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LIST OF PREVIOUS REPORTS.

Synopsis of Progress of Work in the Department of Civil Aviation, 1st May, 1919, to 31st October, 1919" (Cmd. 418, H.M.S.O., 2d.).

"Synopsis of Progress of Civil Aviation in Foreign Countries, up to 31st October, 1919" (Cmd. 476, H.M.S.O., 1d.).

"Half-Yearly Report on the Progress of Civil Aviation, 1st October, 1919, to 31st March, 1920" (Cmd. 800, H.M.S.O., 3d.).

"Half-Yearly Report on the Progress of Civil Aviation, 1st April, 1920, to 30th September, 1920" (Cmd. 1073, H.M.S.O., 4d.).

Half-Yearly Report on the Progress of Civil Aviation, 1st October, 1920, to 31st March, 1921" (Cmd. 1342, H.M.S.O., 6d.).

"Half-Yearly Report on the Progress of Civil Aviation, 1st April, 1921, to 30th September, 1921" (Cmd. 1559, H.M.S.O., 38.).

"Half-Yearly Report on the Progress of Civil Aviation, 1st October, 1921, to 31st March, 1922" (Cmd. 1710, H.M.S.O., 6d.).

"Annual Report on the Progress of Civil Aviation, April 1st, 1922, to March 31st, 1923" (Cmd. 1900, H.M.S.O., 9d. net). "Annual Report on the Progress of Civil Aviation, April 1st, 1923, to March 31st, 1924" (Cmd. 2210, H.M.S.O., ls. net).

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Annual Report on the Progress of Civil Aviation, April 1st, 1924, to March 31st, 1925" (Cmd. 2489, H.M.S.O., 2s. net).

"Annual Report on the Progress of Civil Aviation, April 1st, 1925, to March 31st, 1926" (Cmd. 2707, H.M.S.O., 28. net).

CHANGE OF PERIOD FOR FUTURE REPORTS.

As it is considered that the usefulness of the Reports will be enhanced if the period which they cover is changed from the financial year to the calendar year, it has been decided to bring this change into effect as from the year 1927, and in consequence to present the present report for the nine months April-December, 1926.

PART I.-GENERAL AND BRITISH EMPIRE.

RELATIONS WITH FOREIGN COUNTRIES.

International Commission for Air Navigation.

The tenth session of the permanent International Commission instituted in accordance with Article 34 of the Convention for the Regulation of Aerial Navigation (Paris, 13th October, 1919) was held in Paris at the Japanese Embassy from 11th-15th May, 1926, as guests of the Japanese Government, and the 11th Session was held also in Paris at the French Ministry for Foreign Affairs from 3rd-5th November, 1926, as guests of the French Government.

The amendment of Article 5 of the Convention, concerning the flight over the territory of a contracting State by aircraft of a non-contracting State, became effective on 14th December, 1926, on the deposit of the outstanding ratification of the amending protocol by the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. The amendment of Article 34, providing for equality in voting on the International Commission for Air Navigation, also became effective on the same date for a similar reason. It is hoped that these amendments may result in the adhesion to the Convention of certain States which have hitherto refrained from adhering on account of the original terms of the Articles in question.

Provisional Agreements with Foreign Powers.

Provisional air traffic agreements with the States named in the last Report (Denmark, Holland, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland) are still in force. Negotiations for an agreement with Germany are in progress and in the meantime the temporary reciprocal arrangements continue under which Imperial Airways, Ltd., operate air services to Cologne and Berlin and the Deutsche Luft Hansa A.G. to Croydon.

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE, 1926.

The Imperial Conference at its opening meeting in London, on the 19th October, 1926, set up a special Sub-Committee to consider and report on the subject of "Imperial Air Communications." In order that the members of the Imperial Conference might be in a position to realise fully the situation of civil aviation in this country, the Dominions and other parts of the World, a memorandum entitled "The Approach towards a system of Imperial Air Communications " was prepared by the Air Ministry and distributed before the opening of the Conference. This memorandum, with the addition of a statement addressed to the Conference by the Secretary of State for Air and the full Report of the Sub-committee, has been published by H.M. Stationery Office (price 5s. net).

In their Report the Sub-Committee stated that they were convinced that the development of Imperial air communications

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both by airship and aeroplane was of sufficient importance to merit the early and continuous attention of the Governments of the several parts of the Empire, and they therefore recommended that the Imperial Conference should place on record the following resolutions:

"The Imperial Conference, being impressed with the great benefits, both political and commercial, to be derived from the speeding up of Imperial communications by air—

"(1) Takes note with satisfaction (a) of the prospective opening of a regular air service between Cairo and Karachi and an experimental service between Khartoum and Kisumu; (b) of the decision of His Majesty's Governments in Great Britain and in the Union of South Africa to carry out a series of experimental flights to connect so far as possible with this latter service; and (c) of the decision of His Majesty's Government in Australia to arrange for flights by the Royal Australian Air Force from Australia towards Singapore to link up with similar flights of the Royal Air Force from Singapore towards Australia.”

"(2) Recommends that the development of other air services should receive the early consideration of the Governments concerned and that in this connection particular attention should be paid to the maintenance of existing and the construction of new aerodromes so far as local resources permit with a view to the ultimate creation of a complete system of Empire air routes."

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(3) In view of (a) the great potentialities of the airship and (b) the present lack of constructional and other facilities which must prove a serious obstacle to the early development of regular airship services

"Recommends that the Governments of the Dominions concerned and of India should examine the possibility of erecting nucleus mooring mast bases to be available for demonstration flights in 1928-29 by the two airships now under construction, and of instituting such preliminary meteorological investigations as may be necessary to facilitate these demonstration flights; and that His Majesty's Government in Great Britain should consider the erection of a second shed at the Royal Airship Works at Cardington."

(4) Recommends that an Imperial Air Conference should be held in 1928-or 1929-the precise date to be determined later at some suitable Imperial centre, to report progress and to consider what further action can be taken for the development of Imperial air communications; and takes note with appreciation of the invitation of the Dominion of Canada that this Conference should take place in Canada."

Finally, the Sub-Committee were of opinion that the present system of communicating information in regard to civil aero

nautics should be continued and recommended that, with a view to ensuring still closer co-ordination throughout the Empire, exchanges should be effected from time to time between the Civil Aviation officials of Great Britain and the Dominions and India so far as limitations of staff and local considerations permit. The recommendations made in the report of the Sub-Committee were unanimously adopted by the Imperial Conference at its Fifteenth Meeting on 19th November, 1926.

It is of interest that in a memorandum presented by the Empire Press Union to the Committee on Imperial Communications (other than Air Communications), the Empire Press Union took the opportunity of stating that it regards the development of air communications within the Empire as an important factor of Empire unity from the standpoint of press communications alone. The memorandum explains that at present the lapse of time between telegraphed press reports and the full and considered description and comment sent by mail is too great; the "news element has often been destroyed in the interval. The Union looks to the coming air mail as a means of changing this situation to a large extent.

On 23rd October, 1926, members of the Imperial Conference attended an Inspection of Royal Air Force and commercial aircraft and equipment held at Croydon aerodrome. Examples of many types of landplanes were on view, displays were given of flying and wireless direction-finding and exhibits were arranged to show the progress made in air survey, metal construction and the working of the meteorological service. The ease of handling a light aeroplane was demonstrated by a woman pilot.

COMMERCIAL AIR SERVICES.

Imperial Airways, Ltd.-European Services.

The following services were operated by the Company during the period under review :

In addition, occasional flights were made from Amsterdam to Hanover and Berlin, and from Amsterdam to Brussels and Cologne. Imperial Airways, Ltd., by arrangement with the Deutsche Luft Hansa A.G. of Berlin temporarily ceased to operate their LondonAmsterdam service on the 15th October, 1926, and the operation of this service was undertaken by the German Company.