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Aviation History
1952
1952 - 1227.PDF
FLIGHT, 2 May 1952 537 ELIZABETHANS IN SERVICE . . . to shorten our landing-run at Schwechat. Here we said good-bye to Captains Hankin and Ross, R/Off. W. H. Miller, F/Eng. H. Rogers, Steward W. Crewe and Stewardess V. H. Wass; and G-ALZR was taken over by the slip-crew : Capt. H. J. King, D.F.C, D.F.M., ist/Off. G. N. Cock, R/OfT. T. T. Healy, Steward R. Goulding and Stewardess S. E. Rotger. At 1610 hr we were again in the air. No Migs hove in sight over the Russian Zone, but further west two inquisitive F-84 Thunderjets came up to investigate. A few minutes later we obeyed the instruction "fasten belts" on entering some turbulent- looking cu-nim, but the Elizabethan gave us a characteristically smooth ride. Vibration is felt, incidentally, only on the climb— and then mainly in the seats between the engines. The passengers to whom we spoke agreed that the Elizabethan was excellent in every way. B.E.A.'s admirable standards of passenger-service are enhanced by the large and well-equipped galley for steward and stewardess, whose tasks could not have been performed better than they were during our flights. We landed at Zurich at 1815 hr, now 50 min behind schedule. For the last section of the flight to London, the Elizabethan carried 29 passengers. Load-factors for the outward and return nights to Vienna therefore averaged, respectively, 70 and 61.25 per cent—proportions which will quickly increase as the summer season advances and this excellent service becomes better known. G-ALZR took off at 1921 hr for the final leg, flying at 250 m.p.h. against a 40-m.p.h. wind. At 14,500ft, with engines running at 1,900 r.p.m. and 32in manifold-pressure, the torquemeters were reading 495 Ib/sq in—equivalent to 1,200 h.p. per engine. We reached London Airport by 2205 hr—1 hr 25 min behind schedule. As mentioned, there should be no difficulty in maintaining or betterirg schedules within a few weeks. The Elizabethan performed admirably on its new services, and there is no doubt that it will fulfil B.E.A.'s high expectations. Although slight delays in flight schedules are understandable, no excuse can be found for long delays on the ground. It was particularly aggravating, on our return to London Airport, to be detained for nearly 45 minutes, by formalities, and general hanging-about, before leaving by B.E.A. coach for Kensington Air Station. R. B. Milan and Back For the 620-mile trip to Milan, G-ALZV, The Earl of Leicester, was flown both ways by the same crew (Capt. W. Mackenzie, ist/Off. G. R. D. Atherstone, Rad/Off. D. E. Flowers, Eng/Off. R. G. Henniker, Steward W. Currie and Stewardess Pat Lindsay). There were 33 passengers on board for the outward journey. For reasons unconnected, we believe, with the aircraft, take-off from L.A.P. was 24 minutes after schedule. Apart from the lively initial climb—over 1,400 ft/min—the aspect of the Elizabethan which most immediately impressed the writer was the view which the high-wing arrangement affords; except for the odd York in "Flight" photograph Capt. D. Hankin (left), pilot of Elizabethan "Sir Walter Raleigh" on the inaugural services to Zurich and Vienna, is greeted on arrival at Schwechat by Mr. G. S. Parker, B.E.A.'s area manager for Austria. war-time he had not flown in a high-wing airliner since 1939. and to one who seldom tires of ground-and-cloud gazing the change was indeed welcome. His other digested impressions of this elegant and spacious aircraft coincide with those of "R.B." above, so it would be superfluous to give them here. Cruising at about 215 kt T.A.S. at 19,500ft with a 15 kt tail-wind, G-ALZV passed over Paris 55 min later. Then the cumulo- stratus closed in solidly below, fortunately breaking again an hour afterwards to reveal the brown and white majesty of the Swiss Alps—Jungfrau and Finsteraarhorn to port and the Monte Rosa chain to starboard. With the Swiss and Italian lakes for good measure, this must be one of Europe's most spectacular air routes. And so, in 2 hr 54 min from London (7 min over the scheduled journey time), into Milan's Malpensa Airport for a thistledown landing; from the Elizabethan's window one can watch the tyre, a few feet away, kiss the concrete. On the apron was to be seen G-AMDB, B.E.A.'s Dart-Dakota, loading freight for London. A rapid turn-round, a chat with Mr. D. J. Venters, B.E.A.'s station superintendent at Malpensa, and we were on our way home again, this time with 28 passengers. A wide circuit was necessary to gain height for the nearby Alps, and then G-ALZV, at 19,000ft, settled down for a journey as smooth and admirably conducted as the outward one had been. Capt. Mackenzie started a long, gentle let-down at the French coast, to bring the Elizabethan into L.A.P. in 3 hr 3 min from take-off—in spite of a 20 kt head-wind, almost exactly the schedule flight-time in this direction. Not jet-like, perhaps, but a striking comparison with the Viking schedule of 5 hr 15 min. R.C. COMFORT ALL THE WAY NEW and larger motor coaches with capacities to match their latest aircraft are being introduced by B.E.A. for service between Kensington Air Station and Northolt and London Airport. The first of 50 which are on order was formally handed over to Mr. Peter Masefield, B.E.A.'s chW executive, by Sir Wavell Wakefield, M.P., chairman of Park Royal Vehicles, Ltd., the concern responsible for the bodywork of the new rolling stock. Seating 37 passengers, compared with 18 carried in the vehicles they replace, the new coaches are larger—they are built to the maximum overall dimensions permitted on British roads (30ft. long by 8ft wide)—and of different design. They are also mounted on the latest type of coach chassis made by A.E.C., Ltd., and having a I25h.p. oil engine carried horizontally beneath the floor. Although, as in the existing B.E.A. coaches, the seats are arranged at two different levels, with luggage accommodation under the rear floor, the roof level is maintained at the same height from end to end. The result is a more spacious interior, a larger window area, and a better-balanced appearance. The rubber- These exterior and interior views give a good idea of the ultra-modern appearance and general air of comfort of the new B.E.A. coaches. " Flight" photographs padded luggage-locker will take up to 100 full-sized suitcases. London Transport Executive engineers were called in to help B.E.A. in the design of the vehicle and their influence is noticeable in the seating and the interior finish adopted, which follows closely the style of the latest Green Lme coaches while embodying the B.E.A. colour scheme of burgundy and dove grey. Wide seats with Dunlopillo cushions and squabs give adequate comfort. A heater unit supplies air to demist the screen and warm the interior of the coach through suitable ducting. The exterior is finished in two shades of grey with a white waist band bordered by polished aluminium mountings lined with burgundy red. Speaking at a luncheon following the handing-over ceremony, Mr. Peter Masefield hinted that as B.E.A. traffic increased more coaches of the same pattern would be required. He estimated that the operating cost of the new vehicles would be i.25d per seat-mile as compared with the 2.2d of typical turbine-powered airliners.
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