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Aviation History
1945
1945 - 0083.PDF
JANUARY IITH, 1945 FLIGHT 45 seriously recommended for regular civil operation, it does retain the ad vantage of higher pay load speed, lower opera- tional cost, less crew, and better range. In fact, range is the Achilles heel of the glider train. Interesting calculations by Kletnin and Walling (J. Aeron.? p. Vol. 10, No. 6, June, 1943, and Flight, August 19th, 943) based on comparative characteristics of the Lode- star alone and towing one, two and three gliders of 13,800 1b. show among other things the overshadowing advantage of the aircraft-glider combination in payload increase, but accompanied by a serious reduction in speed and range. Based on a constant altitude of 5,000ft., and with normal full tanks, the range dropped from 1,800 miles for the tug alone to 1,100 miles with one, 800 miles with two, and 600 miles with three gliders. The over-riding consideration in aircraft operation, the increase of payload, is thus the one indisputable feature of the glider train. But is this consideration really over- riding without qualifications? Admittedly it is the aim in civil aviation, but the ways and means to reach it are of grave concern to the operator. For long-distance opera- tion airborne traffic has one main competitive advantage: speed. A reduction in cruising speed of the order of 25 per cent, does not only lower this competitive difference, but the higher payload is likely to be offset by the result- ing cost of operation and increased rates. Again, in the present position of airborne traffic, consideration of cost per ton /mile is ot first importance. Coupled with this, the increase in personnel, and the difficulty of doing blind flying, combine to reduce the glider train's chances. The operation of glider trains seems to be confined to, and only justified under specific conditions, such as the absence of landing fields when the ability of the glider to be picked up as well as landed can be utilised. But here, again, practical considerations may cancel out hypo- thetical advantages'; although in certain difficult terrains or isolated areas the glider may bring the advantages of air traffic, one glider in tow should adequately serve that purpose. It is unreasonable to imagine that an area which generates sufficient traffic for a regular schedule should remain without landing facilities. Without that steady frequency, on the other hand, the glider train would be debarred from any possibility of scheduled operation and would be reduced to tramp operation. For such, it may serve a good purpose. On the logical assumption that traffic-generating areas soon establish normal landing facilities, it follows logically that, apart from casual application, glider-borne freight will be left to the small isolated localities where the ex- pense of establishing an airport is not warranted. For such traffic a pick-up service combined with parachuted freight seems a much more economic proposition. Both pick-up technique and parachute equipment have made Tremendous strides and relatively substantial loads can be now operated in this manner. Moreover, the employ- ment of parachutes gives aircraft the necessary flexibility, reduces capital and operational costs, and permits the use of normal aircraft as a "task force." The possibility of passenger-carrying glider trains has been deliberately omitted here. For some considerable time, pending substantial improvements, the comforts of glider operation are not such as to warrant their use for passenger transportation. Nor is one inclined to believe that passengers, if accommodated in the tug, would happily tolerate their appendix. It is possible that an- other 25 years will produce that nonchalant attitude of the travelling public, but to suggest this at present seems as Utopian as to expect passengers to be parachuted over their back-gardens while the aircraft continues its undis- turbed, economic non-stop flight. CIVIL AVIATION NEWS REVIVAL '"THE Finnish Air Transport Company announces that anJL agreement has been reached with the Soviet Union, accord- ing to which Finnish aircraft may resume air traffic betweenFinland and Sweden, co-operating as formerly with the Swedish Aerotransport The service was scheduled to begin last week. AN INDIAN RECORD DURING the year ended June 30th, 1944, the IndianNational Airways, Ltd., flew approximately 850,000 miles on services on behalf of the Government of India andthe Armed Forces. The passenger traffic produced a high figure of 3.725,000 passenger-miles, and a total of 474,000traffic ton-miles was accomplished. These opeiations had been carried out by Indian pilots andIndian crews, and the majority of the ground staff were also Indian. The Directors are planning the Company's futureoperations, and as soon as aircraft become available they propose to re-equip with a fleet of large and up-to-date airliners. THE MERCURY- MORE specific details are now available of the Martin 202Mercury which is to be built by Glenn L. Martin Com- pany in three versions: a 30-passenger model providing for a forward freight compartment, a 36-passenger type with less freight space and a 12-passenger version of which more than half is a large freight compartment. Final specifications of this low wing design are: Length 76ft. 7in., span 80ft. ioin., wing area 765 sq. ft., gross weight 33,5001b., empty weight (30-passenger type) 22,2351b., fuel capacity 600 gal. The cruising speed at 10,000ft. is 254 m.p.h., max. speed (at 8,500ft.) 314 m.p.h., and ceiling 28,700ft. -AND THE PACKET THE Fairchild C-82 Packet cargo aircraft which is soon to gointo scheduled production was illustrated in Flight of January 4th. It was be powered by either Pratt & Whitney Double-Wasps or Wright Cyclones. The Packet carriesi8,ooolb. useful load up to 22,ioolb. overload. The main compartments are 8ft. wide, 28ft.-long and 8ft.high, and the forward lower section is 8ft. wide, 10ft. long and 6ft. 6in. high. Although the capacity is about 2,300 cu. ft.(as compared with the Commando's 2.775 cu- ft.) the spacious- ness of the Packet enables the handling of very bulky cargo,allowing for easy accommodation of a 2^ ton truck. Cruising speed at 10,000ft. is said to be the same as that ofthe Commando or ov'er 200 m.p.h. LOOKING AHEAD A MERICAN domestic air-carrier express ton-miles flownA during 1943 were almost five times I94o"s total; passenger miles flown per passenger fatality were four and one-half timesthat of 1936. The 1943 report of the C.A.A. which published this information states further, that from July 1st, 1942, toAugust 5th, 1944, ^ war training effort furnished more than 300,000 partially trained pilots for the U.S. Forces. In addition to its direct war efiort duties, the C.A.A. hasan ambitious planning for peace programme, including facili- tation of the reconversion of the industry, the construction of3,050 new airports, a 20,000,000-dollar modernisation o£ radio and a stimulation ot aeronautical education and flight trainingby Federal aid to colleges. SURPLUS SALES SIXTY-SIX twin engined Douglas and Lockheed transportshave been declared "surplus" and allocated among American and foreign airlines. Of this total 24 DC-3S have been allocated as . follows: AHiebolaget Aerotransport, Sweden, five; Cia Mercantile Anonima Iberia, Spain, three; Cia Mexicana de Aviacion, three; Cia Nacional Cubana de Aviacion, Cuba, two; Direction des Transppites Aeriens of France, five; Panair of Brazil, three; Sabena of Belgium, three. Three Lockheeds were allocated to the Linea Aeroportial Venezolana of Venezuela and one to the Navegacao Aera Brasi- leira of Brazil. It is stated that many foreign airline- have not yet made formal applications.
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