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Aviation History
1953
1953 - 0615.PDF
FLIGHT, 15 May 1953 609 WHOSE PROBLEM? The Future of Airfields: Serious Repercussions of V.R. School Closures A RECENT letter from the Secretary of the Aerodrome Owners' Association which appeared in the Daily Telegraph has called attention to an important aspect of the problem resulting from the Air Ministry closure of the 14 Reserve Flying Schools. Although the unenviable position of the aircrew and ground staff concerned may be thought to be the obvious and primary cause for disquiet, consideration must most certainly be given to this other result—possibly slightly more delayed, but equally serious —the effect on the future of the airfields themselves. And their future does not appear a promising one. The position was stated concisely by the A.O.A, Secretary, S/L A. W. Day, in his letter :— "The schools which have already closed, and the others scheduled to follow, are all located at civil airfields, either privately or municipally owned, and they have been operating efficiently, economically, and to the complete satisfaction of the Air Ministry for many years. "The revenue derived by their owners was just sufficient to keep these non-State-controlled airfields in being and in working order and in a position to grant facilities to flying clubs, the Air Training Corps and other aviation organizations of national value. "We have only to cast our minds back to 1939 to appreciate the value of these ready-made airfields, all of which were requisitioned and played an immediate part in national defence. "The present position is that unless the score or so of old-established airfields are used for some other purpose or given some form of aid, a number of them will be forced to close entirely. The land will be sold, hangars and ancillary buildings demolished or adapted for other pur poses, and use of the airfields lost for ever. "From a variety of angles closure of these well-kept and hitherto active airfields all over the country would be a national loss in peace and a tragedy in the event of war." Information obtained by Flight has confirmed a Government reluctance to accept responsibility or to take action in this problem, in spite of the fact that the problem stems directly from Govern ment action. Upon approaching the Ministry of Civil Aviation for discussion on the matter, the A.O.A. (together with the Association of Municipal Corporations) were referred to the Air Ministry. When the Secretary of State for Air did receive a joint deputation on this question, little of direct value resulted, as might have been expected from the fact that the Air Ministry's closure decision could obviously not be reversed (even if the A.O.A. had been wanting this—which they had not). The Association was "Escape or Die" by Paul Brickhill. Evans Brothers, Ltd., Montague House, Russell Square, London, W.C.i. Illustrated. Price 155. T HE Royal Air Force Escaping Society was formed after the war as a means of reuniting R.A.F. prisoners-of-war who had made successful escapes from enemy camps, and of repaying some part of the debt owed to former civilian allies, especially the widows and orphans of those who died trying to help our airmen in France, Belgium, Holland, Italy and the Far East. This book—as that great escaper Air Marshal Sir Basil Embry explains in his foreword—has been written to provide much-needed funds for the Society's work. It contains eight stories of escapes, and is illustrated with eight pairs of photographs, showing the central character of each story during the war and some years afterwards, back in the Service, on the stage, or at a desk in a bank. Each story is an epic^of courage, initiative and sheer determination to survive, told in "the superb style one would expect of the author of The Dam Busters, who has himself known the frustration, suffering and terror of life in a prison cage. It is impossible to read this book without being intensely moved that men could endure so much just to be able to fight again; or that even the Japanese could devise such treatment for P.O.W.s as lashing them down, tightly spreadeagled, over young bamboo shoots, which grow five inches a day and "are sharp enough to be neither stopped nor diverted by the human body." Other impressions are the great usefulness of flying boats as rescue- vehicles in remote, undeveloped areas; how easy it is to make silly mistakes after escaping, such as riding a "borrowed" bicycle the wrong way round a Continental roundabout; the fact that some prisoners in Germany could plan escape three months ahead, whereas for prisoners of the Japanese it was often a question of immediate escape—or death; and the use by the Russians of P0-2 biplanes to supply surrounded troops and evacuate wounded on litters in underwing "mummy cases," as used today on helicopters. clearly in touch with the wrong department: any remedial action would have to be the concern of the M.C.A. It is to be hoped that the forthcoming talks between the M.C.A., the A.O.A. and the Association of Municipal Corporations will prove of more value. The problem affects municipal airfields especially, such as those at Rochester, Wolverhampton, Ansty and Derby, since they are financed by the local taxpayers and, without the Reserve Schools which contributed such a large pan of their revenue, cannot possibly be run at an economic level at present. Barton Aerodrome, Manchester, has already b:en thus forced to close down. The flying clubs at the affected places will clearly find it impos sible to carry on should the airfields be forced to close. The possibility of their sites being taken over for agricultural or building purposes is no happy one for the clubs, and yet they are obviously unable to do anything about this themselves, since they are, so to speak, in the hands of the owners—or the lap of the gods. One class of club, however, is not protected by the action being taken by the A.O.A. on behalf of its private and municipal member- owners. For those clubs on Air Ministry airfields soon likely to close down through the reduction in V.R. activity, the position is even less secure. The only hope is that the Ministry will con sider with understanding the future of such clubs when deciding which R.A.F. airfields are to be used no more. Practicable suggestions concerning the use to which the apparently doomed airfields should be put are not easy to find. It is possible that training and other services could be per formed for the State airline Corporations—Dne chief executive at least would not be unsympathetic to the problem—or that other Government or Service uses could be found for the now-redundant V.R. school buildings until the airfields can be in full use later on. It is not a simple problem. But we feel that it could be better— and much better—handled were a little imagination shown by those whose responsibility it might not strictly be but who, if they desired, could do much. Constructive ideis concerning airfield development, reasonable appreciation and a helpful attitude from Government departments—all these are required if the striking of yet another hard blow to club, private and other small-scale flying is to be avoided. "An Introduction to Statistical Calculations," by J. Mounsey. English Universities Press, Ltd., St. Paul's House, Warwick Square, London E.C.4. Price 155. A S an introduction to the subject this book might be a trifle abrupt to the complete layman, and insertion of a few para graphs for explanation and definition would be welcome. But if the reader has a basic grounding in the subject, this work will enable him to cover a wide field without difficulty. It would be especially useful as a text-book to accompany an instructional course—but this would waste the many exercise examples. Presentation is clear, and the book is of a handy size. OTHER BOOKS RECEIVED Iron and Steel Directory. Louis Cassier Co., Ltd., Dorset House, Stamford Street, London, S.E.i. Price 25s. Practical Stereoscopic Photography, by J. Moir Dalzell. The Technical Press, Ltd., Gloucester Road, Kingston Hill, Surrey. Price 18s 6d. Aerodynamics of Propulsion, by D. Kuchemann and J. Weber. MacGraw-Hill Publishing Co., Ltd., London. Price 64s 6d. Power Plants for Aircraft, by J. Liston. McGraw-Hill Publish ing Co., Ltd., 95 Farringdon Street, London, E.C.4. Price 72s 6d. Sailor Malan, by O. Walker. Cassell and Co., Ltd., 37-38 St. Andrew's Hill, London, E.C.4. Price 10s 6d. "The Engineer" Buyers Guide. 1953, Morgan Bros. (Publishers) Ltd., 28 Essex Street, Strand, London, W.C.2. Price 5s. Prelude to Space, by Arthur C. Clarke. Sidgwick and Jackson, Ltd., 44 Museum Street, London, S.E.i. Price 9s 6d. A Selection of Tables for use in Calculations of Compressible Airflow. Prepared on behalf of the Aeronautical Research Council by the Compressible Flow Tables Panel. Oxford University Press, Amen House, Warwick Square, London, E.C.4. Price 40s. THE AERONAUTICAL BOOKSHELF
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