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Aviation History
1946
1946 - 2132.PDF
45° FLIGHT OcTOFER 24TH, I946 Qantas Re-equipment Policy : Australian Terminal : Lower Landing Fees HOLIDAY EXPRESS : ChannelIslands Airways' Bristol Way- farer on the tarmac at Jerseyairfield. Some surprising pas- senger and freight figures forthis service are given on p. 451. CIVIL AVIATION NEWS FLYING FOR THE CORPORATIONS Aircrew Qualifications for B.O.A.C., B.E.A.C. and B.S.A.A.C. SOME idea of the opportunities for employment as aircrewin the British Corporations may be gained from the British European Airways target—which is to have ninety aircrewslully trained and able to handle Vikings to passenger-carrying standards by Jufjh 1947. From more than a hundred applica-tions received each month from aircrew leaving the R.A.F. about twenty are accepted by B.E.A. and that rate is expectedto continue for another year. The qualifications required by all Corporations are roughlysimilar-—lor a pilot a minimum of 800 hours' flying on modern multi-engined aircraft is required, of which 200 hours musthave been at night. British South American Airways are also asking for a grand total of 1,500 hours and B.O.A.C. require250 hours of four-engine experience. Although a B" licence is not always essential for applicants, holders of that licenceand also the 2nd Class Navigator's Certificate gain preference. B.O.A.C. and B.S.A.A. each require from all pilots a "B"licence and a 2nd " N " after a reasonable period of about two to three months, and a 1st "N" after about six or eightmonths. The B.E.A. rule is merely that a pilot must have both "B" and 2nd "N" before receiving a command. Pilots are trained, after joining the Corporation, to a muchhigher standard than that demanded by the Ministry of Civil Aviation for licencing purposes. At Aldermaston, near Read-ing, twelve or fifteen weeks are spent by B.O.A.C. and B.E.A. trainees on courses covering air legislation, the form of theearth, air charts, meteorology, flight navigation, radar, flight planning, compasses and instruments, signalling, Corporationprocedure, flight preparation, and air-sea rescue. This is in addition to any conversion on to type that would be necessary.B.S.A.A. run a similar course at Heathrow. Pilots are graded in ranks of Senior Captain, Junior Captainand First Officer. Senior Captains are normally employed on executive as well as flying duties. Commanders of aircrafton scheduled services are normally Junior Captains, the second pilot is a First Officer and he usually navigates the aircraft.The length of time served as First Officer depends upon the individual's qualifications, capabilities and the rate at whichvacancies occur. Before eventually taking command, a pro- spective captain flies under the supervision of a Senior Captainon each initial flight over the routes. Each Corporation has its own ruling for constant practice. For example, B.E.A.,during the initial flights, make a practice "let down" at each airfield on a particular rout#, and after that all pilots make atleast one practice "let down" each month at the airfields on each route on which they fly. B.E.A. are also considering adopting a scheme already prac-tised by B.O.A.C. of withdrawing First Officers regularly every ninety days from scheduled services for a check on all emer-gency landing procedures. Navigators as such are being carried on the B.O.A.C. Em-pire routes only. It is not known whether this practice will continue, but at the moment there is no reason to believe thatB.O.A.C. will insist on pilot navigation. Radio operators are required to pass the Postmaster-General's Certificate andshould have civil flying experience, with a knowledge of civil procedure. It is sometimes possible for pilots to join theCorporations without the necessary qualifications and fly as a Second Officer whilst traininglfor the certificates. Vacanciesare becoming fewer, however, and it is understood this practice will probably cease. It would be as well to mention that flyingexperience on single-engine aircraft only is not acceptable. FACING THE FACTS J little time ago it was announced that Qantas EmpireAirways had ordered Constellations for their long-range operations. Since there is always a certain amount offeeling, and certainly misunderstanding, over the purchase of "foreign" aircraft by our own or Dominion operators, it willbe interesting to give Mr. Hudson Fysh's reason for the purchase. To a considerable extent these reasons tally with those whichmight have been given by B.O.A.C. or any other operator who is temporarily forced to "go foreign." Apart from the factthat Q.E.A.'s competitors in Australia—Australian National Airways and Trans-Australia Airlines (the Government-runconcern)—have already purchased Skymasters, Q.E.A. will also be in competition with Pan American World Airways,K.L.M., Air France, and even, in a manner, our own B.O.A.C. —all of whom have Constellations and Stratocruisers either inaction or on order. Mr. Hudson Fysh, in his statement, says, quite frankly, thatsuitable British aircraft for long-range operations on the Aus- tralia-England route are not available, and that even thosewho would prefer to buy British have been forced to go else- where until the much publicized British turbine-powered civilaircraft can be brought into operation "in six years or more!**! from now. In short, the fort must be held. Australia, said Mr. Hudson Fysh, was now in a vital stagein the foundation of her post-war overseas air transport policy. There would be many competitors on the Australia-Englandair route, and it would be suicidal to use uncompetitive air- craft on this run. At present there were no aircraft availableoutside America which would fill all the requirements for long- range operations, as distinct from short-stage services. As the war came to an end it was realized* he said, thatQantas should plan its post-war operations on the Australia- England route in two stages; an emergency phase duringwhich converted war types would be used, followed, as closely as possible, by more permanent and economic operations.The introduction of this second phase had been deferred in order to give British constructors time to produce suitabletypes. The first stage was put into operation on May 18th last, when Q.E.A., in conjunction with B.O.A.C., started the
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