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AIR TRANSPORT NEWS
Page 89
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HILLMAN'S NEW ESSEX AIRPORT OPENED.
In the week to June 22, Hillmans Airways, Ltd., carried 170 passengers on the London-Paris air line, On June 23 the company's activities were transferred from Romford Airport, which has been used for nearly 2/ years, to the new Essex Airport at Stapleford Abbotts, 5/ miles northwest of the old site.
The new landing ground, referred to in The Commercial "Motor on April 27, has a length of 1,200-1,400 yds. and a width of 900 yds., giving it the imposing area of 180 acres: Mr. Edward Hillman plans to make this the principal commercial aerodrome On the north-east side of London.
Railway Reduces Air Fares.
As we have been expecting, the fares on the London (Croydon)-Isle of Wight (Cowes) air service operated jointly by Spartan Air Lines, Ltd., and the Southern Railway Co., have been considerably reduced. As from June 26, the single fare is 19s. 6d. (instead qi a0s,), and the return fare is 38s. 6d. (against 50s.).
The new fares are the same as on the service run by Portsmouth, Southsea and Isle of Wight Aviation, Ltd. Hitherto, the return half of an air ticket on the Spartan-Southern Railway service has been available for return by rail; now the return halves of rail tickets are also available for return by air, sirbject to a small surcharge. Road conveyance at each end of the journey is provided free.
Birkett Activities.
Birkett Air Services, Ltd., has been busy in the past week or two with miscellaneous work, and on Sunday, June 17, had four machines out at once on flights to Le Mans (for the motor races), Manchester, Cromer and Sand ringham.
Early Training for Airmanship.
The Incorporated Thames Nautical Training College which has prepared some 5,000 cadets for the Mercantile Marine since it was established in 1862, and the headquarters of which are H.M.S. "Worcester," has now completed a scheme for the training of cadets for aviation.
-Boys are received between the ages of 13 and 16 years, and whilst continuing with their ordinary schooling receive tuition in the theoretical side of flying.
At a minimum age of 18 and after a minimum training of two years, they can qualify for the Worcester Air Certificate, and are then ready to enter practical training such as that of Air Service Training, Ltd., at Hamble.
Their training then can be either for the flying side, the ground engineers' or the administrative side. The fees for boys on the "Worcester " are £140 per year and include uniform but not special outfit. A high level of discipline is maintained, also a high level of sport and physical culture.
The scheme has the official patronage of the Royal Aeronautical Society and the Air League of the British Empire: it has the approval of the Director of Civil .-1,iation. the Air. Ministry and the Board of Trade,
Films to Dublin.
Following a week-end of heavy traffic in connection with the Le Mans races, Messrs. Wrightson and Pearse, Heston, were fairly biisy throughout -the week ended June 24. On one day they took to Dublin films of the Carnera-Baer fight, which had arrived by ship from New Y-O-rk. The flight was made in a Moth, froth Hestrin to Baldonnell, in 31 hours, including a halt at Manchester (Barton) for Customs clearance.
Pourville Service Starting.
On account of the Grand Prix, in Paris, and Ascot week over here, the authorities in Pourville asked that the start of the air service of the British Air Navigation Co„ Ltd., between Heston and Pourville should be put back a week, so it will now start on Saturday, June 30.
The company made two special flights to Paris for the Grand Prix. A party of three left in a Dragon at 9 p.m. on Saturday, and the Ford Trmotor took a load over on Sunday morning. On Monday, June 25, a supplementary service had to he operated from Le Touquet to deal with the week-end traffic. In the previous week-end the company's machines flew 4,070 miles.
New Aircraft at the R.A.F." Display.
One of the most interesting features of the Royal Air Force DisPlay, to be held at Hendon to-morrow (Saturday), will be the presence, amongst the 200 aircraft taking part, of three new single-seater fighters, which have been designed to Air Ministry requirements for air-defence purposes. They have not yet undergone their official trials, but will shortly take part in a competition to select a replacement for the existing type of day and night fighter.
These new aircraft, none of which has yet been officially named, are pro' duced by Hawker Aircraft, Ltd., Supermarine Aviation Works, Vickers, Ltd., and the Westland Aircraft Works. In each case the Rolls-Royce Goshawk engine is employed.
Two other fighter types will also be seenat the Display, one being the high-speed Fury and the other the Bristol Bulldog Four.
RAILWAY AIR SERVICE ' DEVELOPMENTS.
In the past week Wing Commander
A. H. Measures, O. B M.I.M .E. , recently appointed superintendent of Railway Air Services, Ltd., has been flying over the route of the proposed service of this company between London, Belfast and Glasgow. The service will probably start in July; this depends mainly upon the delivery of the De Haviliand Diana 8-10-passenger aeroplanes (four Gipsy Six engines).
At first a once-daily service will be operated in each direction, and the route will be London (Croydon)-Birmingham (Caetle Bromwich)-Manchester (Bolton)-Isle of Man (Ronaldsway)Belfast (New townards)-Glasgow (Renfrew). At present, a close study of the question of fares is being made, and other small details have still to be supplied. All machines will have the latest wireless equipment, and a system of obtaining meteorological reports is being worked out.
The company is considering other proposals, but these are not in such an advanced stage.
Provincial Airways : Traffic Moderate.
Provincial Airways, Ltd, reports that in the week ended June 17 it carried 311ipassengers and its aeroplanes flew 5,510 miles On the London (Croy-. don)-Plymouth air line. Traffic on this route does not seem to be building up for the summer Season, as it is on other air lines..
, Return Loads for Banco.
One of the troubles which the British Air Navigation Co., Ltd., Heston, has had to face OD its LondonLe Touquet service has been the rather poor patronage which is experienced on the homeward flights on Fridays and Saturdays and the outward flights on Sunday evenings and Mondays. This return-load problem, so familiar to road-transport operators, is keeping the fares on week-end services at a higher level than would be possible if traffic were evenly distributed.
Recently the Banco organization brought a load of French people to London, for the week-end, from Berck . aerodrome, which serves Le Touquet, and it is hoped that this feature can be encouraged.
More than a year ago The Commercial Motor pointed out that there were many wealthy people, in London particularly, who would make use of weekend air services to popular Continental seaside resorts.
In the June 19 week-end, in addition to its Le Tonquet service (which filled a Dragon on Saturday and on Sunday), the company sent two Ford Tr-motors, one Dragon (twice) and a Fox Moth to Le Mans for the motor racing, all being full.