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Aviation History
1947
1947 - 0097.PDF
and AIRCRAFT ENGINEER Editorial Director G. GEOFFREY SMITH, M.B.E, Editor . -CM. POULSEN Assistant Editor - MAURICE A. SMITH, D.F.C, (VV/NG CDfi.. R.A.F.V.R.) Aft Editor • - JOHN YOXALL FIPST AERONAUTICAL WEEKLY IN THE WORLD .• FOUNDED t909 Editorial, Advertising and Publishing Offices: DORSET HOUSE, STAMFORD STREET, LONDON, S.E.1 Telegrams : Flightpres, Sedist, London. Telephone : Waterloo 3333 (50 lines.) COVENTRY: 8 - 10, CORPORATION ST. BIRMINGHAM, 2: MANCHESTER, 3 : GLASGOW. C.2 : KINGWEDWARDR HOUSE, 260> DEANSGATE. 26B, RENFIELD ST. Telegrams : Autocar, Coventry. Telegrams : Autopress, Birmingham! Telegrams : Iliffe, Manchester. Telegrams : Iliffe, Glasgow. Telephone: Coventry 5210. Telephone: Midland 7191 (7 lines). Telephone: Blackfriars 4412. Telephone: Central 4857 SUBSCRIPTION RATES : Home and Abroad : Year, £3 I 0. Registered at the G.P.O. as a Newspaper 6 months, £1 10 6. No. 1987. Vol. LI. January 23rd, 1947 Thursdays, One Shilling Outlook International AeradioF ROM every point of view the decision of the three British operating corporations, to set up a new company for the purpose of installing and operat- ing telecommunications and radio aids to navigation is to be welcomed. The fact that the new company will be a non-profit-making concern should go far towards allaying any suspicions that "Perfidious Albion" is trying to steal a march on anybody. It has become abundantly clear during the last few months that if the P.I.C.A.O. recommendations are to become practical realities within a reasonable time, steps more energetic than any hitherto taken are called for. The number of recent accidents are eloquent testimony to the urgent need for quick action, and a company with no other tasks to perform should be in a far better posi- tion to get things moving than a heterogeneous collection of firms and Government departments with a number of other interests to require their attention. One advantage of the new scheme which should be felt fairly soon is the application of communication and navigational aids and landing equipment on Empire air routes. It is but logical that, with the three British corporations holding 70 per cent of the shares, areas ihin their spheres will be the first to benefit, and it ijHay be assumed that Dominion operators will be ready ie avail themselves of an opportunity to share in the remaining 30 per cent. It would appear likely that many smaller countries will be glad of the very practical assistance which such a company can offer them. Few of these countries would be able to afford the installation of modern equipment, whereas most of them could manage reasonable rentals for its operation. It is to be expected that in foreign countries the operating personnel will be partly British and partly composed of the nationals of the countries, at any rate for a start and until such time as sufficient experience has been gained for the work to be entrusted entirely to the countries themselves. Looking Ahead CLOSELY connected with the formation of Inter-national Aeradio are some of the plans announcedby the Minister of Civil Aviation at the Foreign Press Association luncheon, in London, on January 16th. Lord Nathan's promise that every effort will be made to have essential air navigation facilities installed before next winter at all major airports at home and, so far as possible, overseas wherever scheduled services are operated, indicates the Minister's full appreciation of the vital importance of safety. Indeed, one of his very first public pronouncements after his appointment was to the effect that he would place safety first, second and third. Critics might argue that it is extravagant to have as many as eight different radio aids at Heathrow, but it should be remembered that final agreement on the forms ultimately to be standardized has not yet been reached, and in the meantime it cannot be considered other than wise to make available every aid that may help to ensure safety for the variously equipped types of aircraft which use the airport. The investment will pay dividends in the long ran, not merely in money but in the far more important aspect of saving lives. Other points from Lord Nathan's speech which promise improvements in the British civil aviation pic- ture were the expansions of the three corporations' services (new flying-boat services to Africa and Australia, new Plymouth flying-boats on the New York and Balti- more runs via Bermuda, Tudor I services to South America, and additional European routes with Vikings) and the expectation that life may be made a little easier for the private owner and the light plane movement generally. Evidently the pleas of various interested (and enthusiastic) parties have not fallen on deaf ears. With the informal Light Aeroplane Committee making a close study of the types of aircraft which it seems profitable to encourage, and with the Minister of Civil Aviation' benevolently inclined,' 194^ should see the lift-
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