AIR TRANSPORT-AFTER THE WAR
Silt,—The probability that America will be able to monopolise the world's air traffic after the war, although admitted with reluctance by Government spokesmen in the House, will become a certainty unless our present policy of aircraft construction is modified. The idea that the United States would, or could, refuse to take advantage of such a position is an example of the most fatuous wishful thinking. The American business man is a " go-getter " with little tolerance for weak or inefficient competition, and even if he were not, there would still be nothing to prevent him from monopolising the world's air routes. For even the most hopeful optimist can hardly expect the American aircraft industry to immobilise or destroy the many hundreds of transport aeroplanes which they will have available after the war when we have none at all, for nothing short of that can very well prevent America from monopolising air transport almost completely. It is adnthted that the Allies' output of aircraft now exceeds that of our enemies' by a considerable margin, and an intelligent anticipation of future conditions should demand that a small proportion of our output be now devoted to the production of transport aircraft, even if such aeroplanes were only needed to keep our civil air lines going. The fact that troop carriers and air freighters will have a big part to play when our offensive gets into its stride is still more reason for asking our aircraft industry to produce such aircraft. The products of the British aircraft industry were instrumental in saving this country (and its Govern- ment) from Nazi domination in the summer of 1940. The present policy of that Government will leave our aircraft manufacturers without a single modern transport aeroplane after the war, whilst American factories will have hundreds ready to sell " over the counter " to the air-lines of the world, which will be clamouring for new equipment.— Yours sincerely, E. N. B. BENTLEY. Flat 3, 24 Hollybush Lane, Harpenden, Herts.
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