Mr NORMAN HILL briefly outlined the proceedings and drew the attention of the meeting to the presence of Mr E MENSFORTH, C B E, M A, M I Mech E, F R Ae S, the new President of the Association, this being his first attendance as President Mr MASEFIELD was then called on to open the meeting

Mr President, Ladies and Gentlemen This really has been quite a remarkable week in Aviation, and I think perhaps this evening is a fitting climax During this week we have seen some excellent new aeroplanes, both the old fashioned fixed wing types (even if they do have jet engines) and, of course, the “shape of wings to come”—a number of new helicopters I personally feel after seeing the Bristol 173 in the air that no one can now doubt that one important trend of the future of air transport—and, indeed, of transport as a whole—is in the direction of the helicopter We seem to have got out of the “gold fish bowl” stage at last with helicopters to something which looks like a real vehicle