AIR TRANSPORT NEWS
Page 45
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NEW ROCHESTER-PORTSMOUTH SERVICE.
ON August 30, Short Brothers, Ltd., of Rochester, which has, for two seasons, operated between Southend and Rochester in conjunction with Southend-on-Sea Flying Services, Ltd., started a new week-end service between Rochester and Portsmouth. On Friday the machine leaves Rochester at 5 pen,, reaches Portsmouth at 5.55 p.m., leaves there at 6.30 p.m., and gets to Rochester at 7.25 P.m. On Mondays the machine leaves Rochester at 8.25 a.m., and returns from Portsmouth at 9.35 a.m. The fares are £1 8s, single, £2 2s. return.
In August the two Short Scions which work the Southend-All HallowsRochester ferry flew 10,280 miles and carried 2,104 fare-paying . passengers. One of the Scions is operated by Short Eros., Ltd., and the other by the Southend company. There was also a number of charter trips to Le Touquet and Plymouth and more than 100 passengers were flown over Southend at night to see the illuminations.
AUTOMATIC PILOT FOR AVRO 642.
THE big Avro 642 G-ACFV, which 1 Commercial Air Hire, Ltd., uses to carry freight, newspapers and mail between London and Paris on the dawn service, is to be equipped with the P.B. automatic aeroplane control. This is one of the latest inventions, somewhat like the Sperry automatic pilot, which relieves the officer in charge of the aeroplane of the monotonous task of keeping it on its course, so allowing him to give more time to real navigation problems.
The automatic pilot has three functions. It corrects the altitude of the machine if one wing drops; it keeps the longitudinal axis horizontal, preventrig the machine from climbing or descending; and it keeps the machine on its compass course by controlling the rudder. Sperry automatic pilots have been fitted to two of the
Douglas machines and will no doubt be useful.. on the five-day run between Amsterdam and Batavia.
The Avro 642 is a particularly suitable aeroplane for automatic-pilot experiments because it is inherently stable in flight and a delightful machine to control. Our representative has flown to and from Paris on the 642 in both good . weather and bad, and its stable flying qualities will allow a first-rate opportunity of trying out the P.E. apparatus.
THE BRISTOL RADIO STATION.
AIR Ministry officials from the Radio Department at Croydon have been at Bristol erecting the new communication and direction-finding station which Will work with Ph' SOL
vices from Bristol Airport. This station has been badly needed throughout the summer and the extra bearing which pilots flying in the south-west of England will be able to get when it is in working order will give them a cut across the bearing obtained from Portsmouth or Jersey, enabling them to fix their positiou exactly, should visibility be too bad for them to see landmarks, or should they be coming in over the sea. The system is one of the best known.
EXCURSIONS BY AIR.
EXCURSION tickets at reduced fares have recently been offered by Railway Kr Services, Ltd., on certain of 'its services. On Wednesday, September 4, the following attractive excursions were available:—Birmingham-Torquay, £2 7s, Gd., against the usual fare of 2E4 2s. 6(1.; BirminghamPlymouth, £2 15s., against £4 19s.; Plymouth-Cardiff, £2, against £3; and Cardiff-Birmingham, £1 7s. 6d., against £2 10s.
AERODROME MOVES IN CHESHIRE.
AERODRO.MES are probably :to be established in four Cheshire centres —Crewe, Nantwich, Congleton and Macclesfield. This decision' of a private conference held in connection with the Mid-Cheshire Regional Planning Committee was revealed at a meeting of the Alsagar Urban Council, which has pressed its claim, for a landing ground. It was' stated that Cheshire County Council would make a 50 per cent. grant to the local authorities concerned. Alsagar is considered by-the conference to be too small for grant purposes, but its case for inclusion in a zoning area is to be considered.
A REPORT FROM ABERDEEN AIRWAYS.
SOIVIE 500 passengers have been.carried on the Aberdeen-Orkney route since it was started on May 27 by Aberdeen Airways, Ltd. The company also reports that the Aberdeen-Edinburgh line is running daily but that it will do better when the civil aerodrome at Edinburg,h is established, as Turnhouse R.A.F. aerodrome is too far out and not ideal for transport flying.
The fleet now comprises two Dragon Rapicles, two Dragons and a Short Scion. A Standard radio set has been fitted in the Dragon used on the Orkney line a.nd in one Dragon Rapide which it is proposed to use between Aberdeen and Hull.
SPERRY INSTRUMENTS FOR BIRKETT MACHINES.
BIRKETT AIR SERVICE, LTD., has had its Miles Merlin low-wing cabin monoplane equipped with a Sperry artificial horizon and directional gyro. This company has always 'had to be prepared to fly in the Worst weather to get pictures and news stories for the Press, and in view of the approach of winter these instruments, so important when visibility is bad, have become almost indispensable.
ANOTHER NORTH-EAST COAST SCHEME APPROVED.
WIEST HARTLEPOOL Town ConnVV cil has received confirmation from the Air Ministry of a compulsory, purchase order respecting 146 acres of land at Greatham required ,for a municipal aerodrome.. The cost of the land will be £10,000, drainage will cost £18,000, while a further sum will be needed for hangars, etc.
IMPERIAL AIRWAYS TRAFFIC FOR JUNE.
I MPERIAL. AIRWAYS, Ltd., reports that receipts in June were £156,048, compared with £136,008 in June, 1984.. Miles flown were 400,833 (compared with 232,422) and ton-miles were 454,128 (compared with 299,437).