In April, 1919, the lecturer had the honour to address the Society on the subject of Air Navigation, the Chairman being Air Commodore Brooke Popham, who had just been appointed as the first “ Director of Research ” at the Air Ministry. During the introductory remarks made by the Chairman at that lecture, an aircraft was described as being an “ encumbrance ” unless “ one could get it where it was wanted.” Now since it happens that one of the main purposes for which aircraft instruments exist is to enable such craft to be got “ where they are wanted,” the importance of our subject to-night will not be denied. Moreover, according to a recent most able paper in our Journal, Leonardo da Vinci himself stated his conviction that “ Instrumental or mechanical science is very noble, and useful beyond all others.“

Since the commencement of commercial aerial transport very great results have been obtained in certain directions. In the first place, the mere fact of flying has been reduced from a great adventure to a commonplace method of travelling. In this respect it is interesting to notice, on Croydon terminal aerodrome, the very great variety in the classes and types of people travelling by air. Men and women, old and young, daring and nervous, calm and fussy, clergymen, commercial magnates, school children and nurses, babies and helpless invalids, and in fact every sort of persons that you will find on a railway, travel regularly and peacefully by air. And it is certain that a very large proportion of these persons would have told you four years ago that they would not go in an aeroplane for anything.