FLYING CLUBS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 29 August 1924, Page 10

FLYING CLUBS.

COMMERCIAL AVIATION

LONDON, June 6. Sir Sefton Brancker, Director of Civil Aviation, made a public statement this week on the progress of civil aviation. In this he described a draft scheme that had been submitted to the Treasury and which it was hoped might meet with approval. The idea was to interest municipal bodies as well as private individuals in the matte- of aviation, and, if the effort was successful, to lead to the formation of flying clubs throughout the country. Subject to Treasury sanction, the Air Ministry would provide initial equipment of such clubs and allow a certain amount per annum for upkeep. The •equipment suggested would consist of three light-power two-seater machines and two single-seaters. The twoseater ’planes were to have dual controls. so as to serve as an efficient means of instructing cadet pilots. It was thought that a good type of twoseater could be produced at a. cost of -£2OO to £300; but the light" aeroplane trials that were to take place in September would probably throw more befit on this point, and. it was expected that by that time the scheme would have been approved and the co-opera-tion of local authorities assured. The Aero Club was anxious to. help in every way, and so far as possible he wanted to use the members as an in"'trument for keeping in touch with the proposed clubs and helping m future competitions. The Air Ministry wanted to help the clubs without in any. way shackling them, «o long as they were convinced that the 'rovernment money was being spent on the development of aviation with; safety. Aerodromes and running costs would he the business of the club. Members would have to subscribe something, and those who wanted to fiy would have to pay some fee. but. it was suggested that the clubs should be of a social character, which ladies Another idea was that technical classes for mechanics mi<dit be held.

EXPERIMENTAL MACHINES. Turning to commercial aircraft. Sir sefton Brancker said there were five ‘xnerimental machines, in view. One which was almost ready to start fiynm was the Handley-Page, with three eiC gines and one of this tvpe had been handed over to the Belgian GovernT nt V lm- mi r ht be "that the position ff reliability had been solved, for it was hoped that the machine would <eep on flying, even if one of its engines got out of order. Next tne b any floating seaplane, fitted with a Rolls-Royce 650-h.p. Condor engine was being developed for civil purposes’ Lwo new types of commercial aircraft • ero ss-Channel services were also being developed by the Civil Aviation epartment of the Ministry One AhmMt b U buiH by *s® Havilland w ,y i l and would be fitted with a 650 Rolls-Royce Condor engine and equipped with the new De Havilhed fl ? t - similar to flet tn fc ne 111 Wh l° h Lord Thomson flew to Prague The second was to be constructed by Handley-Page aim the engine would be a British Jupiter wmdrl h b K and \ e y-f a £e slatted wing.s be brought into the design j t was hoped to obtain 25 per cent more commercial load than Jd yoTLnZ With regard to the Middle Fnsi oro”rei 'had th i er new l ypes in which mogiess had been made were to marines which were being .specificalfv tfons OP of hot™? t ! ,e pcc,lliar <*oridiuons ot hot climates, such as h f . Uveen Cairo, Bagdad, and India in which case it had been laid down that sL?es a f ln ! S , muSt - be ™™ble of fr’l' a * aln * t « chines wmuld be fitted with th™ Inn ~ gmes,'and must be capable M e ° n ' with a full load P 7 ° f gines were runh ng Jt 0 " 17 $£ ‘ h a„r-7i ole? ' -"St Jaguar engine 'r.„ 1 d r ]";, S 1 jV”inlk!,'j' U ‘ k - v