The Dominion FRIDAY, JUNE 6, 1930. BRITAIN’S PROGRESS IN THE AIR

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 214, 6 June 1930, Page 10

The Dominion FRIDAY, JUNE 6, 1930. BRITAIN’S PROGRESS IN THE AIR

Until quite recently a general impression prevailed that Great Britain was lagging behind other countries in the development pf civil as well as military aviation. According to Lord Thomson, the British Air Minister, comparisons of this kind do not apply, tor the geographical and meteorological conditions obtaining m the British Isles cannot be paralleled anywhere else. The All-Red sea routes provide a chain of coaling stations, ever} one of which flies the British flag. It is not so with the air liners, which along the various routes traversed are obliged at certain stages to alight on foreign soil for fuel. Lord Thomson instances the difficulty of reaching a satisfactory agreement with Italy in this connection as an example of the obstacles which, until recently, have rather obscured Britain’s light. In spite of these and other impediments to more rapid progress, the British Empire now has 23,350 .miles of air routes, an air mileage second only to the United btates. Plans for the future contemplate the extension of the air line through Africa from Cairo to Cape Town, the completion of the line from England to Australia via India, and experiments with the problem of the Atlantic crossing, . ~ Commercial aviation, of course, ultimately reduces itself to a question of profits. So far, in spite of very great expenditure by State and private enterprise both in Great Britain and in other countries, it has been difficult, if not impossible, to balance accounts. In the United States the only services that are making any profits are the heavily-subsidised air-mail liners. The passenger-carrying services are steadily losing money. Those which are building up fast deliveries for the aerial parcels service are doing rather better. Stiß, the fact remains, as vouched for by Myron B. Stearns in the New York Outlook, that millions of American dollars have been invested in aircraft enterprises without, as yet, a sign of a dividend. In the future development of commercial aviation on a profitmaking basis the main factors are increased speed, and the extension of flying hours per day. According to Sir Sefton Brancker, Director of Civil Aviation, aircraft can now do 700 miles per day easily. But a fast ocean liner frequently does between 500 and 600 miles in a day’s run. The German Atlantic record-breaker Europa has done slightly over 700. With night flying, however, the aeroplane’s 700 can be pushed up to 1200, and Sir Sefton Brancker confidently expects them to do 2400 when landing organisation has been further perfected. . , The present objective of the Indian air mail is a two days rim out from Croydon, and two back. The present time of transit is 7| days. It is clear, therefore, that with the cuijtailment of time, expense should be correspondingly reduced. Since the service was opened, on March 30 of last year, the mail traffic has steadily increased. The average per trip at first was 3001 b.; now it is 7501 b. . . . Regularity and safety are the guiding principles of British air services. Lord Thomson notes that Continental passengers prefer British machines whenever there is a choice. Apropos of that, the insurance premium for travel’ on Imperial Airways is the lowest of any. As for efficiency, the British Postal authorities, in an official review of the Indian air mail, declare that the service from the beginning has been operated with "remarkable regularity.”. Apart from one single disaster, there have been only two late arrivals on the outward runs, and three on the homeward trips. The next stage of Britain’s advance will be unfolded when the new airship 101 makes her trial flight to Canada. The performances of the German airship Graf Zeppelin have revived the interest of those who pinned their faith on this type of carrier as the better profit-earning proposition. The .United States is also building a new airship. In the meantime it is cheering to know that Britain is steadily. forging ahead, and in the best way, namely, by carefully testing each step before entering upon extravagant commitments.