AIR CHAUFFEURS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 123, 18 February 1919, Page 5

AIR CHAUFFEURS

£10 A WEEK < .■ BUSINESS AND PLEASURE FLIGHTS Aerial transport companies in England who are organising mail and passenger services arc receiving a. largo number ot applications from E.A.F, pilots who went to Jly commercial and pleasure machines. There is imich speculation as to the salaries which will be paid to such pilots. Companies who intend to run daily London-Paris passenger services are generally agreed that a salary of about £oW a year will be a fair remuneration for expert pilots. The pilot who is lucky enough to get such a post will probably fly the machine on the morning service io Paris, and, after a few hours' rest, pilot the same or another machine back to London. On the next day he ought to have a complete rest, taking up the service again -on the following morning, to avoid overwork. A tired man might imperil the lives of passengers. Other pilots will be needed for express aerial mails. It is probable that a high-powered craft for this work, carrying its pilot'and a 1001b. bag of mail's, will'fly quite soon «t 175 miles an hour. Such a mnclrne will-wen if some form of air brake is used-alight only at a comparatively high speed. Therefore a pilot's error ot judgment, at the moment of contact with the "round, might very easily lend to a bad wash. The flyers of these machines, being all picked men, may possibly receive more than '£M a year. Another job for the air chauffeur will be the flying of machines which certain important commercial houses have already decided to buy for private use. One company, for example, having ofhees in London and-.Paris, intends to buy three aeroplanes. One will lie a fast, singleseater for -the carrying of important documents. The others will lie comfortable two-seaters for the use of directors and chiefs of staff. After « board meetiii" in Paris important documents will be" placed immediately in the fast machine, and will reach London, for the perusal of the staff there, within two h °Oiher work for qualified pilots will inclii.de the taking charge ol aircraft which wealthy men will buy, ami use as they 'now use motor-cars. Designs are' in' preparation for machines with Clie" al luxuriously fitted as those of Rolis-Eoyce motor-care. I.h<V will • sea four or five people, an, wll have *ind and draught-proof windows of unsplinterablo glass, providing an uninterrupted view outwards and downwards. M■rines will be so silenced as to moke no more noise than the motor-car. ■ ..At the first the price for such craft mav be <:omparatively hiifli-as much, perhaps, as .£SOOO or .£6OOO for a luxuriously appointed, twin-engiued machine. When a man has -bought an aerial BollsBovce he will not hesitate to employ the most skilled pilot ho con obtain, and pay him a large salary. Such posts are even now being eagerly sought. It is'generally agreed that every effort must be made to take as many people as possible into the air, and to acquaint them with the comfort and safctv with which it is now possible to fly. lo Hus end it is proposed to station large aircraft in all parts of the country, particularly near well-ponuhted arens, and to take passengers into the air f or ehort flights at the lowest fees practicable. It is certain that, for some year*; to come, the post of air chauffeur will be not onlv pleasant and interesting, but also weli paid. '

Gray's Inn Chape! is one of Ihe most ancient edifices iu London. It was in 1315, assigned by the Dean and Chapter of St. Paul's to the -Priory of St. Bartholomew, Smithfiold, England, and after 200 years as a chantry chapel was issißned to the ministry at Sheen. Ihe pulpit dates from 1568.