CIVIL AVIATION

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 1 November 1928, Page 5

CIVIL AVIATION

MUNICIPAL AERODROMES. SUGGESTED IN BRITAIN. A REMARKABLE PROPOSAL. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, Oct. 30. A remarkable anew step towards the promotion of civil aviation has been taken by the Aiir Ministry. The Ministry has 1 addressed a- letter to the town clerks of the chief provincial cities and towns 'asking them to- consider the advisability of establishing municipal aerodromes with a's little delay as possible. The letter says: ‘ ‘ The development of internal flyinig is almost entirely dependent on the provision of aerodromes at the large centres. The provision of aerodromes and auxiliary services by air must necessarily, if only on grounds of the capital cost, be confined to terminal points on trunk routes. The establishment of a network of aerodromes throughout the country to serve the general ,purposes of internal flying must devolve on the local authorities, who may indeed expect to benefit ultimately by the traffic and commerce which will follow the provision of these facilities. ‘‘lt is rtlie opinion- of the Aix - Council that every town of any importance will sooner or later find it just as essential to possess well situated aerodromes as it does to-day to- possess railway stations, roads and garages.'’ This appeal to the municipal authorities is reinforced by a statement of the progress made by the regular British air services. These consist at present of the operation oi the crossChannel air routes and of the route between Cairo and Basra. The growth of traffic on the cross-Channel services is showing a marked increase. In .1927 British machines carried 16,533 passengers, compared with 5256 in 1921. Notwithstanding keen competition by four foreign air lines operating to Croydon from various points of the Continent, it is pointed out that British machines are carrying by far the largest, number of .passengers. In 1927 Belgian machines carried 1490 passengers, French 5199, German 1972 and the Netherlands 3556.

STATE CONTROL NOT DESIRED. Received 11.50 a.m. to-day. ' LONDON, Oct. 31. The “Morning Post” expresses the hope that the Air Ministry’s proposals will not lead to an extension of State control of aviation, which at present is developing rapidly and naturally without control.