Miscellaneous

Private Flying in the U.S.A.

During the course of the inaugural Wakefield Memorial Lecture marking the centenary of Lord Wakefield’s birth, which Peter Masefield, M.A. (Eng.), Fr.Ae.S., M.Inst.T., Hon. F.I.A.S., delivered before 500 students of the College of Aeronautical & Automobile Engineering and 800 guests at the Guildhall, London, on June 24th, he remarked that in America today there are 65,000 privately-owned aeroplanes and that during 1958 general aviation flew the fantastic total of 11,000,000 hours, which was three times as much as all the airlines put together. Mr. Masefield hoped that, in Britain, private aviation will be encouraged and that light aeroplane landing strips. near all the big towns will be laid down as a matter of National Policy.

How the Other Half Lives

Many motor racing enthusiasts like to keep an eye on what happens in the world of motor-cycle racing, following the results and the fortunes of the riders in the more important contests, But they can be excused for not knowing the whole of what goes on in the two-wheeler world. For instance, only chance study of a race and rally edition of the Isle of Man Examiner caused us to discover that after the I.O.M. T.T. races scooters were unleashed over the famous mountain course on a series of 12-hour and 24-hour trials. Starting at 7 p.m. the hours of darkness came first. It seems that Vespa took the Team Prize and that 1st Class Awards were won by seven Vespas, two Lambrettas and a T.W.N. in the 12-hour event, while in the 24-hour trial the only scooters not to lose marks were a Lambretta and a Diana.

Early Automatic Transmission

A reader is anxious to acquire an Austin Sixteen or Eighteen with Hayes infinitely-variable gearbox, which was offered as an optional extra in about 1934-5. It should he in running order. Letters can be forwarded.

The Renault Gordini Dauphine

The road test report on the fast Gordini version of the popular Renault Dauphine is now scheduled to appear in the September issue of Motor Sport.