§ Mr. Perkinsasked the Secretary of State for Air whether the 15 Atlantic flights promised by the Air Ministry for 1938 have been carried out?
Captain BalfourThe programme of trans-Atlantic flights which I gave in July last in reply to the hon. Member for West Islington, was, as I then explained, provisional, and it has in fact been modified. The Mayo Composite aircraft made two successful trans-Atlantic flights in July, and it was then decided to carry out no further Atlantic trials but to subject it to the more severe test of a non-stop flight from England to South Africa: this was successfully performed in September.
Certain modifications were found necessary in the Albatross landplane, and the completion of the new Empire Flying Boat was delayed owing to urgent Service requirements arising out of the international crisis. Consequently the extensive flying trials which are essential before flights of this kind can be undertaken were still in progress in October. It would have been unwise to embark on experimental flights across the Atlantic so late in the year, and it was accordingly decided to postpone the programme until the spring. Further flight and refuelling tests are now being carried out in this country.