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Aviation History
1948
1948 - 1689.PDF
OCTOBER ;TH, 1948 FLIGHT 443 CORRESPONDENCE The Editor does not hold himself responsible for the views expressed by correspondents. The names and addresses of the writers. not necessarily for publication, must in all cases accompany letters. " GIANTISM " Optimum Sizes Exceeded in Many Instances "DEFERRING to "Comparator" in Flight of August 12th •"• and Sir Miles Thomas's "experiment in giantism," the Cunard-White Star will never again build big ships like the Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth. From a business point of view they are 50 per cent too big. There is an optimum size to a factory unit, to an army unit, and to any commercial organization. In 1926 "giantism" caused us to build the Empire State Building, which is not a money maker and is 50 per cent too big from every point of view. S. M. UDALE. Detroit, U.S.A. AMBASSADOR ACCOMMODATION Wide Choice of Layout Available IN the issue of Flight dated September 23rd, there appearsan excellent photograph of the cutaway Ambassador model shown on our stand at Famborough. In the accompanying caption, however, it is described as being "a B.E.A. arrange- ment." In fact, the model was not designed to suit the Cor- poration's requirements, but was presented as an illustration of one way in which forty passengers could be accommodated in the Ambassador. At the time it was constructed no final decision had been reached as to the B.E.A. layout. In bringing this to your attention we do not wish to appear over-critical but, in the interests of accuracy, we would like to point out that individual operators have considerable free- dom of choice as regards interior layout owing to the Ambas- sador's spacious and unobstructed fuselage. Christchurch, Hants. M. A. PEDDER, Public Relations Department, Airspeed, Ltd. BUMBLEDOM Complaint of a Private Owner ON Saturday last I flew to Northolt by prior permission.On arrival I was taken to the Control buildings, where I was informed that my State landing card was not applicable, and that a fee was payable. At the same time I was requested to show the C. of A. I was then taken to the briefing room, where I was again requested to show the C. of A. I returned to the Control an hour later to fill jn the normal flight plan for clearance to Elmdon, and was again requested to show the C. of A., and also (for the first time) my pilot's licence. This necessitated a five minutes' walk across the tarmac to the aircraft, in which all documents are kept, but on return with the licence I found that no one was now in- terested in looking at it, and was instead confronted with a request for a Certificate of Safety for the aircraft. Some twenty minutes of argument were wasted with another minor official in an endeavour to convince him that these have never been applicable to a private aircraft during my ownership (dating back some ten years) after which I was permitted to fill in the usual flight plan. I was not informed that this should be taken anywhere else in the building, with the result that on taxying out to the runway I was kept for a further period while the runway Controller endeavoured to discover something about my flight plan. I formed the opinion that this is bumbledom, inefficiency and obstruction in excelsis, and if it is essential (which I very much doubt) to retain the services of so many officials, some of them should be taken for their higher education to a few of the well-run Continental airports which I have had the pleasure of visiting, where one is politely asked to produce on arrival any documents required, after which every assistance is given in one's intended stay or departure. They are the servants of the public and if they cannot assimilate and repeat this courtesy and efficiency, their services should be dispensed with. This official attitude, if permitted to flourish by those re- sponsible, cannot but be a further discouragement to private flying in this country—which may not after all be such a good idea, vide the Air Ministry's current efforts to re-discover the skilled aircrews to whom, after the recent hostilities, they gave no encouragement whatever to remain in flying practice through the medium of the clubs. D. K. N. EVANS. Edgbaston, Birmingham. SMALL-FIELD OPERATION The Case for the Tiger MothI T would be interesting to know the views of private owners as to the best machine for operating in confined spaces. I believe the Tiger >Moth is unequalled. A short time ago I put one down on a piece of land with an area of half an acre ; the longest distance across the plot was 57 yards. At the end of the run there was a petrol bowser and an 11-ton tractor; landing was partly cross wind. The approach was unobstructed, but an overshoot meant a certain " write off," owing to a furrow with a vertical side of 15m bordering the area; a not too steady breeze was blowing at about 20 m.p.h. The take-off run avail- able was 55 yards but not more than three-quarters of this was used. The important point is that this landing and take-off wasundertaken with confidence. "TIGER TOM." Apethorpe, Peterborough. AIRPORT CONGESTION M.C.A. Should Study the Air LiftF AR be it from me to pose as a statistician—I have, in fact,a certain distrust of the species—but the following thoughts may perhaps, have some merit without the backingof figures. Sir Frank Whittle (Flight, September 23rd), among others, has drawn attention to the increasing problem of the airfield handling of ever larger and faster aircraft carrying greater and more varied cargoes; and the speculation concerning the future "capacity" of our larger airports has, 1 feel, a somewhat dubious and too hypothetical basis. But surely we have before us a magnificent example of practical airfield controlling in the Berlin Air Lift. 1 know no more details of this than are contained in the daily Press [detailed accounts have appeared in Flight since this letter was written.—ED.], but there must be something to be learned from this huge daily flow of several hundred machines from a severely limited num- ber of airfields. The machines are of widely differing types, the fields are by no means the most spacious in the world, and both passengers and a variety of goods are handled. My sug- gestion then is that a representative of those in M.C.A. (or elsewhere) who are concerned about our future traffic control should go over and inspect this spectacle, and derive the benefit therefrom. Even further be it from me to suggest that a large body of Government officials should make a nuisance of itself by using up valuable seats and rations and interfering with the Air Forces who are getting on with the job. But let the M.C.A. be exemplary in sending one responsible representative to Berlin for a few weeks to applaud, to learn, and finally to inform. .,. ,; J. GRANT DUNCAN. , A Wick, Caithness. • • •-~-r' • FORTHCOMING EVENTS ; Oct. 8th,—Lancashire Aero Club : Annual Ball, Grand Hotel, Manchester. Oct. 9th.—The British Interplanetary Society: "Interplanetary Man," Olaf Stapledon. Oct. 13th.—R.Ae.S. (Hatfield) : " Aircraft Photography." John Yoxall. Oct. 15th.—Second International Air Ball at London Airport. Oct. 16th.—Wolverhampton Aero Club : The Siddeley Trophy Race. Oct. 21st.—Royal Aeronautical Society : " Cold Weather Operation of Aircraft," G. W. Wilson, A.F.R.Ae.S. and S/L E.P. Bridgland, R.C.A.F., B.Sc, A.F.R.Ae.S. Oct. 22nd.—Bristol and Wessex Aeroplane Club : Aviation Ball, Grand Spa Hotel, Bristol. Oct. 26th.—R.Ae.S. (Graduates and Students) : " Flight Refuelling," Sir Alan J. Cobham, K.B.E., Hon. F.R.Ae.S. Oct. 27th.—R.Ae.S. (Preston) : " Design Problems of Large Flying Boats," H. Knowler, F.R.Ae.S. Oct. 30th.—S.L.A.E. (South Eastern Area) : " High Speed Flight," by W. A. Waterton, Manson House, 26, Portland Place, London, W.I. at 3 p.m. Nov. 1st.—R.Ae.S. (Derby) : " Fighter Aircraft of the World," Sqn. Ldr. H. F. King, M.B.E. Nov. 10th.—R.Ae.S. (Graduates and Students) : " Flying Experiences," Lt. Cdr. (A) E. M. Brown, O.B.E., D.S.C., A.F.C., M.A., A.R.Ae.S., R.N. Nov. 12th.—Redditch Society : " Aircraft Photography." John Yoxall. Nov.- 17th.—R.Ae.S. (Hatfield) : " Design Problems of Large Flying Boats," H. Knowler, F.R.Ae.S. Nov. 17th.—R.Ae.S. (Preston) : " Investigation of Aircraft Accidents," A. Cdre. Vernon Brown, C.B., O.B.E., F.R.Ae.S.
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