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Aviation History
1951
1951 - 2301.PDF
632 CIVIL AVIATION . . . FLIGHT U.S. EQUIPMENT ON THE WORLD'S AIRLINES ALTHOUGH aware that the proportion of the world's civil**• airliners manufactured in the United States is by far the largest of any, we must confess to feeling a little surprised to hear thisfigure put as high as 80 per cent. This proportion is claimed in a C.A.B. analysis of transport aircraft in scheduled service with the217 airlines for which information is available. (The C.A.B. put the world's total of scheduled airlines at 221 at the time of theirinvestigation.) Douglas heads the list with 2,161 aircraft (56 per cent of thetotal) and of the rest Lockheed is said to have built 293, Consoli- dayed Vultee 223, de Havilland 211 and A. V. Roe 126. No otherBritish makes are mentioned by name. The trend over the last three years is shown by the following figures : Single or three-engined 354 335 279 Four-engined Twin-engined 1949 922 2,556 1950 942 2,498 1951 990 2,561 Orders for American piston-engined equipment are still being placed in quantity. The delivery backlog at October 15th last was for 405 American civil transports still to be delivered to U.S. domestic airlines and world carriers. The orders by types are quoted as follow : Douglas DC-6 A and B, 156; Lockheed L-1049CJ 62; Martin 4-0-4, 1035 and Convair 340, 91. CIVIL AVIATION IN ITALY TO investigate the causes of the present precarious position ofthe air transport industry in Italy, the Italian Government has appointed a special commission which is to C&ifry out a detailed analysis of the replies received from 600 questionnaires circulated to aviation interests throughout the country. Pending receipt of the answers the commission is also consulting a number of air transport experts, including the president of the National Federa- tion of Air Transport and the heads of the four main operators, Italian International Airlines, Ali Flotte Riunite, L.A.I, and Italian Transcontinental Airlines. Thus far, there is reported to be agreement in all quarters on two points, namely, that the present equipment of the Italian companies needs immediate replacement by more modern types, and that the State must in future guarantee a minimum of postal or other traffic. It is also suggested that direct Government sub- sidies should be forthcoming, although no agreement upon the form of such grants has been reached. L.A.I, is known to require two more DC-6s if it is to effect desired extensions to its route network. This company has also advocated the replacement of its DC-3S by Martin 4-0-4S. The latter type has been suggested because it is available quickly and also because about 40 per cent of the spares are identical with those for DC-3S. The same company has also called for the improvement of several airports, especially that of Palermo, the present inadequacy of which is stated to be hampering the develop- ment of services in Southern Italy. Italian International Airlines have suggested integrating their present DC-4 equipment with Viscounts and Comets. This, they claim, would require State aid, "because the commercial results of such a venture are difficult to foresee." Mention has also been made of the prospects of re-organizing and unifying all existing operating companies. In view of the fact that the ten-year agree- ment reached by the airlines in 1946 is still in force, however, it is thought that little progress is likely in this direction. TAILOR-MADE HANGARAGE: Typical of American ingenuity are these neat little "protection sheds" designed to fit snugly over P.A.A. Constella- tion engine positions, so enabling engineers to carry out routine chscks and minor repairs at London Airport pending the completion of permanent accommodation. B.O.A.C. PROGRESS WITH THE COMET B O.A.C. has now completed its first 500 hours of development• flying with the D.H. Comet, the type which is to be intro- duced on the Corporation's Middle East and South African routes beginning early next year. About 470 hours of this total were flown on the second prototype Comet recently returned by B.O.A.C. after six months on loan from the Ministry of Supply. One of the aircraft on order is now on loan to the Corporation in advance of the contract delivery date so that aircrew training may be carried out in it. Having now completed 12 overseas development flights to Africa, Middle East, Persian Gulf, India, Pakistan and Singapore, the Corporation's Comet Unit reports that the results achieved have been very encouraging. Most of the flights have provided aircrews and technicians with invaluable experience concerning traffic control, met. conditions and forecasting, navigational aids, refuelling techniques and the many other problems associated with the introduction of gas-turbine commercial aircraft. One of the main objects of the programme was the collection of a mass of data from which B.O.A.C. could plan schedules and confirm the operating techniques which have been evolved for the Comet. A normal flight-pattern will consist of the climb (about 35 min) to the most economical cruising altitude (35,000-40,000^); the cruise, which will in effect be a very gradual climb on cruising power as weight is reduced by the consumption of fuel; and the descent, which, of necessity, must begin a considerable distance from the destination. Particular attention has been paid to the question of high- altitude weather and the forecasting facilities provided by the various countries along the proposed routes. The need for air- craft of this type to fly at their economical cruising altitude makes for reduced operational flexibility, in that it is not normally prac- ticable to vary cruising heights to take advantage of favourable winds; this naturally makes it essential for forecasts to be as accurate as possible. A special problem tackled by B.O.A.C. in this connection was that of the jet streams which are reputed to TERMINAL TUNNEL: Progress with the con- struction of the main en- trance tunnel to the future terminal area in the centre of London Air- port has now reached an advanced stage; already a sizeable section has been roofed in. The dividing walls separate cycle-, road- and pedes- trian-tracks.
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