A Gentlemen's Club in the Clouds: Reassessing the Empire Air Mail Scheme, 1933-1939

This paper discusses the Empire Air Mail Scheme, arguably Britain's most significant civil aviation initiative of the 1930s. Prior accounts have explained the stunted development of British air transport in terms of political vacillation, diplomatic difficulties, and the sheer scale of the undertaking. Using British and Australian archives, this paper shows that the scheme was poorly conceived, and its flawed planning assumptions resulted in a troubled operational record. Alternative policy directions, principally from Australia, were rejected but were eventually validated by events. Had the war not intervened, it is likely that the service would have fallen further behind international standards, since reforms set in place during 1939 were unlikely to resolve its chronic weaknesses.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/1754849
• Authors:
  • Ewer, Peter
• Publication Date: 2007-3

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 75-92
• Serial:
  • Journal of Transport History
  • Volume: 28
  • Issue Number: 1
  • Publisher: Sage Publications Limited
  • ISSN: 0022-5266
  • EISSN: 1759-3999
  • Serial URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/home/jth

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air transportation policy; General aviation; History; Policy analysis
• Identifier Terms: Empire Air Mail Scheme; Imperial Airways
• Geographic Terms: Australia; United Kingdom
• Subject Areas: Aviation; History; Policy;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01049787
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 25 2007 10:34AM