Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star FRIDAY, APRIL 9th, 1920. AVIATION.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 April 1920, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star FRIDAY, APRIL 9th, 1920. AVIATION.

The . United States Post Office has , proven by turning unused military aero- 1 planes into efficient aerial mail planes, that the thousands of military planes which are stored away, and the thousands of motors as well as the fifteen hundred surplus navy seaplanes and - hundreds of millions of dollars of Army and Navy aircraft materials, accessories and instruments can be utilised to meet the immediate demand for aircraft which manufacturers are unable to meet. But the field for the employment of aircraft is so vast and the demand for aircraft lor pleasure and sport is so great that it will absorb 'all; tlie surplus military and naval planes and whatever the present aeronautic manufacturing facilities of different countries can produce. The deI maud for large passenger carrying aircraft alone, says an authority on aviation would keep all the present manufacturers busy for the entire coming year. These aircraft are so large that constructing them is almost like constructing, ships of the sea. Constructing two hundred of the large aircraft would keep the American and British aircraft manufacturers busy for a year, and T et two hundred would not be many to meet the demand for airlines the world over. Following the United States’ example, England, France and Italy have abandoned their programmes for huge air fleets and have demobilised their military and naval air services down to a minimum. The aircraft industries of those countries were forced, by lack of military and naval business, to turn to commercial aeronautics and to develop aircraft suitable for general use. They did so and found as American aircraft manufacturers have found an the United States, that, the demand for aircraft for civilian purposes is so enormous that they will not be able to supply more than a. fraction of the demand during the coming six' months. European aircraft manufacturers were more progressive than American manufacturers and immediately the armistice was signed began to establish aerial transportation and passenger carrying lines. The American commission in Europe has travelled on these air lines and has found them so efficiently run and reliable that many people travel by air rather than travel by railroad or by steamer. But European manufacturers were not as fortunate as American manufacturers, who had such an extensive market right in the United States and in South and Central America. These conclusions are interesting, hut says “Aeronautics” we are afraid that they would scarcely be endorsed by English aircraft manufacturers, mope particularly with regard to the enormous demand for aircraft for civilian purposes in this country. Would that it were so! The Commission indeed seem to contradict themselves to some extent when later on they refer to European manufacturers not being so fortunate in having an extensive market at their doors like the American manufacturers. It is states that over 2,000 people in the United States are purchasers of aeroplanes and that American manufacturers are unable to meet the demand and have also lost large orders from T.atinAmericon countries owing to being un--1 able to deliver within a. reasonable time. And yet tliere nro gloomy people who [say that aviation is dead in America. | If" as is stated by "this influential Comj mission, such a groat demand exists , it is up to the English firms to satisfy it.