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Aviation History
1939
1939 - 1858.PDF
JUNE 15, 1939 FLIGHT PLANNING The British Airways Operational Department and Pilots' School : The Real Importance of Ground Organisation : Transport Research IN the ordinary way the expression '' flight planning " has come to mean, in America at any rate, simply the preliminary work done by a commercial pilot and the company's flight superintendent, alongside the meteoro logical people, preparatory to a normal scheduled service. In this particular case the expression has its full meaning, which covers all the past, present, and future work involved in the efficient operation of a series of air services. The days have long gone when airline opera tion could be carried out in a happy-go-lucky manner, with the pilots as the people on whom most of the responsibility rested. Needless to say, these pilots still carry their full share of responsibility, but nowadays they are being relieved of the thousand-and-one decisions and arrangements which have necessarily to be made. Assisted by the experience of operators in other countries, British Airways, both as they were originally placed at Gatwick and as they are now finally embedded at Heston, have organised what is one of the most efficient small-scale operations departments in the world. Not only does this department carry out all the organisation necessary in preparing new routes, but it is also responsible for running all services at the peak of efficiency, while retaining a complete record of all the flying done by the different machines and different pilots. There is a section devoted exclusively to airline research problems, so that the manufacturers can be told exactly what is wanted in the way of the equip ment and layout of the new machines which are ordered. The equally important maintenance and engineering section of the department is described elsewhere. During the last few years there have been considerable changes in the basic design of transport aeroplanes, and the modern type of machine demands rather special technique if the best results are to be obtained. The successful running of long-distance services demands not only technical, but considerable navigational skill from the crew, while accurate radio navigation, particularly during the last stages of a flight, require constant prac tice and very real flying accuracy. British Airways' own instructional school ensures that all pilots and co-pilots are entirely competent in all branches of their work. One of the most important and far- reaching decisions made by the company during the last year or so has been that relating to the question of whether or not, in particular meteorological conditions, a service should be run. During the winter before last, for instance, services were occasionally being operated by some companies in conditions which were just a little beyond the capabilities of the crew and the reliability of the navi gational systems which had so far been developed. There was, perhaps, a tendency ^fl@[TO 613 In the British Airways' map and route information department at Heston. Here all route maps, D/F maps and pilots' instruction books are kept up to date. for professional prestige to cause pilots to take off and fly to their destinations in weather which they themselves knew to be not quite safe. In almost all cases, through sheer skill and experience, the machines got through, but there was a growing feeling that important decisions of this kind should be co-operative. British Airways have taken this matter very seriously indeed. In good time before the departure of the passenger coach from Victoria the Commander of the machine in question and a member of the staff of the Operational department hold a consultation with the meteorologi cal officer at Heston. All the available weather evidence is collected and con sidered, and unless both the pilot and the Operational department are in agreement the service is cancelled. The important thing is that there must be unanimity and that both the Comman der and the Operations department should have a clear idea of the prime considera tion—safety. When, therefore, the pilot himself must make the decision at some Continental terminal, there need be no misunderstanding. If he cancels the ser vice because he does not consider that the weather is suitable, he has the full backing of the Operational department. When a service is cancelled from this end the pas sengers are told either at the London office or, if possible, at their homes. The days when a machine was just taken off on a scheduled trip are over. Pre-planning is _ _ , „ _ . the keynote of British Airways' opera- Mr. A C Campbel-Orde, tional system, who, until his recent trans- - */•*. *»• j. ference to Imperial Airways, u In fact- thls arrangement appears to was operational manager to have made veIT llttle difference to British Airways. the regularity figures. When British
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