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Aviation History
1945
1945 - 0709.PDF
APRIL 12T.1, 1945 FLIGHT 395 Pilots Entertain Annual Dinner of Q.A.P.A.N. and B.A.L.P.A. FRIENDLY leg-pulling was, perhaps, the dominantnote in the speeches made at the annual dinner ofthe Guild of Air Pilots and Navigators and the British Air Line Pilots' Association held in London last Thursday. How the two "bodies manage, with the help of the Royal Aeronautical Society, to produce such an excellent meal in wartime is something of a mystery, but the "do" was certainly a great success in every way. In proposing the toast of the pilots' associations, Sir William P. Hildred, Director-General of Civil Aviation, recalled in humorous vein the many things that had hap- pened during the last year: Swinton, Montreal, Chicago, the Council, the White Paper on " the three incomprehen- sibles," and now "Bobby" Perkins (Fit. Lt. W. R. D. Perkins, M.P., it will be remembered, is Under-Secretary (Designate) of the Ministry of Civil Aviation). Sir William recalled that it was '' Bobby'' Perkins who agitated and brought about the Cadman Committee. He would not dare to call him "Bobby'' much longer, and so did it as often as he could while there-was time. A busy time was ahead. There would have to be legislation for the Ministry of Civil Aviation, for the White Paper and for a great many other things. Air Vice-Marshal D. C. T. Bennett emphasised one good thing the war had done: it had shown the value of co- operation, and we had to take that faith in one another into the peace. The two associations were faced with two points of view: that of the old hands and that of the new members coming in. The latter were the "new boys," but nevertheless they had something to contribute. Fit. Lt. W. R. D. Perkins, M.P., admitted that he had spent the Sunday reading some of his old speeches, and was rather shaken by some of the things he had said, but he recalled the saying about more joy about one sinner. Nine years ago the B.A.L.P.A. was started "under the counter." It had rows with the Air Ministry and with the G.A.P.A.N., but now, fortunately, the two associations were great friends. He was glad to say the B.A.L.P.A. had always had a very good friend in Sir William Hildred, whom he assured that if he (Mr. Perkins) did become Under-Secretary, they would always get a cheery recep- tion if they came to him. Lord Londonderry (Master of G.A.P.A.N.), proposed the toast of the guests. He welcomed the appointment of Mr. Perkins. It was well known that it was a good plan to turn a poacher into a gamekeeper! Fund of Knowledge Capt. J. W. G. James, chairman of B.A.L.P.A., pointed out that many executives of firms were old pilots. The two associations had a fund of up-to-date knowledge, and he hoped that this would be made full use of by appointing practical pilots to the various committees. If that were not possible, at least members of the two associations should be called in for consultations at conferences. Major H. R. Kilner, president of the S.B.A.C, said the industry would want all the help it could get from experi- enced pilots, but he did plead for greater unanimity. It was extremely difficult to get two pilots, let alone more, to agree, and if the constructors could get concerted views from pilots it would be a great help. Air Commodore Vernon S. Brown, Chief Inspector of Accidents, Air Ministry, was one of the delegates to the Chicago Conference. He stressed the great importance of the many technical questions on which agreement had been reached. THE CHOSEN FEW OF the 2,200 airports in the U.S. and the 250 military flyingfields in the world, only about 10 are big enough to accom- modate aircraft of the Super Fortress type, it was stated by Mr. Ayres, of the Pan American Airways, at a meeting -of the Society of Automotive Engineers. SIR RICHARD FAIREY LEAVES B.A.C. SIR RICHARD FAIREY, who was appointed director-generalof the British Air Commission in Washington in 1941, has resigned from this position and will be succeeded, at the end of the present month, by Mr. H. O. R. Hindley, at present director of organisation at the Air Ministry. Sir Richard has been obliged by the state of his health to ask Sir Staflord Cripps for his release, and in granting his request the Minister of Aircraft Production said that Sir Richard had "performed service of the utmost value to the war effort." Before founding the Fairey Aviation Co. in 1916, Sir Richard was chief engineer to Short Bros, for three years. NORWAY'S PLAN THE Norwegian Air Council has been given authority to runairlines until the Norwegian Parliament can take final decisions concerning the organisation of civil air traffic after the war. The council will now be in a position to conclude agreements with airlines in other countries and to start air routes imme- diately the war is over. It is hoped to restart the air routes as quickly as is prac- ticable, as all military and civil operations during and after the liberation of Norway depend very much on transport and rapid postal communications. All inland air routes are to be co-ordinated from the beginning with the foreign air network, including the British. A plan for the Norwegian air routes is now being prepared: Norway has a number of civil aircraft already operating and others on order. WORLD MEETING TPHIRTY-SEVEN airlines, from ail over the world, including J- 17 from the U.S., will send representatives to attend the first meeting of the International Air Transport Operators' con- ference, opening at Havana, Cuba, on April 16th. MALTA HALT MALTA will be used as a staging post on the projectedcivil air service from the United Kingdom to South Africa, it was officially stated in the Malta 'Council of Government, quoting the Colonial Secretary. Although calls may eventually be made at Rome, this is not . intended as a substitution for Malta. ENGLISH ELECTRIC POST-WAR AT a recent Press visit to the Preston works of the EnglishElectric Co., Ltd., where Halifax bombers have been built in large numbers, Sir George Nelson, chairman of the com- pany, made the interesting announcement that English Electric intends to remain in aviation after the war. It may be recol- lected that during the first world war the firm produced many aircraft, and, with Mr. W. O. Manning as chief designer, built the Ayr flying boat, a machine with very unorthodox features, and the little Wren light aircraft (10 h.p. A.B.C. motor cycle engine), which took part in the light aircraft trials at Lympne. The company thus has had a long association with flying. We are informed that Mr. W. E. W. Petter, late of Westland Aircraft, has joined the English Electric Co. as chief engineer (aircraft), and that he is now getting together a technical staff for the aircraft design office. "Teddy" Petter is not bound by convention, as witnessed by the Lysander and Whirlwind, and at Preston he may be expected to produce something out of the ordinary. That he has fairly exciting plans for the tuture we know, and with such powerful backing he should produce some really advanced air- craft. Sir (jeorge Nelson is a man of broad vision, and the combination should result in some very interesting develop- ments.
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