We are at the moment at what is probably the most interesting phase of the battle between man and gravity. This battle has been waged since the days of the ancient Greeks when men dreamed of emulating the birds, and using various “stick and string” devices tried without success to fly under their own power.

In the present day we have much more sophisticated machines into which a great deal of careful thought and design work has gone. Much publicity and speculation is at present centred around the Southampton and Hatfield fixed-wing machines which are enjoying a certain amount of initial success. Whether either machine will ultimately be successful remains to be seen and I am sure that all of us are following their progress with interest and wish them all the best in their endeavours. These are not by any means the only two projects being pursued at present, although there is a definite preference for a fixed-wing machine.