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Aviation History
1947
1947 - 1955.PDF
NOVEMBER 6TH, 1947 F LIG HI 533 t damage to aircraft, they have conducted Trans-Pacific com- mercial contract operations to Tinian, Manila, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Saigon, Singa- pore, Batavia, and Australia destinations. Again two and a half million miles were flown with a perfect safety record. This airline is also at pre- sent assisting several U.S. government agencies in the development of aircraft land- ing aids, at the Landing Aids Experimental Station, Ar- cata, California. This includei Ike testing and development 'C -high-intensity runway and approach lights, high-pres- sure fog dispersal systems, ground control approach and instrument-landing systems. As a result of these tests, the various sponsoring agencies will be able to determine, under scientifically controlled conditions, the most practical and efficient all-weather land- ing system. Most of the immigrants ex- pressed great surprise that they were not being flown to Toronto by British aircraft manned by British crews. The answer is that Trans-Canada haven't the necessary equipment to spare at the moment, but a new aircraft is now being constructed, details of which have not yet been announced.* To ensure a reason- able pay load at £67 per passenger requires a 40-seater aircraft of great reliability, I am told. The Skymaster can remain aloft and make headway with two of its four engines out of commission. The immigrants expressed delight with the comfort of the fully-adjustable seats and the ability to converse freely in the air. At Shannon airport a two-hour stop is made, during which hungry Britons can indulge in a large steak covered in fried eggs. Unused to so much rich food, passengers frequently request help from the stewardess in their sick- ness. Gander is the next stop, and there a generous helping of bacon and eggs is served in a comfortable restaurant. * Rference to this aircraft, which is being built by A. V. Roe (Comodu) Hi., and'•ill be powered by Rolls-Rmce j t engines, uas inade by Mr. James T. Biin in his British Qommonn-ialth and Empire Lfduretothe Royal Aeronautical Soc*<ty, reportedin this is'.ur.—ED. ARRIVAL AT MALTON AIRPORT, TORONTO. The Canadian welcome is both warm and picturesque. At Malton airport, Toronto, the emigrants are quickly cleared through customs and immigration authorities, and taken over by members of the Canadian Red Cross and the Salvation Army. The seventeen miles to Toronto is covered in luxurious six-passenger limousines, and the emigrant never loses sight of his luggage. Once landed at Malton, the airline's responsibility ceases, and the passen- gers depart for the reception centre where they are fed and given a brd for the night, followed the next morning by kind and efficient assistance in securing a suitable job and permanent living quarters. Trans-Canada's contract with Transocean specifically states that the latter shall not carry passengers between Toronto and the United States, and this clause is jealously guarded. Consequently the empty Skymaster with 40 seats vacant takes off for New York for inspection and the load- ing of freight for the return journey, with only the crew of six or seven aboard. A great pity this waste of 3J air hours cannot be overcome, if only for the mutual regard of one airline for another. It proved the only aggravating point in my journey. AIRCRAFT and the AIRWAYS (Continued from page 531) gf'Ow been rectified, they were unable to start' from scratch andl*uild the machine they wanted, but they had succeeded in lome degree in applying some of the principles he had men-tioned. In the North Star they had taken simplification of the pilot's duties and automatic control as far as present air-way facilities would permit. One example of this was the Rolls-Royce Mk. 620 power plant. With the co-operation andguidance of Rolls-Royce, Ltd., they had succeeded in making all engine controls entirely automatic, thus greatly simplifyingthe cockpit control. The Hamilton Standard airscrews were controlled by a single lever, and provision had been madefor eventually hooking up the automatic pilot, the aircraft controls and the power plants for operation by radio control. As an example of how operations had grown and improvedby the introduction of the DC-4M Mr. Bain mentioned that the present figure was 14 flights per week, using six aircraft;that operational economy had greatly improved; and that for the Rolls-Royce engines a period of 1,000 hours between over-hauls was in sight. The internal domestic and trans-border flight equipmentoperated well within the limits dictated by safety and the "type of operation. In the immediate future all main line services would be operated with pressurized North Star air-craft, which would easily maintain Canada's competitive posi- tion. However, they were still not satisfied, and after carefulconsideration the Ministers of Canada's Government had approved a development programme for an advanced passengertransport. Details of the specification had not yet been released but construction of the prototype was now welladvanced at the Toronto plant of A. V. Roe (Canada), Ltd., and orders had been placed for the Rolls-Royce jet engines. In proposing a vote of thanks, Sir Frederick Handley Pagesaid it had been a pleasure to listen to such a stimulating lecture, and it was refreshing to listen to a man who was notafraid of speaking his mind. Mr. Bain had referred to the importance of close co-operation between manufacturer andoperator, and if only the designers would be guided by the far-seeing operators they would be on the right road. Perhapsit did not always work out that way. Sometimes it seemed rather as if the operator led the designer up the garden path. Mr. N. E. Rowe recalled that he had spent some time withMr. Bain in Canada last year and had seen something of the DC-4M and its production. He had been very impressed bythe enthusiasm shown everywhere, and he thought much of the credit for the success of the DC-4M must go to Mr. Bain.
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