IMPERIAL AVIATION

Hokitika Guardian, 15 April 1929, Page 7

IMPERIAL AVIATION

DEVELOPMENTS and reserch

LONDON, March 8

A memorandum which accompanies Jic Air Estimates shows that there is a gross increase of £(5(30,U00, the greater part of which is due to tiie further development of the fleet air arm and to larger payments by the Indian Government ior air services rendered. The net estimate, however, alter allowing for t lie appropriations-in-aid from the above sources and a self-imp.,sed “sup-er-cut” by the Air Ministry of £lso,Out) on its own Estimates, is returned to show a reduction of £50,000. No new squadrons were added in 1928, and the i 929 programme provides for the udditi..n oi only one more regular Home Jo fence squadron. On the Imperial side, two new flights arc to be formed for the Fleet Air Ann and one more unit of flying boats, the value of which was very clearly demonstrated by the Far East flight, which pent 14 months cruising to Australia and Hongkong. Their increasing importance is signalised by the decision to regard each, flying boat unit in future as a squadron instead of a flight, though the total of aircraft in each unit remains the same. Upon this new oasis of calculation the Royal Air Force at present consists of the equivalent of 75 squadrons, and during 1929 will be increased to 82, of which 12 are cadre, or auxiliary, squadrons.

The squadron of flying boats which reached Singapore in February, 1928, .■arried out the remainder of its itinerary according to plan, and after flying round the Australian Continent and visiting Hongkong, French lndioChina, and the Phillippincs returned in January, 1929, to Singapore, on which station it will now normally he based. This cruise of a year’s duration, covering 27,000 miles, affords an example of the reliability of modern service aircraft. Each boat completed 355 hours’ flying, and. with the exception of overhauls- at Karachi, Signapore, and Melbourne, remained afloat for the whole period. On one ocasion only was the cruise interrupted by mechanical trouble.

Another squadron of flying boats is about to leave this country for Basra, following approximately the same route as that taken by the Far East squadron. It will be employed in the Persian Gulf with the object of gaining experience under the climatic and other conditions obtaining in that area.

DOMINION CO-OPERATION

M.M. Government in Australia (the memorandum proceeds) requested in the earlier part of last year that a senior air officer from the R.A.F. should visit the Commonwealth to advise on air policy. The officer selected, Air Chief Marshal Sir John Salmond, made a thorough study of the air organisation of the Commonwealth, and formulated a plan for the development of the Royal Australian Air Force. This contemplates three stages of development, each occupying three years, and . the Commonwealth Government lias already an noticed its approval of the carrying out of the first stage. At the request of H.M. Government •in New Zealand, Sir John Salmond extended his journey to that Dominion, and drew up a scheme for the development of the New Zealand Air Force. The change in Government in the Dominion prevented a decision being reached, and the proposals are understood to he now under consideration by the new Cabinet.

The increased reliability of aircraft and aero engines now in service has rendered it possible still further to reduce the provision for aircraft and engine spares by £L>6.()''o. This is now below 7o per cent, of the corresponding amount in 1920 in spite of the expansion which has taken place in the intervening period. The fitling of automatic slots to service aircraft is proceeding rapidly.

A parachute is now provided for every machine in the service which is callable of carrying it, except seagoing aircraft. A new design of quickrelease attachment for use in these latter lias been tried out. hut. requires further devel'<pinent before it can lie finally pronounced suitable for service conditions, ft) 1028 six lives were saved by the use of parachutes.

THE AIRSHIPS

The two airships, R 100 and R 101, should he completed early in the financial year. Owing to delay which has occurred some expenditure provided Id; in last year’s Estimates has had to lie postponed until 1929. Apart from this the hulk of the money provided for airships in these Estimates is in respect of flying operations at home and overseas.

Construct.!’ -n has taken longer thatwas anticipated, hut this has boon dll' to the fact that both airships represent a groat stop forward in size, and embody novel principles of design. The airships should begin their flying trials in the spring, and 1 hope to see flight* to overseas liases such as Karachi and Montreal successfully carried out during the year.

The airship tower which 11. M. Government in Canada undertook to put up at the Imperial Conference in 192(1 has now been erected at the St. Hubert air jv'rt at Montreal. H.M. Government in the Union of S'utli Africa have acquired a site of an airship ha pa at Groiitvillo, near Durban. The shod at Karachi lias been erected, but some further work, remains to he done before it can lie formally taken over. The erection of the mooring tower at Karachi, which is baiw undoiTaketi by the Government of India is making

good progress, and it should be finished during the summer. METEOROLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS.

The meteorological investigations which have been carried out and are being continued in connection with problems arising out of the airship development programme promise to give results of general scientific value. In particular a set of weather charts has .icon drawn in greater detail, and for a wider area of the northern hemisphere than has been previously attempted, and provides valuable material for furthering the study of the influences controlling the weather of Europe. Asia and North Africa, Active co-operation with the meteorological services of the dominions has been fostered by airship and aviation requirements. A conference in London with the director of the Canadian Meteorological Office has supplement' d the work done by the meteorological member of the airship mission to South Africa, Australia, New Zealand. Ceylon, and India' in 1927, and arrangements have boon made to carry co-operation a stage further by means of a conference of Empire meteorologists to be held in London during the '•oming summer, at which it is anticipated that many Crown colonics will lie represented in addition to the dominions.