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Aviation History
1952
1952 - 0104.PDF
FLIGHT, II January No, 4 OF A SERIES Working for the future A most important part of BEA's work concerns new developments and projects. Everything from designing a new "keep-hot" liquid urn to laying out a control cabin : from researching into radio equipment to improving the com fort (and lessening the weight) of passenger seats : from redesigning aeroplane interiors to analysing engine-parts in order to increase their life—every thing and anything which contributes to the reli ability, comfort and easy maintenance of our air craft is the concern of our Project and Development staff. De-Icing For example, we have undertaken a great deal of work on the problems of de - icing. Many hours of the de velopment flying of each new type of BEA aeroplane is spent in search of icing conditions, or in actual tests when ice is met with. Work is also sometimes done on aircraft already in service. Thus in one winter extensive tests were undertaken with the Viking. During 100 hours of flying, all sorts of icing conditions were investigated ; and as a direct result we made certain modifications in the de-icing system which should save us up to £160,000 a year. Maintenance Trials Another interest ing feature of our work is the maintenance trials of new aircraft which we undertake in co-operation with the manufacturer. At least 200 of these trials have been made with the Elizabethan over the past two years. At present, Projects and Developments are also working on two freighter DC-3's with turbo-prop Dart engines — to help BEA gain practical ex perience for operating the Viscount ** Discovery " Class. We publish . .. Our Project and Development staff compiles many tech nical publications and operating manuals; and has lately been co-opera ting with ICAO, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Air Registration Board in order to establish international standards of aircraft per formance. All this is only a small part of the backroom work which will—in the near future—contribute so much towards the increased efficiency and economy of our operations: and the safety and com fort of our passengers. BEA BRITISH EUROPEAN AIRWAYS J
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