FIFTEEN SHILLINGS A MILE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1836, 23 August 1913, Page 8

FIFTEEN SHILLINGS A MILE.

THE COST OF FLYING. POPULAR HENDON. Flying at llendou lias becomo during tlio past two or Hires years oiio of tho most popular attractions for all classes of Londoners. Tho aerodrome (writes a London correspondent) is only six miles from (Jliuri up Croij, and can be reached by motor bus lor id. it i.s ulso within walking distance of Holder's tireen tube beotion. itendon is cspeoially popular on Sundays, and so far the Uhurcnes havo made no strong elfort to protect against tlio deiecratiou' of tlio holy day. When ltyiiiif bejan, it way leared that there would never be much money m enclosed aerodromes. All tho early meetings were financial failures.. Scores of thousands flocked to see tho airmen, but the great majority took their pleasure in tho adjoining fields. Thcro was littlo or no disposition to pay admission, fees to tho enclosure. On Saturdays and Sundays thousands of picnic parties aro to bj 6een scattered over the fields and lanes within a milo of tho Hendon flying ground. At Hendon village, which 6tands on a height overlooking the wido enclosed meadow, the graveyard of the littlo ancient church commands an unrivalled view, and tho great crowds toko their stand among tho tombstones. 1 do not know whether the church authorities havo power to eject them, but beyond making an appeal to them to remember tho church service, no objection has yet been raised. There is, however, a notice prominently displayed, setting out that a few thousand pounds aro urgently required for tho rebuilding of the church,

and perhaps tho good vicar is working upon tho principle that ono good turn deserves another. A luelcy farmer close by has a large sloping field overlooking tho aerodrome, and he makes far better money by charging multitudes of Londoners 3d. each for admission, and in selling them tea and other refreshments, than ho could by cultivation or grazing. | "The Expert Multitude." The aerodrome itself is surrounded by an Bft. iron fence. The charges for admission rango from 6d. to 10s., and despito the fact that you can see so iuuch from outside, the attendanco is increasingly large. It is common this year for crowds of from 20,000 to 40,000 'to bo present. As tho Londoner has learned more about the details of flying, and becomo an expert in tho types of machine, ami an enthusiastic follower of different airmen, ho likes to get as closo a view as possible of tho proceedings. Apparently flying has been a good thing for tho 'trade iu field glasses, for a far bigger proportion of the people at a flying meeting carry them than at a raco meeting. Inside the aerodrome you get a very close view of tho ascents and descents, and see a great deal of fine work closo lo the ground, which is lost to tho crowdl outside. Then several times during tho afternoon or ovening, you get thrills from aviators who pas.9 close over your bead, and who frequently mako a pleasant littlo dive info tho mass among which you are

standing. Not until you have seen a good deal of flying, and realised how wonderful is the control now exercised by a good pilot over his machine, do you regard these freaks with equanimity. "Tho Flying Man." Occasionally you get a really good afternoon's enjoyment, but too often proceedings are dreary. Buoyed up wi'tli tho hope of seeing something sensational, a crowd will stand moro humbug at an aviation meeting' than at any other form of entertainment. Half an hour, and fre-

quently an hour, will pass at Hendon without a flight taking place, and then nil aviator will fly twice round at a low level with a passenger, and- after that you wait another half an hour. Nevertheless, the compensation is so great when really goodi work is done that tliere is very little grumbling. Airmen" have reacliod an individual popularity quite as great as that enjoyed by the most brilliant cricketer or successful jockey. For a long time Mr. Grahame White was tho prime favourite at Heiulon, but this season ho is flying very little, and -the present hero is easily Mr. Gustavo Hamel. Mr. Hamel does a wonderful series of apparently impossible and suicidal things for the sheer love of adventure. To him

they are safe and oasy; to nine otlier airmen out of ten they would be certain disaster. Personality counts for moro in flying porliaps than in anything else in the world. Looking at different airmen in the air on different machines you realise how true is tho term "flying man." Tho great airman is tho real flier rather than tlio moeliinc. 11l 110 other mechanical contrivance in tho service of man does the man play so great a part. Eight Shillings a Minute. Although you meet men every day here who have been in tho air as passengers, flyiug cannot be a popular pastime until the charges are greatly reduced. The rates at Hendon are as follow:— (a) Passenger Flight. Two circuits .£ p. d. of the Aerodrome 2 2 0 (b) Extra Plight. Two higher and wider circuits of the Aerodrome 3 S 0 (c) Special Flight. Outside tho Aerodrome, in the direction of Edgware, returning towards the Welsh Harp 5 5 0 (d) Double Flight. Four circuits of the Aerodrome 14 0 Cross-Country Flights. Elstree and back (about 1G miles) 10 10 0 St. Albans and back (about 27 miles) 20 0 0 Brooklands and back (about 38 miles) 26 5 0 Other Croy-Country Flights. Per mile, if return journey is made 0 15 0 Per mile, for outward journeys only 0 20 0 "No Danger." This rate works out at about Bs. a minute. The risk, despite popular opinion to tho contrary, is infinitesimal. You are as safe in the hands of ono of the Hendon airmen as you are on top of a London motor bus. Taking Europe as a whole, thousands of passengers are carried daily, and accidents in this class of flying aro very raro indeed. Unless the passenger has been up before and expressly wishes it, the flights are of tho plainest kind, with no fancy work. Risk in aviation, is only present in unfavourable weather, and when tho pilot is consciously attempting hazardous, evolution, liow safo it has become is shown by tho work done by t'ha Army and Navy alone. Tho British Army alone now has 135 machines in use, and probably upwards of 100 of these aro flown several times 011 evory day when a gale is not blowing. Tho publio is Shocked on tho average about once a month by a bad accident; but tho percentage of smashes as against the number of flights is vory low. And no aviators take risks so commonly as those who are members of tho defence forces. It is understood in the Army and Navy that flying is in its experiment stage; and t'he man is successful and deserving of tho notice of his superior officers who, by risking bis neck or otherwise, carries the utility of tho machines one step further for war purposes. Flights, whicli aro altogether suicidal in theiir daring are condoned, and even applauded, by tho authorities. This is properly "regarded as tho self-sacrificing season 111 military aviation. Supremacy in flying may mean so much in an intariMtional conflict, that the lives of a few individuals are held as nothing against the possiblo ultimate gain in national safety. Apparently aviation handsonw-ly pays those who are successful. Most of the great pioneers who escaped destruction 'have becomo issociated with important manufacturing works, as, for instance, Dloriot and Grahams White. Tho suddenness with which oven the champions abandoned flying shows that it is essentially a game for tho high spirits, carelessness of life, uud strong nerved which go with vouth.