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Aviation History
1938
1938 - 0107.PDF
JANUARY 13, 1938. FLIGHT. 45 Commercial Aviation TRANSPORT COMPARISONS-I! Some Further Comments on the Economics of Airline Operation THE article by Mr. R. A. E. Luard in last week's issueraised a number of interesting points for the potentialpurchaser of commercial aeroplanes. One reader, whois intimately connected with air transport operation, suggests that the table does one aeroplane, at least, some injus- tice, and says that the inclusion of the D.H. 86A with Gipsy VI Series II motors and C.P. airscrews, is hardly fair in so far as no example of this type has ever gone into com- mercial service. He has drawn up a table to show the figures for the D.H. 89A, Lockheed 12A, D.H. 86A (with Series I motors) and the Lockheed Electra 10A. Maehinet (in order of sixe) Engine! Disposable load in lbs. ... Disposable load as per cent of all-up weightCruising h.p. as per cent, of max. H.PCruising speed in m.p.b.. Disposable load in lbscruising h.p. Fuel consumption in galton/mile/load ... No. of seats / Cap. cost pass, seat/m.p.h. Cap. cost ton/mile loadperhr. ... D.H.89A Rapids. Gipsy VI Ser. 1. (2) 2270 41 65132 8.7 .1346 £5 10s. £39 10s. Lockheed 1ZA. P, & W. WaspJnr. 8.B. (2) 2805 33.4 75213 4.6 .1616 £7 17s. £36 8s. D.H.86A Express. Gipsy VI Ser. 1. («) 4229 41 65140 8.1 .13610 £6 8s. £34 Os. Lockheed 10A.P. & W. Wasp Jnr. S.B. !2) 4320 43 75 ,192 - 7.5 .11710 £6 4s. £32 4s. "It will be noticed" he writes, "that the figures for the Electra differ considerably from those given last week, which were apparently taken for a machine fitted with radio and de- icing equipment, while fuel consumption figures appear to have been taken in U.S. gallons. To further'the comparison the last two lines in the table have been completed for the American types, the prices used being "fly-away factory" at £i=$$. It is realised that, from the point of view of the purchaser in the United Kingdom, these figures are valueless except to show him what he is missing, there being no manu- facturer in this country with the gumption to builtl a modern commercial machine. But it does give a guide to the over- seas buyer, and goes no little way in explaining the apparent preference of operators in the Dominions for the American product. "Actually, the figures given for the Lockheed Electra are not the normal operating ones, as 75 per cent, power is the maximum continuous cruising figure. Working the column on a basis of G5 per cent, power (line 3) the cruising speed drops to 183 m.p.h., the next line becomes 8.3, the fuel consumption drops to 0.099, while the last two lines increase to £6 us. and £34 respectively. "A comparison of these figures with those of the D.H. 86A brings to light the fact that metal construction costs no more than wood and wire, and it would also appear that it pays to go fast—until it is realised that leaded fuel is required in the Lockheed, which restored the balance from the point of view of operating cost, but not from the point of view of pay-load available. "An interesting fact, which will provide yet another prob- lem for the commercial operator, is that of the ratio of passen- ger to freight-capacity. In the past, fuselage shape was such that it was possible to have one's pay-load in the form of all pas- sengers, all freight, or an arrangement to suit the requirements of the route to be operated. With increasing speeds, this is changing. Through the inability of engines of reasonable horse- power to force an object looking like a block of flats through the air at high speed, fuselages of more limited dimensions are becoming fashionable, while pay-loads are rising. This point is well illustrated by the Lockheed 14H, a new type which is rapidly proving its worth on routes in the United States. Its figures by the Luard method follow: Line 1, dis- posable load 7,520 lb.; line 2, 44.2 per cent.; line 3, 69 per cent.; line 4, 222 m.p.h.; line 5, 7.1 ; line 6, 0.094 gal. [ton] mile; line 7, 11 seats; and lines 8 and 9, £6 12s. and £21 13s. respectively. "A machine of this type, fully equipped with radio, etc., a crew of three and a full complement of passengers, with fuel for the trip London-Berlin against a 20 m.p.h. head wind and with 45 min. extra petrol, would have a balance of pay- load of over one ton available for freight. Further, there is a reasonable chance of stowing this quantity away, with freight space at the rate of 15 lb. per cubic foot. This large increase in freight capacity will probably be a feature of most future high-speed types of commercial aircraft, and is liable to prove a nightmare to operators who have not a substantial airmail or freight contract. To those who have one it will come as a blessing, for medium-sized transport operators, at present, appear to experience difficulty in keeping the mail from overflowing into what could be profitable pas- senger accommodation. " Which is a sorry picture for Mr. British Aircraft Construc- tor, without any sign, not even in the dim distance, of a British type to compare with the I>ockheed 14H. What about it? " Inverness—Glasgow 'TPHE long-expected service between Inverness and Glasgow J- will be started early in May by Highland Airways, follow- ing the installation of D/F at Inverness aerodrome. The service will be run via Perth, to connect with Stirling and Edinburgh. Incidentally, * Highland Airways are also con- templating a service between Inverness and Lewis. More Transport Training THE Danish Transport Company has now started a blind-flying course for their new pilots. The course is designed primarily for blind-approach work on the ZZ system, though it includes besides training in " economical" flying. The school is directed by 6ne of the D.D.L.'s most ex- perienced pilots, Air-Capt. E. Damm, and a specially laid-out Fokker F12 is used. On the Way Home ON January 10 the Short Centaurus left Wellington, N.Z.,for Sydney on the first leg of her return flight. She reached Sydney after a ten-hour crossing of the Tasman Sea, carrying Col. White, the Australian Minister of Customs, as a passenger. While in New Zealand Centaurus, which is in charge of Capt. Burgess, visited Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton and Dunedin. CANADIAN TERMINUS: Sea Island Airport, Vancou- ver, B.C., where the trans- Canada service has its western terminus. The ad- ministration building is en the right and the new radio station is on the left. In the foreground is Canadian Air- ways' first Lockheed Electra used on the Vancouver- Seattle service.
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