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Aviation History
1951
1951 - 2082.PDF
PLIGHT, 12 October 1951 CIVIL AVIATION . . . Itaiv's main air transport system stated that they were unable tobear their heavy management losses. They had, in fact, lost more thaii half of their capital on operating expenses. The causes of thedeficits were attributed to the inadequacy of their fleets and advertizing and sales organizations to meet foreign competition;insufficient protection from the State in diplomatic, legal and technical matters; and, thirdly, the systematic failure of theItaiian Government to grant the airlines any form of financial assistance. It is interesting to note that, compared with other principaloperators in Europe—who average 120 employees per aircraft— Italy uses an average of only 22 men for a total ton-kilometre out- 493 put^per 'machine, which is said to be twice "that of its airlinecounterparts in other countries. Greater utilization on domestic routes is prevented in Italy by the impossibility of night flyingbecause of lack of facilities. Italy is also experiencing the para- doxical situation in which civil aviation, instead of being subsidizedby the State, as is the case in most other countries of the world, is actually subsidizing the State. The net receipts from airmailalone from the Ciampino airport amount to one billion lire annually. The third Italian company, L.A.I., which has mixed Italian andAmerican capital, has managed to maintain a credit balance. The report considers that the situation will only improve if theState is induced to take upon itself part of the running expenses of Italian airlines. The extent of the subsidies required is mentionedas being approximately 100 lire per ton-kilometre. The three main airlines' total annual output is about 12 million ton-kilometres. BREVITIES A PROVISIONAL air agreement between Nationalist Chinaand Thailand was signed in Taipeh last week. The agree- ment will remain in force for six months. * * * The Belgian airline, Sabena, showed an operating loss of£84,000 during 1950, according to the company's recently pub- lished balance sheet. The airline's revenues totalled £6,608,000,against an expenditure of £6,692,000, the deficit being covered by a government grant. * * * Trans-Australia Airlines' fourth DC-4, recently fitted out inEngland to Australian requirements, is to be named John Gould, after the famous 19th-century ornithologist. The delivery flightto Australia has already taken place and the machine will be used on the airline's inter-city services. * * * A report from Suva states that Fiji Airways have started their first internal services. The flights, which began in September, provide twice-daily services from Nausori to Nadi Airport and Lautoka; eight-seater D.H. Rapides are being used. Ultimately, Fiji Airways will be equipped with D.H. Drovers. * * * During the month of August B.O.A.C. made an operatingprofit of £108,000, which, when all interest on capital has been met, will result in a clear overall surplus of £10,000. This com-pares favourably with an overall loss of £378,000 for the corre- sponding month in 1950. * * * To assist the development of airline services in Israel, two British aviation technicians are to be loaned to the Israeli govern- PERSQNAL AIRLINER: Of a type not offered by our own industry, and having many of the features and amenities of a much larger machine, the Beechcraft Twin Bonanza is an exceptionally roomy five-seater which, with a reduced fuel-load, can even accommodate six persons. The 260 h.p. lycoming engines are said to give it adequate single-engined performance, and its all-metal construction permits a degree of sartorial elegance rarely matched in small aircraft. First deliveries are now being made. The owner seen in this photograph is Mr. Clark M. Can, president of a charter company, the Carco Air Service of Albuquerque. ment under an I.C.A.O. Technical Assistance programme. The Israeli Director of Civil Aviation, Dr. V. Gruberg-Gore, who has been visiting London, said last week that internal air services will probably be inaugurated in 1952. * * * The D.H. Comet on loan to B.O.A.C. arrived back at London Airport on October 4th after making a 9,000-mile flight via Rome, Cairo, Basra, Karachi, Bomba and Poona. The distance of 4,323 miles was covered in 13.4 hours. Twenty-four persons were on board during the flight, which is one of a series of development trials now being conducted by the Corporation. • * * * The first airfield to be constructed on the Greek island of Corfu has now been completed with the financial assistance of E.C.A. The 4,000ft runway projects for one-third of its length into a narrow lagoon; its base has been made largely from bomb- damage rubble. There is now a daily service to Athens. * * * The system whereby red, green and blue lights are used at London Airport to direct passengers from the reception hall to the Immigration and Customs channels is to be changed to one in which directional arrows are used. Many passengers—a large percentage of whom were colour-blind—have complained of the confusion caused by the lights. * * * Eight I.C.A.O. technicians, including a director of operations,an economist and a number of instructors, will shortly leave for Indonesia to assist in the supervision of the country's navigationfacilities and draw up a training programme designed to extend the practice of using local personnel in key aviation posts. * * •* It has been announced in Saigon that a new airline, to be knownas Air Viet-Nam, will replace Air France schedules on the Indo- Chinese routes, with effect from October 16th. The new companyhas been organized by the French and Viet-Namese governments, which each hold a 50-per-cent financial interest. * * * Aircrews flying on regular commercial services, with the excep-tion of those from nine Communist countries, will no longer require a passport or visa to enter the municipalities surroundingDutch airfields. The Dutch Minister of Justice stated last week that aircrews will in future be allowed through immigration postsmerely on sight of their flying brevets or crew certificates, provided that they are certain to depart on their next duty flight. * * * To transport large quantities of equipment and supplies to newly discovered iron-ore fields in Canada, an extensive private airlift is now being operated northwards of Seven Islands Airport, Quebec Province. Landing strips are being built at 30-mile intervals along the northern rail route from this.point. Flying is on a round-the-clock basis. During the first week of August, 375 tons of freight were moved, and to date about 6,000 tons have been lifted this year. * * * The prototype Vickers Viscount 700 left Hum Airport lastFriday on a flight to Khartoum and Nairobi, where it will carry out tropicalization and high-altitude take-off trials. Part of thetrials will be to test the use of water/methanol injection at take-off. The Viscount will also visit Salisbury and Johannesburg fordemonstrations before government and airline officials. The 700 is, of course, the production version of the Viscount 630 whichsuccessfully completed its tropical trials in July, 1950. To date the 700 has accumulated"250 flying hours. It will be pilotedduring its-'African trip by Mr. S. N. Sloan, with Mr. G. E. Lowdell as tour manager.
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