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Aviation History
1951
1951 - 0192.PDF
124 FLIGHT, 1 February 1951 CIVIL AVIATION NEWS ANGLO-INDIAN AGREEMENT AN agreement covering the operation of British and Indian airservices was initialled at New Delhi on Thursday, January 25th, by representatives of both Governments. Negotia-tions had been proceeding in New Delhi between delegations from the two countries since January 11th. The ne.v agreement brings to an end the temporary arrange-ment by which airlines have operated during the past 18 months. It provides for a periodic review of the conditions under whichservices are run, in order to assure that the basic objective of equal opportunity for each operator is attained. At present India is served by B.O.A.C, while flights to thiscountry are carried out by Air India International. I.A.L. EXPANSION AMONG the world-wide activities of International Aeradio,Ltd., last year, the most important development was the formation of an associate company in the Caribbean. This wasfollowed immediately by a large-scale expansion of I.A.L.'s interests in the Western hemisphere. The localities at whichradio stations have been taken over now include the following: Palisadoes Airport, Jamaica; the radio beacon at South Caicosand facilities in Grand Cayman; Atkinson Field, British Guiana; Seawell Airport, Barbados; and a number of other pointsthroughout Antigua, the Leeward Islands, Grenada and St. Lucia. When the operational requirements for services to Dominica,St. Vincent and Montserrat have been determined, the company will also maintain stations at these points. Pan American andB.W.I.A. stations at Trinidad and Tobago were absorbed by I.A.L. in September and negotiations are now being conductedwith the Trinidad Government to determine the pattern of future operations. A signals plan based on the recommendationsof the I.C.A.O. Regional Conference in Havana has been drawn up and accepted by airlines operating throughout the Caribbean. In the eastern hemisphere the company was recently calledon to supply traffic-control advisors to the Italian Government, while telecommunications advisors have been appointed to theHashemite Kingdom of Jordan and also to Somaliland. Ground equipment is now being installed at 28 airfields inSouth Africa while at Bahrein the company has entered a new field of activity in taking over the responsibility for airport fireservices. In Rangoon, work is going ahead on designing a new air-traffic control centre which, when completed, is expected tomake the airport one of the finest in the East. HARD.WORKED CONSTELLATIONS A RECENT analysis of the flying timts of B.O.A.C.'s Constel-lation fleet during the past four years reveals that a daily utilization of as much as 6 hr 3 min per aircraft has beenachieved. This figure is based on all flying-time recorded by the fleet since July, 1946; it includes scheduled operations,training, and positioning and test flights, in addition to the time lost when aircraft have been out of service for overhaul,maintenance and repair. Despite the fact that the Constellation 049s were groundedfrom July 12th to August 18th. 1946, for electrical modifications, a daily utilization of eight hours per aircraft was reached within 13 months of the initial services. Peak efficiency was reached during the months of April to September, 1948, when the Cor- poration was operating a total of nine transatlantic return services a week, together with a daily service between New York and*|.•;- Bermuda. Average utilization was then 8 hr 25 min. S : Following the fall in frequency which was caused by the transfer of B.O A.C's Constellation base from Dorval to Filton in 1948, utilization gradually increased throughout 1949 until the type was progressively replaced by Stratocruisers on the North Atlantic services last year. In December, 1950, the "Connies" were still averaging 5 hr 11 min flying per day. THE MILL HILL ACCIDENT THE public enquiry into the accident to B.E.A.'s DakotaG-AGIW, which crashed on October 17th near Mill Hill, North London, resulting in the deaths of 27 people, opened in London on January 15th. The president of the court was Mr. J. Roland Adams, K.C., who was assisted by G/C. J. A. Hawkings, of R.A.F. Transport Command, and by Capt. C. B. Houlder, a B.O.A.C. senior captain. The accident occurred in conditions of low cloud and 2,000yd visibility. Evidence obtained from the sole survivor, the steward, indicated that the aircraft was being flown by the first officer with the captain occupying the right-hand seat. After leaving Northolt die aircraft apparently suffered a failure of the starboard J engine and the captain requested G.C.A. assistance for an immediate landing. The aircraft was handed over to the radar controller, who identified it as being four miles from the airfield on a bearing of 075 deg. The captain was last heard to acknow- ledge a course of 060 deg, after which the blip faded from the radar screen. Ground witnesses gave evidence of seeing the aircraft, apparently in difficulties, attempting to climb sharply to avoid a steeple—presumed that of Harrow Church. Examination of the wreckage showed that the Dakota was flying due east when it hit a group of beech trees on Highwood Hill, shed its port wing and dived vertically into a road; it then bounced 40ft, turned over and burst into flames. Although the undercarriage was locked down at the time of impact it was found impossible to ascertain whether this position had been preselected. All witnesses agreed that the starboard engine was inoperative, and the greater number of witnesses agreed that the undercarriage was down when the aircraft was last seen in flight. • The enquiry has now been postponed until February 5th, l<\ because of the indisposition of the president of the court. A full report of the proceedings will appear after the court has resumed and information is complete. BOLDON AIRPORT PROJECT DURING a recent visit to airports in the north of England,the Minister of Civil Aviation, Lord Pakenham, discussed with the North-east Joint Airport Committee the question ofairfield facilities in the area. On hi?s tour Lord Pakenham visted the airfield site at Boldon, near Durham, where he expressed hispersonal conviction that it was the best location for an airport EIRE BOUND : About to board B.E.A's first Pionair at Nonholt, before its first commercial flight /ost Wednesday, are the mem- bers of the Committee for the Purchase of Aviation Materials who met in Dublin to discuss current re-equipment and spares problems affecting Euro, ean airlines. As repone< on page 122 the Pionai was demonstrated to Lingus officials on the day after its arrival in Dublin. Members of the party werefavourably impressed by its improved standard of comfort.
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