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Aviation History
1950
1950 - 0892.PDF
578 CIVIL AVIATION NEWS FLIGHT, 11 May 1950 GIVING IT AIR : The first prototype Airspeed Ambassador is flying with a Bristol Centaurus 661 to port and a 631 to starboard. The latest cowling arrangements for the 661—which, of course, will be fitted to the production aircraft—are seen in this photograph and des- cribed " Cooler Cowlings " in an item below. B.E.A.'s BETTER RESULTS A PRELIMINARY estimate of B.E.A.'s financial results for1949, given by Lord Douglas of Kirtleside, the Corpora-tion's chairman, shows that the deficit for that year was reduced to approximately £1,450,000, a decrease of 50 per cent on the previous year's figure. The chairman stated that although he had hoped to reduce the deficit to ^1,300,000, devaluation had cost a further -£180,000 by increasing the price of fuel, spares and overseas station maintenance. This year, by increasing the total flying hours by 21 per cent and achieving a 35 per cent increase in revenue, he hoped that at least a 17 per cent reduction of the 1949 deficit would be possible. The total increased costs due to devaluation would amount to £449,000 during the 1949-50 financial year. In addition, Lord Douglas said, B.E.A. might also have to contend with a fuel tax on internal services. One of the more favourable results of devaluation, however, had been the increased bookings on Continental services and Lord Douglas thought that, provided no further unexpected financial blows were received, the increased traffic would even enable B.E.A. to improve on the estimated figure for its operating deficit in the current financial year. EXPLOSIVE EXIT? RECENT announcement by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research indicates that a means of using an explosive charge rather than an axe to provide an exit for the occupants of crashed aircraft is now under develop- ment. The M.C.A. is understood to be interested in the idea. As is well known, in rescue, work it is often difficult to break through the fuselage quickly enough to release pas- sengers or crew. The new device would incorporate a "line- charge," about double the thickness of a pencil, which is held against the structure by a mechanically operated arm. It has been demonstrated that unless people trapped in aircraft are actually leaning against the particular panel which is blown open it is unlikely that anyone would be injured by the explosion and that in any case such injuries would not be serious. The idea of the " shaped line-charge " was developed by Dr. E. W. G. Phillips, of the Forest Products Research Board, who during the war conducted a survey of crash fires. U.S. AIRLINES' YEAR A CCORDING to the U.S. Air Transport Association, the *V American airline industry as a whole made a record profit of $45,000,000 (about /i6,ooo,ooo) during 1949, an overall increase of 39 per cent on the figure for 1948. A total of 16,420,132 passengers was flown over 8,842,805,000 passenger- miles, and a new safety record of one passenger fatality for every 100,000,000 passenger-miles was established. Passenger traffic contributed 81.99 per cent of the total incomes of regular U.S. operators while mail accounted for 10.08 per cent and cargo 5.86 per cent. The Association states that passenger fares are now down to a level " consistent with profitable operations" and points out that cargo revenues A have shown a spectacular increase since 1946. Last year the 95,000,000 ton-miles of cargo flown by all companies at an average rate of 19J cents (about is 4^d) per ton-mile produced more than $18,000,000 (£6,400,000) in revenue. One of the primary factors which contributed to the industry's favourable position last year was undoubtedly the "air-coach" experiment which, in the words of Mr. Joseph O'Connell. chairman of the C.A.B., "although originally accepted with some misgivings by the Government, has proved generally successful." He said that the future of "coach" services depended entirely on the answers to such questions as whether they attracted new business or simply diverted it from existing first-class services, and whether they would pay their own way. He gave a warning, however, that the C.A.B. regarded price-cutting somewhat cautiously, and pointed out the dangers of any violent fare reduction which might follow the present limited cut rates. COOLER COWLINGS THE power plants for the production Ambassadors areBristol Centaurus 661's, around which the Airspeed com- pany have assembled four semi-independent panels to form the petal cowling seen in the photograph'above. Wide-chord gills are fitted aft of the inside ring and ahead of the shoulder cowl in place of the venturi-type inward-opening louvres of earlier installations. Airspeed state that practical experience has shown that the internal air intake is not altogether satisfac- tory, either from the engine-efficiency or oil-cooling point of view, and thus a direct intake, bifurcated to provide both engine and oil cooling air, is now provided. A shoulder cowl of' stainless steel protects the accessories behind the engine and its inside ring. As before, this ring carries the gases to stacks which discharge over the wing. The stub stacks are cowled to give a venturi effect and thus assist the cooling-air flow through the engine. COMET FLIGHT REFUELLING? IN connection with Mr. C. H. Latimer-Needham's R.Ae.S.paper (summarized on pages 588-589 of this issue) discuss- ing the possibilities of flight-refuelling the D.H. Comet, it is of interest to record that on Wednesday of last week the B.B.C. put out a news story to the effect that when the present flight tests were completed there would be a series of trials to find whether the aircraft could operate a non-stop London to New York service with the aid of aerial refuelling. It was the opinion of the B.B.C. air correspondent that the Comet could carry 48 passengers to New York in seven or eight hours, and back again in six, if refuelled off Ireland and Newfoundland on the outward flight, and off Newfound- land on the homeward trip. The experiments would be based on the direct-contact system used to refuel jet fighters. At first reluctant to comment on the statement, the de Havilland Aircraft Co., Ltd., later told Flight that it was basically correct, though it would be wrong to assume that the experiments were imminent. It would, they said, be several months before the first steps were taken to install the
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