Coll 5/1 ‘Persian Gulf Air Routes: Hasa Coast & Flying over Nejd territory — Saudi regulations for the landing of foreign aircraft’ [‎38v] (76/564)

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Mr. RENDEL expressed gratification at Fuad Bey’s statement that the
Saudi Government would be ready, in 'principle, to grant the desired facilities,
and thought that there would certainly be no difficulty in recognising the first
three out of the four reservations that Fuad Bey had just mentioned. He
considered, however, that it would be unnecessary to make any distinction between
facilities for the Royal Air Force and for British commercial aircraft on regular
services (which amounted in practice to Imperial Airways (Limited)). As Fuad
Bey was aware, Imperial Airways were closely connected with His Majesty’s
Government by reason of the subsidy which they received; moreover, the Air
Ministry had charge equally of military and civil aviation, and, in matters
connected with the organisation of the air route in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , no distinction
was made between the two branches. In any case, it would be necessarv for
negotiations about facilities for civil aircraft as well as those for the Royal Air
Force to be conducted through the Foreign Office.
After further discussion it was agreed that Mr. Rendel should write a letter
to Fuad Bey setting out the exact nature of the Air Ministry desiderata and
recording his understanding of the attitude of the Saudi Government in the
matter as explained by Fuad Bey earlier in the meeting. Fuad Bey would reply
to this letter, and the question would be reconsidered by both parties in the light
of the discussion which had taken place with a view to a further meeting on the
subject in due coursq.
A copy of the letter which Mr. Rendel subsequently wrote to Fuad Bey, in
accordance with the arrangements agreed upon at the meeting, and after the
text had been concurred in by the Air Ministry, is attached.
June 25, 1935.
My dear Fuad Bey, Foreign Office, June 27, 1935.
As arranged at our meeting on the morning of the 25th June, I write to
confirm my oral statement of the revised desiderata of our Air Ministry as
regards facilities for the aircraft of the Royal Air Force and of regular British
air services flying along the air route on the south-western shore of the Persian
Gulf between Koweit and Bahrein. These desiderata are as follows :—
(1) The aircraft of the Royal Air Force and of Imperial Airways proceeding
between Koweit and Bahrein are at present obliged to fly outside Saudi territorial
waters on the Hasa Coast. Although the range and reliability of aircraft have
greatly increased in recent years, flying for long periods over the open sea with
no possibility of making a landing in case of engine failure or other accident
imposes a severe strain upon pilots and greatly increases the danger of a mishap
proving disastrous. Accordingly, in order that this risk may be reduced as far
as possible, and the margin of safety increased, the Air Ministry are anxious
that permission may be given for the Royal Air Force and for British civil
aircraft of regular commercial services to fly down the Hasa coast within Saucji
territorial waters, and within gliding distance of the land, so as fo be able to
reach the land in the event of a forced landing proving unavoidable. The
proximity to the land at which aircraft would be obliged to fly in order to reach
safety in case of necessity would, of course, depend upon the height at which
they were operating; but every effort would be made to avoid actually flying over
the land itself. With the constant improvements taking place in aircraft
construction, it is anticipated that forced landings will become increasingly rare.
(2) Although recent improvements in the range and reliability of aircraft
have greatly reduced the risk of forced landings, they cannot yet be excluded as
impossible, and since it is essential, in view of the barren and sparsely populated
nature of much of the coast, for relief to be brought to the crews without delay,
the Air Ministry would be grateful for a general permission to send the necessary
minimum of assistance to any machine which has been compelled to land. Such
permission would, of course, be subject to immediate notification of the action
taken being given to the Saudi Government. Assistance would normally be
despatched by means of other aircraft, but in the case of machines forced down
near the Koweiti frontier, or on the coast of the mainland or one of the islands in
the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , it might be preferable to despatch motor vehicles or a vessel.