CIVIL AVIATION

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 5 July 1928, Page 5

CIVIL AVIATION

GREAT PROGRESS IN BRITAIN NO PASSENGERS INJURED. INCREASE: IN AMATEUR FLYING. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, Judy 3. The. rapid growth <>l cavil flying, the large liua'ea.se in prirately-owned' aiircra.it, and the absence of accidents in the regular British air services, are the chief teaitures in the official report on the progress made in civil aviation last year, which is issued to-day. For tiie third year in suiecesson no passenger was injured through a mishap, to any aeroplane registered in the British Isles. /

'i:he record number oif 28,764 passengers was carried on the cross-Lilianjiel services by British a*u<l foreign, aircraft, an increase o*f over 3000 on the figures for 1926. The British share amounted to 57 per cent. The value of goods received from or dispatched to the Continent during the year was the record.figure of £2,691,000 —almost exactly double the figure for 1914. Bullion and gold and silver coin carried to and from the Continent amounted to nearly £8,000,000. The outstanding technical devel opmen of the year was the substitution of metal construction for wood and fabric.

The membership of light aeroplane cluibs doubled during tire year, as also did the number of privately-owned machines, with the result that long distance touring by light planes has increased considerably. The British development of amateur flying has .promoted a similar movement in many other parts of the world, and the repeated proofs which have been given of the reliability and economy of British light aeroplanes have gained for the British makers a good lead in supplying the rapidly increasing overseas demand. The evolution of production methods in light aeroplane construction has already begun, with a consequent reduction in prices.