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Aviation History
1950
1950 - 0683.PDF
FLIGHT. 6 April 1950 A '3 SWISSAIR IN 1949 'TPHE large operating loss of 5 millionJL francs (approximately ^400,000) incurred by Swissair in 1949, and thecomparatively poor prospects for 1950, has caused the company to ask forGovernment assistance to assure the future of commercir 1 aviation in Switzer-land. Last year's unfavourable results are attributed mainly to the fare reduc-tions in most European countries which have followed devalaation. An officialstatement says: "The outlook for T950 is particularly unfavourable inasmuch asthe reduced fares remain in force. In spite of reductions which will be madein the operations programme and eco- nomy measures which will be taken, anoperating loss of several million francs must be foreseen, assuming that flightfrequencies remain unchanged." Swissair's executive council has ap- proved plans to reduce the number of scheduled services, dispose of a number of aircraft, and effect a corresponding decrease in personnel. The fleet consists of LC-js, IJC-4S and Convairs. Last year, the company flew some 5,351,000 aircraft miles and carried 153,800 passengers with a creditable regu- larity percentage of 98.9. The Swissair route network covers Silver City Airways forTHIS WAY UP : This mobile loading ramp developedstheir Channel car-ferry service, which was restarted pife manoeuvred by the "mechanical moke" fitted to the front end over 23,000 miles, and at the moment the company is par-ticipating in trans-Atlantic traffic to the extent of two flights per week in each direction from Zurich to New York viaShannon and Gander. BREVITIES T~*l IE Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, J- Mr. Frank Beswick, M.P., has appointed Mr. R. F. Prosser, M.C., to be his Private Secretary. * * * Further details are now available of the Martin 4-0-4S, of which, as mentioned in Flight, March 16th, 65 were ordered by T.W.A. and Eastern Airlines. The aircraft will be operated at a gross .weight of 43,ooolb, and fuel capacity is being in- creased to 1,350 U.S. gallons, as compared with the 1,010- gallon capacity of the 2-0-2. * * * In Information Circular No. 28, the M.C.A. announces that the Air Navigation (Radio) Regulations, 1949, which affect the maintenance and certification of radio in public transport aircaft, are at present under review. Pending the issue of revised regulations it has been decided to cancel the existing Section 4, which was due to come into effect on April 1st. * • • B.O.A.C. announces the sale of 11 Plymouth flying-boats and five Liberators, all to one purchaser who, for the moment, has elected to remain anonymous. In addition, five Tudor Vs were sold to another buyer. B.O.A.C. had previously stated that, unless the Plymouths were sold by the end of January, their high cost of maintenance would make it necessary for them to be broken up. * • » This year the public \vill again be given an opportunity of viewing at close quarters the activities of State-owned airports, and thirteen enclosures will be opened before Easter. Last year more than 850,000 people visited the airfields, more than half a million going to London Airport and Northolt alone. At London, Northolt, Croyrlon and Blackpool visitors will be able to make short pleasure flights, and similar facilities will in due course be organized at other airports. * * * On his return from Lisbon, where, as reported in Flight of March 30th, he was making an " on-the-spot " check of traffic arrangements, the chairman of B.O.A.C., Sir Miles Thomas, denied that the Civil Aviation authorities there were placing restrictions on the Corporation'? passengers. He said that, on the contrary, he found the Portuguese officials extremely co-operativfi, and disagreements had .been settled. * » « To meet the demand for bookings to Europe and Scandinavia this summer, A.O.A. announces that the rtimber of trans- Atlantic flights will be almost doubled. From June 1st frequency of the New York-London service will be increased from seven to eleven flights weekly, tins permitting 660 pas- sengers to fly to London each week. All scheduled aircraft in March were filled to capacity, and several extra flights had to be made. The company reports that, of last month's pas- sengers, nearly 70 per cent took advantage r.i the special T5- or 60-day reduced excursion rates. Delegates at the annual general meeting of I.A.T.A., which will be held in San Francisco from October 18th to 20th, are being invited to Oakland Airport to commemorate the'first commercial flight across the Pacific. * * * T The French Minister of Postal Services announced on March 29th that an air mail service without extra charge would soon be re-established between France • nd Britain. Incidentally, arrangements are also being made to recei.e subscriptions for British newspapers and periodicals at French post offices. * * •> The Societa Anonima Aerea, which represents the Czecho- slovakian aircraft industry in Italy, announces that 15 single- engined Sokol and four twin-engined Aero 45s have been sold there. Furthermore, a number of Italian prototypes have been fitted with Czechoslovakian engines. . . .'. - . . ••"•• * • * • * "-'The Soutli African Minister of Transport has stated that S.A.A. may show a small surplus of revenue over expendituie for the financial year ended March 31st. Although the figures from April to October showed high monthly losses, tiie posi- tion was to some extent alleviated by B.O.A.C."s quarterly- ad justment. . * • * The Argentine airline, F.A.M.A., has inaugurated a direct, service from Buenos Aires to New York ; the first aircraft on this route landed at Idlewild on March 22nd. DC-6s are being used, and elapsed time for the flight is 26^ hr. According to a message from Buenos Aires, the company is about to sell its Avro Yorks and Lancastrians to the Argentine Air Force. * * # With a view to expanding tKe export of South African pro- ducts by air, the directors of J. W. Kearsley (S.A.), Pty., Ltd.. have decided that where air freight charges amount to £25 or more no handling, clearing or incidental charges will be made. The company feels that the only way to popularize air- freighting is to keep handling charges as low as possible, and considers that the new arrangement will not only benefit the import and export agents, but will even enable the selling price of the goods to be reduced. * * *., The U.S. Civil Aeronautics Board has granted permission for T.C.A. to operate a sen-ice between Montreal and Port of Spain, Trinidad, stopping at Tampa and St. Peteisburg, Florida. The C.A.B. does not consider that the diversion of business from other U.S. carriers will be very great, taking the view that, in any case, most of the travellers will be Canadian citizens. Protests against the routing of T.C.A.'s Trinidad service had previously been made by several t'.S. airlines. * # * Because the (J.S. Air Force is abandoning its base in the Aleutian Islands, Canadian Pacific Airlines will now have to find an alternative route to the Orient. The Minister of Trans-
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