POLICING THE AIR

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 4 March 1935, Page 6

POLICING THE AIR

FIRST FLYING “TRAFFIC COP.” BRITAIN FOLLOWS EXAMPLE. From Our Own Correspondent. (By Air Mail). LONDON, Jan. 9. j The British Air Ministry has appointed the first aerial “traffic cop.”j By a coincidence this new development; in policing the air was announced on! the same day as the news from Aus-j tralia that the police had used an; aeroplane for the first time, to arrest; a man who had fled "to Bathurst Is-] land. But the English aerial policemam has duties more strictly connected with flying. He is Captain Y. H. Baker, war time pilot, and one of the best-known instructional flyers in England, who has been delegated “authoritative powers of flying control” at Heston aerodrome (Middlesex). His powers will enable him to lock up anyone who breaks flying regulations, detain aeroplanes, take whatever steps he considers necessary if he hears of anyone who plans some unusually foolish stunt. Heston has become so busy during the past few months that a rigid system of control has been instituted during the busiest hours. It will be Captain Baker’s duty now to see that the regulations are followed as rigidly as motor traffic lights are obeyed. And should anyone disobey his commands or intend to d'o anything “likely to imperil the safety of aircraft, passengers or third parties” he can clap them into whatever temporary jail he can find on the aerodrome.