When the President of the Engineering Section did me the honour of inviting me to read a paper on trans-Atlantic Air Services, I realised that I might be in a slightly difficult position through my association with the composite aircraft, which has been put forward as one solution of the major problem of long range flying.

I have no financial interest whatever in the adoption of the composite aircraft for British trans-Atlantic services. Imperial Airways have the free user for any of their services, and if I have any interest in its adoption it is a purely technical one. Secondly, I would remind you that an engineer who recommends a wide departure from normal practice thereby accepts a heavy burden of technical responsibility. I can assure you that with this in mind I shall not lightly make any such recommendation, but on the other hand, I shall not hesitate to do so merely because I have, with many others, taken a part in this development.