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Aviation History
1951
1951 - 0777.PDF
486 FLIGHT, 20 April 1951 FLYING CAREERS IN THE NAVY . . . already in the Navy. After a short initial training at sea, both entries are made Midshipmen R.N.V.R. and are trained towards full operational standard during their full-time service. Suitable officers are allowed to transfer to short-service commissions if they wish. Maintenance, etc.—Engineer, electrical, supply and other types of non-aircrew officer are recruited from ex-temporary R.N.V.R. officers with suitable qualifications. Commissions are also granted to ratings during their National Service or when serving with one of the R.N.V.R. Squadrons. Ratings Each Squadron has its establishment of maintenance and other ratings. Entry is open to men under 45 years of age with previous similar experience in the R.N. or R.A.F. and to young men over 17 years of age who can complete one year's training commit- ments in the R.N.V.R. before they are called up for National Service. On condition that they reach,the necessary standard of efficiency, these men are guaranteed acceptance by the R.N. for their National Service. Entry into the R.N.V.R. Squadrons is also open to men not over 26 years of age, or 28 in the case of trades- men, who have had no previous service and are deferred or exempt from National Service. Details of entry into Naval Aviation are obtainable from the following authorities: Royal Navy; All types of officer entry—C.W. Branch, Admiralty, London, S.W.i; all types of rating entry—Director of Naval Recruiting, Admiralty, London, S.W.I. R.N.V.R. Air Squadrons:Officer and rating entry—Admiral Commanding Reserves, Admiralty, London, S.W.I. CORRESPONDENCE The Corporations and Charter Operationsr " is time to debunk the unrealistic nonsense that is voiced so loudly in aviation circles today on the subject of the Corpora- tions' non-scheduled activities. The war-cry of "Private Enter- prise" (incidentally, one to which I subscribe) is uttered too often and by too many people who are not sufficiently experienced in, or well informed enough to relate it to, specific enterprises; and, therefore, they often manage to do their "cause" more harm than good. It is the job of each Corporation, amongst other responsibilities, to earn money, and, under its existing structure, to cost the taxpayer as little as possible. As an ex-B.O.A.C. employee I have known in the past the frustration of being unable to compete in the charter market because every quotation was so weighted with overheads that it was farcical to submit it to a possible client. Thank goodness that situation has changed. What are the Corporations supposed to do—stay out of the charter market when they have aircraft and aircrew available to put to good use by earning revenue, or so weight their charter rates with overheads that they price themselves out of the market ? Such action might ensure that in some cases the business goes to charter companies. It might also ensure, in many cases, that the passenger, or goods, do not move by air at all. Or is it suggested that the Corporations shall quote only when a charter company cannot or does not want to quote ? Hardly very practical or very businesslike. From their critics, one hears so much of how economically and efficiently everyone but the Corporations can operate commercial aircraft. It seems reasonable to assume that on their charters the Corporations make either a profit (or a contribution to overheads— depending on one's approach to the matter) after payment of such basic operating costs as fuel, oil, landing and handling fees, catering and road transport, etc. One would have thought, from all one has heard of the estimated ability of operators other than the Corporations, that they should be able to compete even without requiring the Corporations to load their quotations with the rental of airways terminals, etc. If by chartering their aircraft the Corporations can reduce their deficits, then good luck to them. "Shabby treatment" and "questionable ethics" is tough talk by any standards. The judgment is stated to be based on fair and normal business practice. It is more likely that to some of the Corporations' critics the grapes are a trifle sour. On the matter of airport overstaffing, I know little of the necessity, or otherwise, for an airport manager as well as an airport commandant; but to introduce into suggestions of airport overstaffing the presence of an airline station superintendent, as well as the other two officials, is as sensible as suggesting that a port needs no harbourmaster because a steamship line using it employs a marine superintendent. Dublin. M. STUART-SHAW. Airspeed History V/TR. POWELL'S letter in Flight of March 30th gave me the -"•*• idea that readers might also be interested in the histories of the Airspeed Ferries. Four of these machines were built. The first two, G-ABSI and G-ABSJ, were constructed for Sir Alan Cobham, to be used on his National Aviation Day Campaign Tours. After two years of this work, G-ABSI was repainted a light pink, while G-ABSJ went on a tour to India. From this it never returned for, strangely enough, it was eaten by ants while there. G-ABSI was still flying for Sir Alan in 1935 and it was recoloured silver with blue struts, as before. After this last tour it had three Gipsy Major engines installed and was used in C. W. A. Scott's displays, successor to N.A.D. Tours. G-ABSI was being used just before the war by Portsmouth, Southsea and Isle of Wight Aviation, Ltd. Here I must make a slight correction to Mr. Powell's letter, for I believe I am correct in saying that P.S.I.O.W.A. were using seven Couriers, while the eighth machine was this Ferry. The other two machines, G-ACBT and G-ACFB, were owned by Midland and Scottish Air Ferries. In 1934 this firm was closed and the two Ferries put up for sale at Renfrew. G-ACFB was put into service again by joining G-ABSI on C. W. A. Scott's displays. Later it was bought by Air Publicity, who were engaged in towing advertising banners behind Avro 504NS. At the outbreak of war it was put out in the open at Heston, where eventually the elements destroyed it. G-ACBT was still lying at Renfrew. Lancing, Sussex. • JJj^..^ JOHN JAKEMAN. Footwear for FittersI WAS surprised to read in Flight of March 9th that, in a certain typs of aircraft, plywood wing-skin failures were traced to the use of an insufficiently wide tread-mat, which had permitted fitters' boots to damage the surface. May I suggest that P.T. shoes, and not boots, should be worn by fitters ? Littlehampton, Sussex. KATHARINE BEARN. [Some fitters, civil and Service, wear special soft shoes or over- shoes. Ordinary rubbsr, however, may lead to slipping on oily floors or ladders, and can cause cold feet.—ED.] Flight Simulators ONCE again Mr. F. W. Barling has written to Flight (issue ofApril 6th) to point out that the R.A.F. has been using synthetic training for some years. In the February 2nd, 1950, issue I replied to Mr. Barling's previous comments on this subject, pointing out that the first large-scale application of synthetic training put forward to the R.A.F. was made by Redifon, Ltd., in 1940, the same company which has now built and is installing B.O.A.C.'s Stratocruiser flight simulator. P. ADORIAN, London, S.W.I. Chairman, Redifon, Ltd. Speed of Development YOUR leader in Flight for April 6th includes the statement that"Moreover, it now takes, at the least, five years to design, build, test, develop, produce and deliver for service a given type of large civil aircraft." No doubt the reasons why this should be would fill a volume of Flight, but that is no reason why this state of affairs should be accepted in Britain without question. Perhaps one cause is that there are too many fingers in the designer's pie with, unfortunately, sufficient influence to compel changes in the design, which invariably require endless discussion and cause tedious delay. Another reason could possibly be that there is insufficient "hustle" in the industry in general, and problems which should have been tackled on Friday are left to lie over the week-end. This appears to be one sphere at least in which we could learn from our transatlantic friends. Our aviation industry is on the crest of the wave with the Comet and the Canberra, and if the back-room boys are going to help Britain take advantage of it, they must work fast, as by now we should have a successor to the Comet in production. Those responsible for building, testing, developing, producing and delivering (those in your order !) must also learn to get a move on by speeding their planning and cutting their programmes. Surrey. A SERVICE ENGINEER.
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