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Aviation History
1952
1952 - 0211.PDF
and AIRCRAFT ENGINEER First Aeronautical Weekly in the World Founded 1909 No. 2244 Vol. LXI. FRIDAY, 25 JANUARY 1952 EDITOR MAURICE A. SMITH, D.F.C. ASSISTANT EDITOR H. F. KING, M.B.E. TECHNICAL ED/TOR C. B. BAILEY-WATSON, B.A. ART ED/TOR JOHN YOXALL Editorial, Advertising and Publishing Offices: DORSET HOUSE, STAMFORD STREET, LONDON, S.E.1. Telegrams, Flightpres, Sedist, London. Telephone, Waterloo 3333 (60 lines). Branch Offices: COVENTRY 8-10, Corporation Street. Telegrams, Autocar, Coventry. Telephone, Coventry 5210. BIRMINGHAM, 2. King Edward House, New Street. Telegrams, Autopress, Birmingham. Telephone, Midland 7191 (7 lines). MANCHESTER, 3 260, Deansgate. Telegrams, lliffe, Manchester. Telephone, Blackfriars 4414 (3 lines). Deonsgate 3595 (2 lines). GLASGOW, C.2. 26b, Renfield Street. Telegrams, lliffe, Glasgow. Telephone, Central 1265 (2 lines). SUBSCRIPTION RATES Home and Overseas: Twelve months £3 3s. Od. U.S.A. and Canada. $10.00. BY AIR: To Canada and U.S.A., six months, $16. IN THIS ISSUE : Helicopter History - - Home on the Range - - Simplicity for Cheapness Peaks and Parachutes - Steam Launch - - - - Twenty Years After - - Escopette Pulsejet - - Around Aden Airways - Positions—Fixed and Fluid W E recall having seen, somewhere or other, a drawing of a caveman and his mate; it was captioned: "Now we have learned to communicate, shut up !" To take the cynical view, these are words that might also be used of current international political discussions; and, paraphrased to read, "Not until we have learned to shut up shall we get some standard communications and aids," they could be applied with equal force to certain of the international civil aviation deliberations. Increasingly critical views are being expressed about those who have been talking navigational aids for at least five years and have so far failed to agree upon any one of them. It is, of course, primarily a political matter, with America lined up against Europe, and particularly Britain. Meanwhile, because such aids (with the prospect of substitute or additional equipment being needed later on) are altogether too expensive to permit any one operator to make an independent choice, passengers are being flown in aircraft which have no precise means of position-fixing. This implies a lower standard of safety than could be attained with the aid of modern equipment, and as the traffic pattern becomes more complex the position is increasingly aggravated. Very few passengers know anything about such matters, but it is undoubtedly the duty of all responsible operators to see that a halt is called to years of chatter and to make sure that a decision is reached and implemented. On several occasions we have discussed in our columns the claims made for the two principal rivals among navigational aids, namely, the British Decca system with Flight Log and, now, I.T.R. (Integrated Track Range) on the one hand and the American V.O.R. with D.M.E. (Omni-Range, with Distance-Measuring Equipment) on the other. This country and its supporters feel that Decca is the best aid, especially for Europe. It is available immediately; in fact, the chains have been in operation in this country and Denmark for some years and, as reported on page 109, the new chain in Germany is now operating. France at present is installing Decca, and certain South American countries are actively considering whether they, also, should adopt it. Chief Executive's Appraisal We may quote here Mr. Peter Masefield's answers to questions regarding B.E.A.'s opinion of Decca : "We are in favour of Decca because we think it is cheaper and fighter, no less accurate and convenient and it is certainly more satisfactory for the helicopter.... On the other hand, we would not wish to be the only airline using Decca, because of the limited amount of aviation equipment which would then be available. So far as we can see, as an aid in the air, there is nothing to choose between Decca and V.O.R.-plus-D.M.E. provided the V.O.R.-D.M.E. has adequate pictorial presentation, as in the Decca Flight Log. ... the Decca system is right for the helicopter because it is accurate right down to ground level. . . ." Without D.M.E., V.O.R. is operative in various parts of America, but we have not heard of any airline dependent upon it. D.M.E., however, is not yet available: in fact, there seem to have been some second thoughts about it. V.O.R. without D.M.E. would be inadequate as an international standard. In deciding what aids should be adopted, airlines would be wise to consider all costs, because it would be wishful thinking to suppose that they will not ultimately have to pay. Cost is, of course, a main talking-point in favour of Decca. The problem of the operator who would prefer Decca for Europe but will not commit himself because he might also have to fit V.O.R. for New York is, of course, appreciated; it is, in fact, the crux of the whole matter so far as Eurpoean aids are concerned. It is to be hoped that when the representatives of the various countries gather again at the regional I.C.A.O. air navigation meeting in Paris on February 26th they will arrive with an appreciation of the urgency of the situation. It is also to be hoped that the cases will be more competently handled than at Montreal and the jury be better qualified to judge the technical rather than the political issues.
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