CIVIL AVIATION

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19670, 12 December 1933, Page 3

CIVIL AVIATION

NEED FOR VISION EMPHASISED. APPEAL OF PRINCE OF WALES. British Official Wireless RUGBY, December 8. The Prince of Wales urged a forward civil aviation policy at a conference in London called to stimulate the movement for equipping more towns with air ports. The use of aeroplanes, said the Prince, should be at the disposal of all, instead of only a few. The development of regular air transport in the British Isles had made sudden and remarkable strides during the present year, but they must look ahead. Great Britain had a great aircraft industry and some of the best aeroplanes in the world, but they must now think of average speeds not of 100 miles an hour but of 250 miles an hour. Such speeds would not arrive suddenly, but when they came larger aerodromes would be needed. Aeroplanes were evolved, not invented. The immediate need was for more landing grounds, so that aeroplanes could alight where they wished. Sixteen local authorities in England, Scotland, and Wales had provided modern aerodromes, and six other local authorities had acquired airport sites, but they could not reap the full rewards of their enterprise because their zeal had not been followed by others. Fast, frequent, and regular air services could only come about if aircraft, air routes, and airports were planned simultaneously.