AIR TRANSPORT NEWS
Page 53
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BIG HILLMAN DEVELOPMENTS.
I 2v1PORTANT developments may he expected shortly in connection with 1-Tillman's Airways, Ltd. In the meantime, the company started, on July 18, its service between Ramsgate and the Belgian resorts, when Captain T. Neville Stack, A.F.C., air superintendent and manager of the company, took the Mayor of Ramsgate across. de Havilland Dragons (D.11.84) are being used. The Belgian terminus is Le Zoute,whence passengers ate conveyed free by road to any other resort on the Belgian coast. The aerodrome at Ostend proved too small for regular Use.
The London—Bnissels. .machines (three times daily each way) are calling at Le Zoute, instead of Ostend, and go on to Antwerp. .Provincial Airways, Ltd., has been appointed as main agent in Hull for the HullLiverpool—Belfast line, which is said to be carrying good traffic, considering that it is a new service.
SOUTHEND-ROCHESTER AIR FURRY RECOMMENCES.
MOW that the summer season is in
swing, the Southend-Rochester air ferry, which started on June 10, 1034, is operating hourly once again. This service is run by Southend-onSea Flying Services, Ltd., jointly, with
Short Brothers, Ltd., Rochester. .
Short Brothers, Ltd., is using the Short Scion which was on the line last year, and the Southend company is operating one of the new-type Scions, which has just been delivered. The fare is still 8s. single and 12s. return. The line offers good scope for linking up with coach services, especially for Week-end trips.
The little village of All Hallows, on the Kent side of the Thames Estuary, half-way between Southend and Rochester, is now an optional port of call, and is a favourite bathing refuge for those Who like a change from Southend conditions. The return fare from Southend is 6s.
NAVAL REVIEW TRAFFIC.
A IR,TRANSPORT operators gained tA. considerable business from the review of the fleet by MM. the King, last week. Night, as well as day, flights were made by parties wishing to gain a comprehensive view of the fleet at sea, most of them starting front London. .
011ey Air Service, Ltd., and Commercial Air. Hire, Ltd., made special provision for this traffic, with the result that on one or two evenings Croydon Airport had a busy and festive air, until well after midnight. In particular, the Avro 642 of Commercial Air Hire, Ltd., which carries 16 passengers, as well as a bullet and steward, did good busi
ness, and, although it sometimes came home as late at 1.30 a.m., its 24-hour inspection was completed by the engineers so that it could leave punctually at 4.15 a.m. with the regular news paper load to Paris. .
A 20-SEATER FOR UNITED AIRWAYS.
iT is learned that 'United Airways, Ltd., which operates daily services between London (Heston) and Blackpool and the Isle of Man, has purchased one of the Armstrong Whitworth Argosy aeroplanes ' (three Jaguar engines), which, having completed their useful work for .Imperial Airways, Ltd., have since been kept as stancl-hy. machines. •
The Argosy can easily be arranged to carry 20 or more passengers for short nights, and will be used for pleasure trips from Blackpool and the Isle of Man.
A MAIN SERVICE WITHDRAWN,
'WE learn that North Eastern AirIN ways, Ltd., has decided to withdraw the Heston—Leeds—NewcastleEdinburgh service to-morrow (July 27). The company 'started operating on April 8 to Newcastle and extended to Edinburgh on May 27, hoping that within a few weeks a comprehensive radio system would ease the navigation
problems. Such a system has not materialized and the service consequently cannot be made reliable enough to attract good traffic.
The interests of North Eastern Airways; Ltd., are, it is understood, to be absorbed into a new company, Alp Air Line, Ltd., which will start, probably next. spring, a service to Chinon Airport, near Montreux.
NEW NORTH-EAST AIRPORT?
A CONFERENCE attended by repre.1–/ sentatives of the Sunderland, South Shields, Gateshead, Jarrow and Wallsend local authorities has been held at Sunderland to consider establishing a joint municipal aerodrome.
EASY CONTROL IN NEW D.H.
EVERYBODY concerned with air 1:-.transport is interested in the new de Havilland Hornet Moth, which sells at about £850 (according to equipment) and carries two persons and about 100 lb. of luggage, as well as 35 gallons of petrol—enough for about 5 hours' continuous flying, with the Gipsy Major 130 11,p. engine,
The passenger and pilot sit side by side in a fully enclosed cabin, with ai excellent view, and have dual control; there being a large space behind thd seats for baggage.
The Hornet Moth can be flown without using the rudder at all, except for directional control on, the ground and when taking off. As it is practically impossible to make the machine spin, provided that the rudder, is not used, comparatively inexperienced pilots may fly in bad weather—i.e., without any visible horizon—and need not get into a dangerous attitude.
The machine has wheel brakes and a castor-action tail wheel, which, due to differential brake control, makes it easy to man-handle or to manceuvre on the ground. Moreover, the chassis legs can be turned in flight to present their broadside elevation to the air stream, the effect of which is a powerful air brake. The tare weight is 1,240 lb. and the all-up weight 1,950 lb.
GATEWAY TO THE HIGHLANDS.
PERTH, recently, purchased 170 acres of land, 3i. miles from the town centre, to develop as an aerodrome. A contract for draining and levelling has been placed, and the landing ground should be usable by next spring. When fully developed the site will give runs of about 800 yds. in all directions.
The works at present in progress, the initial building programme, and the cost of the land are estimated at about 35,000. The council intends to provide a well-equipped airport for both day and night flying.