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Aviation History
1944
1944 - 1909.PDF
SEPTEMBER 14TH, 1544 FLIGHT 2QI THE ARCTIC AIR ROUTE will be a chain of wireless and meteorological stations together with two or three emergency bases equipped with aircraft which can be sent out like aerial lifeboats in the event of a forced landing. One of the few good things the war may have done is to develop facilities for the Arctic Air Route, since it is common knowledge that Allied air bases have been established both in Iceland and Green land, which means that much flying will be done in the vicinity of those countries, and a valuable contribution will be made to such meteorological data as had hitherto been available. Money has been spejrt for war purposes to an extent which would have bepnimpossible under our niggardly administration of civil flying. So far as emergency bases are concerned, both Iceland and Greenland, especially the latter, suffer from violent winds of great turbulence. This is due to the proximity of glaciers to the coast. Air which has become chilled rushes down to the relatively warm sea at such a speed that it is impossible for a man to stand up. Baffin Land, which is the largest island in the Canadian Arctic Archi pelago, and situated to the west of Greenland, appears to offer more favourable conditions for a base on account of its less mountainous nature. The western part of this relatively unexplored land is flat; there are several large lakes which could be used for seaplanes, and with comparative ease an airfield for lancKX planes could be built. A regular shipping line to ChurchJfT j in the Hudson's Bay, passes along the south coast, so that the only difficulty which the maintenance of supplies would entail would be in transporting them up country from a harbour on the south coast. This could be overcome by air transport, in the same way as armies have so often been supplied during the course of this war. Therefore, the end of hostilities should see the Arctic Air Route almost ready for active operation between London and Winnipeg or any point on the west coast of America. The only major link which will require further investigation is Baffin Land, but plans are well in hand for DIGNITY AND IMPUDENCE : In. 1933 the Lindberghs made a survey flight of the Northern Route in their high-powered monoplane. In the picture at the top of the page they are seen getting ready to leave Lerwick for Copenhagen. Their ifight was made on behalf of Pan American Airways. The next year Mr. Gj.erson made a flight from England to Canada, mainly on behalf of himself and partly 1a try out aircraft radio. His outfit was much .more modest, a Fox Moth (Robert Bruce) which had been fitted with floats by Short Brothers. He is here,'«*en leaving Rochester.
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