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Aviation History
1952
1952 - 1410.PDF
6i8 FLIGHT, 16 May 1952 CORRESPONDENCE The Editor of "Flight" does not hold himself responsible for the views expressed by correspondents in these columns; the names and addresses of the writers, not necessarily for publication, must in all cases accompany letters. Canada's P.P.L. Subsidies I HAVE read with interest your readers' comments on the idea of subsidising flying clubs, with the argument in mind that such clubs can produce a source of trained flyers in a time of need. Perhaps your readers would be interested in the way the Govern ment has handled the same situation here in Canada. To get his Private Pilot's Licence, a person keen on flying must have 30 hours' flying time, which will cost him at least $330, which is hard to come by for the average youth. However, the Government reimburses the recipient of a licence to the extent of $100; the flying club concerned also receives a similar amount. Should the holder of the licence now wish to join the R.C.A.F., and is accepted, he will receive yet another 1100, whether he becomes a pilot, navigator or radio officer. The result is that the average pilot is not waiting for an emer gency to crop up and joins the Service quite soon after getting his licence. I did so, as well as many of my friends, and the idea appears to be sound and healthy. St. Hubert, Quebec. GEORGE FTJLFORD, F/O., No. 421 (F) Sqn. Sartorial Shortcomings I WHOLEHEARTEDLY agree with Mr. P. J. Davis Flight, May 2nd) on the question of R.A.F. uniforms. But (shades of Per Ardua /) did I not myself recently view a " Chiefie " and a much-maligned A.C.H./G.D. both gallantly arrayed, not in fading blue sackcloth as of yore, but in officers' smooth blue barathea? Is this—together with the Comet—the first blessing of the Elizabethan era or just the long-awaited improvement in the quality of R.A.F. attire? Odiham, Hants. P. PFEIL, Ex-F/O. [Or were they Canadians ?—Ed.] What Ails Private Flying ? Y OUR contributor Vannius, in his article " What Ails Private Flying ? " (April 18th), queries whether it is lack of enthusiasm. Surely the gliding clubs prove it is not that. Is the answer that a private aircraft is a terribly expensive and slow means of getting from the centre of one town to another ? A factor contributing towards the exorbitant cost is insurance— the same for an aircraft flying twenty hours a day as for one flying once a month. Surely a two-part tariff, the greater charge being based only on the hours flown, as shown in the flying log-book, would be fairer? The slowness of inter-city flight is aggravated by the time taken at British airfields to clear paperwork; this usually averages be tween twenty minutes and one-and-a-half hours, sometimes with very long walks between aircraft, control tower, and other de partments. It would help if an easily accessible central office could deal with it all by telephone, or, as second best, if per mission to taxi from one department to another along the perimeter track be granted. The days of flying for the sake of flying should have been over long ago, and the business aircraft should be competing with the car, as it does in the U.S.A. and Canada; but here, with the opening of the air-ferry service, the car is still winning—even for journeys overseas. Imagine having to spend an hour-and-a-half filling in paperwork and taking a two-mile walk in order to fill your car with petrol! London, N.W.2. CHARLES VINTEN. Stratospheric Security T HE maiden passenger-carrying flight of the world's first jet airliner is likely to remain news for a long time to come, and I have been speculating with some uneasiness on the possibilities which may suggest themselves to those who owe their livelihood to publicity in all its forms. It seems a fair assumption that on the maiden voyage some at least of the passengers were carefully selected. Though a few might have been tempted to balance threepenny-bits edgewise in secluded corners, it is unlikely that more startling examples of bad form were exhibited. But, Sir, the maiden voyage now being over, I foresee a determined onslaught by a variety of factions to cash in on the publicity value of this unique airliner. We may be in danger of finding on our breakfast table one morning a photograph of the first chef to toss a pancake above the 40,000-ft line. The first baby to fly at more than 500 m p.h. may be all set for a film contract when old enough to articulate. The knitter of the first sonic bedsock, the coiffeur of the first pressurized perm, even the consumer of the first stratospheric sardine—all these may be awaiting the opportunity to Make History. It is unlikely that the more spectacular forms of aerially engaging public curiosity, such as getting married, will be permitted by the Corporation. But one cannot discount what may be termed pilot persuasion—at the pistol-point—as has several times been demon strated by some of those anxious to say good-bye to Eastern Utopias. To illustrate what I mean by a simple example : suppose the agent of a female film star decides that her forthcoming marri age to a public figure (such as a wall-of-death rider or a Sicilian bandit) should be celebrated at a height of 45,000ft and a Mach number of 0.8. They would have no choice but to use the Comet; and if red tape on the part of the Corporation prevented their doing this legally, then pistols might have to be used. I therefore suggest, Sir, that when the captain of this magnificent aircraft next engages in public transport he should be well armed, and ordered to treat with the utmost severity any tendency towards unethical behaviour on the part of the passengers. Besides ensuring the safety of the crew and an extremely valuable aircraft these measures may also tend towards the more profitable use of im ported newsprint during the summer months. Eglington, N. Ireland. BROOKS WALFORD. Lt. Cdr., R.N. Comet-Flight-planning T HE operational performance of the Comet, and the factors affecting it, have been keenly debated wherever airmen have met during these last two years, but the April 25th issue of Flight, devoted largely to this remarkable aircraft, is the most complete review yet to appear in print. From the professional airman's point of view, the article devoted to flight-planning, operation and navigation, was, without a doubt, the most interesting and controversial. Perhaps some comments upon it may be admissable. The actual flight-planning does not appear to differ widely from the methods in general use. The point of starting with the landing weight and working back—primarily to ascertain the largest possible fuel uplift—can be applied to any aircraft but is not usually necessary. Since flight-planning and cruise-control are also " cut and dried " on piston-engined aircraft in airline service it scarcely differs here either. There is nothing new in the idea of the " How Goes It." It is a convenient method of showing graphically what is usually done by the navigator or engineer on a long sector, when a long- range cruise procedure is being operated, or when fuel has been restricted to the safe minimum. There are several other methods. One is to show on the chart the actual fuel remaining compared with what should remain, according to the flight plan, as certain points are passed. It is certainly highly desirable for upper-wind forecasts to be accurate and navigational aids improved, but this will be a very slow business, and the most efficient use must be made with what exists. At night this means astro. No valid reason has yet been advanced as to why astro should be of less use on the Comet than on a slower aircraft. Any really experienced navigator, as standard practice, will obtain an astro fix in an overall time of 17 minutes, including all calculations and plotting, and have the fix on the chart two minutes after the third sight has been completed. Really accurate navigation seems desirable for two major reasons. One is the critical nature of the E.T.A. descent-point, and the other is that, on most aircraft an allowance of up to four per cent is normally made for navigational deviation. A one-and-a-half per cent to two per cent reduction might mean 400 to 500 lb increase in the fixed net load capacity. In view of the freely admitted operational problems involved, it seems unwise that the pilotage and navigation is now carried out by only two officers instead of the more usual three carried on medium- to long-range aircraft. Some misgivings have been expressed in informed circles upon this point. It does not appear to be yet generally accepted that the speed of working, which affects such prime essentials as the E.T.A. descent-point, and the accurate revision of destination E.T.A.'s required by A.T.C., is in direct ratio to the navigator's experience. Burnt Oak, Middlesex. E.P.
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