing that the policies of civil and military aviation were constantly correlated,in which duty he would have the assistance on the civil iide of the Director General of Civil Aviation, In connection withcivil production it would be necessary for him to ensure that the Directorate of Aeronautical Production dealt with the civilas well as the military aspect, and for thispupose an additional Director would probably be needed. Considerable strengthen-ing of the technical staff concerned with research and develop- ment was also essential. Biiefly, the suggestions were that a second post of Parlia-mentary Under-Secretary of State, who would devote his whole time to the problems of civil aviation, should be created.That, in place of the permanent secretaryship of the Air Ministry a post of Permanent Under-Secretary of State wouldbe created, and that duties in connection with aircraft research, development and production, which had hitherto been allottedto military members of the Council, should be transferred to him with the reinforcement, under this officer, of the Direc-torate of Aeronautical Production and also of the Directorates of Scientific Research and Technical Development. He wouldcorrelate civil and military policy. With such a reorganisation the committee were satisfiedthat there was no present need to bring up the question of transferring civil aviation to another department. # • # The Government accepted the recommendation of the Com- mittee that a post of Permanent Under-Secretary of State should be created and agreed with the definition of his duties and responsibilities. They proposed further to appoint a Deputy Director General of Civil Aviation who would relieve the D.GC-A- of much of the day-to-day supervision of the Department and would be charged particularly with the function of finance, which was
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