AVIATION.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16885, 13 July 1920, Page 6

AVIATION.

BRITISH COMMERCIAL

DEVELOPMENT.

(By Cibic—Pr»:s Association—Copyright.) iJKeuter's 'l'ele^ramu./ I LONDON, July 9. I Lord Londonderry, in opening the I International Aero Exhibition, referred '• to the recent alarmist and exaggerated statements regarding air developments in other nations, cs2>eciaJly in Germany. lie added that Germany at present had -iy undertakings licensed to participate in air traiuc, which wuve iepreSi'iibUu l;V Id. CUiilpailita, OX wuicii o»iiy ii\u \.o-o actuajiy wonting, ana 60 i u cu>iie.«, lour 01 ».-iitMi wtic engaged in lescuivii \voik aua two m 1)Uy..0 UOiigiUilg. Aiie of Control had sanctioned a lew commercial macnincs or no miiitaiy va»ue lor me pmpuse or viio resumption or air traiuc ui Germany on a s»nall scale. .tiajor-Gciierut Sir i*'. H. Sykes, Con-troiiei-General 01 (Jivil Aviation, alluded 10 tne presence of so many Dominions' reprt»c!HaLives as proving t"i3 I univeisal interest aroused by aviation. j iio expressed satisfaction tnat the ex- ; iubits included the most modern seaplanes, flying boats, and amphibians, rle said it was essential that a sea-girt i Empire should deveiop tr.ese types of aircraft. Sin.e August iioth, IUI9, when international hying was lirst permitted, air services had been established between London and Paris, and London and Amsterdam, while a service between London and Brussels will shortly be inaugurated. He mentioned, as a remarkable fact, that throughout the winter months there were only ten days when the London-Paris service had been interrupted. He gave the following striking figures : — Number of flights carried out in first year of civil aviation 33,953 Approximate mileage flown... 734,200 Number of passengers carried (with only" one fatality) ... 70.G00 "Weight of goods transported, ■ lbs ... ... ... 116,498 Value of imnorts and exports transported by air ... £2C0,0G0 j