AVIATION IN INDIA

Taranaki Daily News, 14 December 1926, Page 13

AVIATION IN INDIA

NEW SCHEME SUGGESTED. Calcutta, Nov. 30. The report of the Indian Air Board recommends its own extinction and the appointment of a director of civil aviation, who should be an experienced Air Ministry officer lent from London for three years. The board points out that India hitherto has done nothing to develop her commercial air services, and is standing aloof. The Air Board considers it to be its duty to give an opinion on this matter, as it sees a danger of aerial transportation in India falling into the hands of foreign firms, with the result that Indian capital and enterprise would be ousted. “The time has come,” says the board, “when the Indian Government must accept the responsibility of subsidising commercial air services, subject to the conditions of the use of Indian capital, the employment and training of Indian pilots, and other personnel.” The board urges that active steps should be taken to inaugurate an aeroplane service between Calcutta and .Rangoon, as this promises the greatest chance of success. The board does not think that an airship service from England to India will be immediately needed. The next extension should be from Karachi to Bombay, where a mooring station is immediately needed, while 1 those for Calcutta, Madras and Rangoon should be surveyed. Regret is expressed that the sound rule that all aerodromes in India, with equipment, quarters, lighting, telegraphic and meteorological apparatus, should be the property of the Government of India, has been departed from in the case of the Karachi aerodrome. This has been done for reasons of financial stringency in India, whose contribution to the Imperial airship scheme is £15,000, compared with the British contribution of £2,000,000.