POST-WAR AVIATION

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 May 1943, Page 5

POST-WAR AVIATION

OVERSEAS PARTICIPATION

LONDON, May 21.

Viscount Knollys has been appointed Chairman of the Governmentcontrolled British Overseas Airways Corporation. He has resigned the Governorship of Bermuda. The “Daily Mail” in a leading article, says: In place of the somewhat, tenuous “discussions” going on with the‘Dominions, on post-war aviation, there should be a full-dress Imperial Conference, and there should also be a Dominion representative on the British Overseas Airways Corporation, but Sir A. Sinclair seemed very definite in rejecting the proposal in the Commons. It is essential that civil aviation should be given an Imperial character. Britain, by herself, was too small to develop a worldwide air transport service. The Corporation, above all, must cease to be controlled by the Air Ministry, and must enjoy freedom of ciyil control and ideas. It was a service straitjacket which so hampered our air transport before the war, and to repeat that mistake would be fatal.

AMERICAN OPINIONS.

WASHINGTON. May 19

Eighteen American air lines, in response to a Civil Aeronautics Board questionnaire, say they favour reciprocal exchange with other countries after the war in air passage rights, including the right to land for refuelling and other technical purposes. The air lines vigorously denounced Government participation in the management and ownership ol American air lines, claiming that they are capable of maintaining America s competitive position if they are granted adequate Government support.

NEW YORK, May 20

The air lines of Britain and the other United Nations should be permitted to obtain on equitable terms all the ocean transport aeroplanes needed to restore the balance ? for fair competition after the war. This was suggested by Mr. Juan Trippe, president of Pan American Airways. Tn a speech. He said the war demanded that Britain concentrate on the production of fighters while the United States specialised m transport aeroplanes. This would cause Britain to suffer a handicap after the war. He added: “We all share tne healthy American aspiration to be the winner of the race, ball game, or international competition, but lair is fair."’

CONFERENCE PROPOSED

RUGBY, May 21

The' future of international civil aviation was brought into the limelight with the publication of the report of an independent unofficial committee set up last September, under the presidency of Captain A. G. Lamplugh. 1; recommends that the British Government, in collaboration with the Dominions, United States and Russia, should invite representatives of all Allied and neutral countries to meet and settle the principles on which commercial and private air traffic should be allowed to operate internationally, on the conclusion of hostilities. Pending more permanent arrangements, tnere should be the fullest co-opera'tion with the Dominions, with a view to acquiring rights and obligations over routes in which they are interested. Finallv, air transport should be developed by private enterprise along the lines similar to the mercantile marine, subject to Government control, to ensure efficiency, safety, and maintenance of international relations.

The report estimates that a thousand aircraft of various types are likely to be needed to operate the Empire trunk routes immediately after the war.