THE “OWNER-FLIER”

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 190, 14 May 1928, Page 8

THE “OWNER-FLIER”

PROGRESS OF AERO CLUBS IN BRITAIN Dominion Special Service. London, March 29. Steady increase is reported in the number of private individuals who own aeroplanes, and fly the machines themselves. Those who were at Croydon the other day when a muster of pilots with their machines took place were astonished at the progress which is being made by the flying clubs. The readjustment of the method of giving financial aid has had a good effect. Grants are now based on the amount of actual flying by each club, and not on the number of pilots and machines attached to the club.

One of the first to own a private aeroplane in this country was Sir Philip Sassoon, the Under-Secretary for Air, but in his official capacity he can go in any Service aeroplane, so it is not really necessary for him to keep a machine of his own. Sir Philip announces that he will certainly go in for private flying when he leaves the Air Department.

Many interesting records are reported of the flying clubs. The Duchess of Bedford has purchased a Moth light machine, and at 62 years of age is receiving instructions from Captaiu Barnard, who took her for a 5000 miles tour of Europe last year. Her light aeroplane is fitted with dual control. Even at her age the Duchess will not be the oldest pilot. She is' two years junior to Admiral Mark Kerr, who was 55 when lie received his certificate in 1910. An elderly woman pilot is Mrs. Maurice Hewlett, wife of the novelist, who taught her son, now a wing-com-mander, to fly. Indications are not wanting that trans-Atlantic flights will be attempted tills year on a more extensive scale than last year. There is Parliamentary agreemennt in support of a question in the House about the desirability of instituting some measure of control. But the difficulty of the Air Minister is fully understood. If an airman is determined to make a trans-Atlantic flight no Act of Parliament and no ban by the Air Ministry would prevent him.