Airport Statistics Over four million passengers passed through British airports during 1954 – a 17-per-cent increase over the previous year. Figures recently published by the M.T.C.A. emphasize the growth of activity at London Airport, its total of 1,724,139 passengers being 43 per cent greater than in 1953.
The Old Spirit In a speech to the Royal Canadian Flying Clubs' Association during his recent tour of the United States and Canada, G/C. Douglas Bader said: "It is, I think, essential that the fun of flying be kept alive, and it is only through flying clubs that this can be done. The cheap light aeroplane in which the youngster can fly around the field, and when he gets a bit better take his girl friend up too, must remain with us."
Manning Problems Opening the Air Estimates debate in the House of Commons last week, Mr. George Ward, Under-Secretary of State for Air, had much to say concerning aircrews and ground personnel. Mr. George Ward also gave the following figures. At the moment, the number of airmen in the R.A.F. is 225,000, of whom just over 160,000 are serving on regular engagements. Of that 160,000, 40,000 are serving on engagement of 12 years or more. He also stated that the Air Ministry was now employing 75,000 civilians in the United Kingdom and about 29,000 overseas.
Moscow Comments Commenting on the alleged preparations in Western Germany for the formation of an air force, a Colonel Bikhovsky, speaking in Moscow, has said that, despite official communiqués in the West, the West German Air Force would not be a "small one." The aircraft industry, he maintained, had now been almost completely rebuilt in the Bonn Republic and was ready to turn out military aircraft once again. German airmen were receiving advanced training at schools in Great Britain, the U.S.A. and other countries. He averred, incidentally, that one of the men to receive such training in Britain was Goering's personal pilot.
Production C-130A On March 10th, the first Lockheed C-130A Hercules turboprop "medium combat transport" (to give it its official U.S.A.F. designation) rolled out of government Aircraft Plant No. 6 (GAP-6) at Marietta, Georgia, ahead of schedule.
Source: Flight International
