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Aviation History
1952
1952 - 0859.PDF
FLIGHT, 4 April 1952 SMALL FLYING BOATS IN AFRICA . . . and Mikindani might be welcomed by residents of Tangan yika. A short holiday in the cool beauty of Nyasaland would certainly be attractive to those confined to the humid Tanganyika coast. The small flying-boat might also find work in Africa by restoring the old-fashioned, sight-seeing, night-stopping nights which were once so popular. The interesting part of Africa is that south of the Equator. Many passengers bound for Europe might like to make a leisurely trip through the Great Lakes before joining the main line at Entebbe. A suggested route for such a service is from Durban to Lourenco Marques, Salisbury, Cape Maclear and Deep Bay (Nyasaland), Kasanga and Ujiji (Lake Tanganyika), Mwanza (Lake Victoria) and finally to Entebbe Airport (Uganda). The time-table for such a "puddle-jumping" service might be as shown at the top of col. 2 :— The fare-structure is based on a direct operating cost of 2|d. per passenger mile. This has been considered to cor respond to approximately 4-7d. per passenger-mile for total operating costs and average load factors. In addition to the above fares it would be necessary to add approximately £3 per passenger per day for meals and night-stop accommoda tion. It might be argued that the big airlines would object L.S.T. 17.30 A Durban 15.20 14.45 10.30 09.55 07.00 16.00 14.00 13.25 12.15 11.50 09.40 09.05 09.00 15.35 14.00 Distance and Fare Louren<;o Marques Salisbury •Cape Maclear Deep Bay ... Kasanga Kigoma •Mwanza ... Entebbe * Dinner and night-stop ir NOTE.—Additional calls Congo)and Bukoba (Tangan 283 miles 557 miles 382 miles 250 miles 242 miles 270 miles 260 miles 200 miles each direction. might yika). be made, as required, £S 10s. £11 0s. £8 0s. £4 15.. £4 1S«. £5 5a. £5 0s. £4 0s. LS.T. 07.00 09.10 09.45 14.00 14.35 17.30 07.00 09.00 09.35 12.35 13.10 15.20 15.55 18.00 09.00 ... Y 10.35 at Albertville (Belgian to the service envisaged. I believe, however, that they might well realize that it caters for a different public and serves different areas. The small flying-boat may serve a very useful purpose in linking, the communications which already exist along Africa's lakes and rivers. The writer believes that it may also encourage greater development and white settlement in these regions. Hundreds of people may thus come to bless the day that the flying-boat came back to Africa. CANADA'S AIRCRAFT INDUSTRY Famous Names and a Mighty Potential. Part I: The General Picture By JAMES HAY STEVENS POTENTIALLY one of the greatest aircraft manufac turing countries in the world, Canada today presents a complex and interesting picture. Everyone foresees the brightest of futures, and none is more enthusiastic than the Canadians themselves; but it would be a brave man who would forecast the eventual form and substance of the industry. Between the wars, mainly because of her geographical and topographical rharacteristics, Canada was one of the world's largest aircraft-users. Because of the very peculiarities that made aviation an essential mode of transport, the Dominion was also largely restricted to small "bush" aircraft of practical and rather unrefined design, little suited to customers in other countries. Thus it was that in 1939 there was a domes tic industry consisting of a few small companies making specialized small aeroplanes in small quantities. With the advent of war, the Canadians threw themselves into the task of building aircraft with the same purposeful energy which they applied to every other aspect of the struggle. The industry, despite the growing-pains of rapid expansion, assumed vast proportions and supplied a large quantity of material to the Allied air forces. As in other countries this expanded industry consisted both of estab lished aircraft firms, enlarged with Government assistance, and other manufacturers co-opted for the duration. Again in harmony with other nations, the Canadians hoped to throw their armament burden overboard after the war. Orders were cancelled, the R.C.A.F. was largely demobilized, and staffs were drastically cut in the aircraft firms, while the "outsiders" returned to their original fields —in some cases, not without relief. For several years—until NATO was established, in fact— the Canadian aircraft industry continued to be uncertain whither it was bound. This was not because of any lack of faith in itself—self-confidence without conceit is a funda mental of Canadian character—but was due to a well-founded mistrust in the ways of politicians and the committee of nations. However, even after the havoc of peace had been wrought, there remained a sound nucleus industry, with just about enough work to keep it solvent. Now the industry is again expanding rapidly—but not, fortunately, with the cataclysmic violence of 1939. The capacity of a giant is there and it is being gradually and THIS is the first of a series of articles written by our contributor on his return from an extended tour of Canada, during which he has visited a large number of factories. In this opening part he describes the general condition of the aircraft industry in the Dominion, and gives the location of the various manufacturing centres. In future instalments he will describe the work of a number of individual firms. This and the succeeding articles will, we think, provide a useful work of reference for members of the British industry who are likely to have dealings with their Canadian opposite numbers. methodically brought into play. Behind this expansion lie the policies of the Hon. Brooke Claxton, Minister of Defence, and the Hon. C. D- Howe, Minister of Defence Production, the first with his forty-squadron air force and NATO train ing programmes, the latter organizing and directing the expansion of the industry. The companies forming the core of the Canadian aircraft industry are of three basic types: the indigenous Canadians, the British-sponsored and the U.S.-sponsored. It is very significant that major British and American aeronautical groups are showing an ever-increasing interest in the Canadian field. At first concerned mainly with establishing servicing centres, the daughter firms are now assuming an importance equal to that of their parent companies. One of the first factors that one notices when visiting Canada is the space available. Unlike this country, floor space is not at a premium and, when there is insufficient, more is provided. Building work is rapid; materials are not scarce; labour, although expensive, is on tap—and permits are not required ! Naturally, one hears complaints of lack of space from production engineers, and it is a curious anomaly that although floor areas are so much greater (and often so much more convenient) than in this country, most of the work is laid out tidily and with economy of space. While on the subject of space, it is impossible to over emphasize this fundamental difference between Canada and Britain. In every activity, the contrast is as marked as is that between one of our back gardens and the prairies them selves. Nothing is cramped in Canada; there is always more land to be used, while, of course, a journey of 250 miles signifies no more than one of 25 miles in this country. By contrast, a car will be used to go a quarter of a mile from one building to another in the same factory ! Labour, both local and immigrant, is available for the
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