Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-01-28
COMMERCIAL FLYING
PROBABLE AFTER WAR
Lord Weir Discusses Possibilities
and Suggests Plans for
Success.
WOULD UTILIZE WAR DRoMEs
Doesn't Want Governments to Mo-
nopoltzc Traffic, but Says State
Necessarily Must &c Pioncrr-.in
Abundance Of Machines ut Hand.

MANCHESTER. ENGLAND, Janu-
AIRY - Especially - thln the aext six
months the allies should reach an
agreement regulating commercial
traffic IN tn. air. and within the next
five years i; should be IA easy and as
safe to pilot an arp,ane through :oH
and storm as ii is re- pilot L ship. as
serted Lord Weir. Secretary of State
for Air Forces. before an audience here
the other day. In order that ambitious
projects now being discussed might be
entirely successful. he said these
things ucr. necessary:
s,ruc,ion by really sound and severe
rayisational training
creation OF an en"rgetic meteoro-
logical service especially designed 10
help air transport.
The adoption Of improved systems OF
wireless biography and telephony.
The adoption of f'rs;-class system
OF day and night marking OF landing
places and ardromcs.
We now possess in substantial!
numbers either delivered or in course
OF construction. airp'.n"s which w'ii
carry crew OF seven and thirty pas
Of 10000 feet. and which Will ;rave!
Zoo miles without stop" said Lord
Weir: "One type can come down at
with a fun load.
I'VE have machines That car and
safely at definite gliding angles entirely
that when the pilot can set mis- ins;ru-
chored in clear air he viii be able to
plctely fogbound."
DOESN'T WANT GOVERNMENT
TO MONOPOLIZE TRAFFIC.
Lord Weir made It very plain, that
he did no; think the best ends %,
msno S's "Ts,Sa sGr
state and Individuals. he beiieyed.
would bring the hes. results. The
state would of necessity be the pio-
necr. and from the present air min
stry would spring an air Department.
in the government which would not
only control the adm ton or the
royal air forces. the lighting air branch
Of the British army and navy, bui
would act as the supreme authority
for the development OF civil aviation.
THE first step of the new ministry
would be the organization OF inter
national flying. that is. flying among
the different countries This would in
volve an International aircraft con
vention.
OF this convention. and they are now
being submitted to our allies. con
:,nucd Lord Weir. III they suhstan
conference will he held. have reason
20 anticipate that within The NEXT -FOUR
or FIVE months the principal nations oil
the world Will haze reached asrccmeh'
similarly domestic legislation VIII
have to he enacted to govern dying in
this country. Tho bill mas been pre-
pared, and | anticipate that within a
few. weeks of tho opening OF the new
/ Parliament useful act Will come into
/ force Until this convention and this
/ domestic legislation becomes opera
! tive. there can be no nrivat" hEinS al
/ all either international or in this coun-
/ Try 1t would he unfortunate IL the
/ dcyclopn,cui OF civil aviation were re
! tardcd owing TO tho effects 81 series
! of fatal accidents due IN me HACK o.
absolutely necessary regulations.
WOULD PRESERVE AIRnRoNES
BUILD ron WAR TIMES
The state should require in pcrma-
nence 4 large proportion OF the exist
ing military airdrones, and saonid
render them avaiiahle for genera use
by leasing sheds TO private "perat!onal
companies, and merely charging a Zee
for landing.
The department should undertake
the training o. all pilots to be en-
pIoyed on public transport service ana
map out and ligh; the aerial routes.
The department. should he ready TO un-
dertakc mail freight and passenger ser
vices when private enterprise may be
found lacking.
Prom the supera bundancc q: ma
chimes at its disposa. upon the con-
ciusion Of peace. and suitable to con-
should be ready 20 dispose or con
siderable numbe: at low price 20
! private operating companies.
Lord Weir frankly admitted the
scheme would cost a lot of money ar-
| cording TO prewar standards, but said
: the expense would be very l,t:lc when
compared with the standards set by