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Aviation History
1952
1952 - 1109.PDF
AIRCRAFT ENGINEER First Aeronautical Weekly in the World Founded 1909 No. 2257 Vol. LXI. FRIDAY, 25 APRIL 1952 EDITOR MAURICE A. SMITH, D.F.C. ASSISTANT EDITOR H. F. KING, M.B.E. TECHNICAL EDITOR C. B. BAILEY-WATSON, B.A. ART EDITOR JOHN YOXALL Editorial, Advertising and Publishing Offices: DORSET HOUSE, STAMFORD STREET, LONDON, S.E.1. Telegrams Flightpres, Sedist, London. Telephone, Waterloo 3333 (60 lines). Branches 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, Block/Wars 4412 (3 lines), Deansgate 3595 (2 lines). GLASGOW, C.2. 26b, Renfield Street. Telegrams, lliffe, Glasgow. Telephone, Central 1265 (2lin SUBSCRIPTION RATES Home and Overseas: Twelve £3 3s. Od. U.S.A. and Canads BY AIR: To Canada and six months, $16. •s). months ,$10.00 U.S.A., IN THIS ISSUE : Flying Classrooms - Canada's Gain - - Comet Flight-Planning Historical Parallel The Tale of the Comet Comet Servicing - - Passenger's Point of View ... Heralding a New Era - 484 - 489 - 490 - 494 - 495 - 500 - 503 - 506 Men Behind the Comet 510 Pika and Jindivik - 512 New Highway O NE of the finest things this country has ever done is to build the Comet, though one would scarcely realize it to hear some of the experts talk. That B.O.A.C. should hitch their wagon to this wonderful machine and, flaunting prejudice and incredulity, throw down a challenge to the world, is apparently regarded by these gentlemen as either puerile escapism or downright dishonesty. And they are not alone in their pessimism, for there are the saloon-bar savants who know somebody who knows someone in I.A.T.A. or Thomas Cooks, and who can tell you (old boy) that nothing short of a 150 per cent load-factor can forestall a national catastrophe. In the present state of world flying the Comet must embark on its career under serious disadvantages. But these are clearly recognized, as are the machine's individual charac teristics, and developments now in prospect will enhance its commercial value. Precisely what that value may ultimately prove to be, having regard to the changing operational pattern and the development possibilities inherent in the Comet itself, no one can assess with precision. Two things, however, are positively known : first, that de Havillands built the Comet as a money-making proposition, and second, that B.O.A.C. are not seeking to put their accounts back in the red. Our own part in the future will be to continue finding and recording the facts; and this may not be easy, for they may occasionally have to be extricated from a morass of tenden tious jargon. Moreover, in the early phases the makers and operators will see to it that their professional secrets are not divulged. From the outset we have made a point not only of keeping readers informed of the Comet's progress, but of printing openly controversial articles bearing on various aspects of the project. The purpose of this special issue is to wish the Comet well, and at the same time to offer our congratulations to de Havillands and B.O.A.C. And by de Havillands, we mean the one and only "D.H." himself, his fellow-directors and the whole Comet team—the chief designer, R. E. Bishop, and his associates; Major Halford, who, with his specialists, saw to it that the engines were worthy of the airframe; John Cunning ham and the other pilots, to whom has fallen one of the most inspiring and certainly one of the most interesting jobs ever to be undertaken by any of their fraternity; Harry Povey, and the hundreds of others who have planned and built at Hatfield. Their work on the Comet is far from complete, but much of the load of responsibility now shifts to the broad shoulders of Sir Miles Thomas, his technicians and his crews. It is they who asked for the Comet and now they have it—and they are greatly envied by their opposite numbers the world over. That they will operate it shrewdly and efficiently there is no shadow of doubt; we would wish them the good fortune they deserve. All-round Benefit We have suggested in one of the special articles in this issue that in service the Comet will be stimulating for passengers and operators alike, and we add a personal impression that the aircraft is ahead of what may be called its passenger control (p. 503). In the coming months, if our contentions are borne out, the Comet will be responsible for bringing about a revision and refinement of both air-traffic control methods and passenger handling—two factors which alone can account for half the period taken for a flight. More is already known by B.O.A.C. about the precise performance of the Series I Comet than is perhaps known of any other aircraft. On the other hand, something new is learned almost daily about operational technique in various parts of the world. When this experience has been applied—and if provision is made for improved upper air met forecasting and modern navigational and approach aids along the routes—even greater operational efficiency will result. If, as we believe will be the case, the Comet brings not only quicker and more comfort able travel in the air but also challenges those concerned with approach-to-airfield and on-the-ground organization to speed up their methods even more, it will indeed represent not only a milestone in commercial aircraft design but will also lend a helping hand to the previous generation of airliners still carrying the bulk of world traffic.
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