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Aviation History
1953
1953 - 0081.PDF
FLIGHT, 16 January 1953 79 CIVIL AVIATION BRAZIL ORDERS COMETS AFTER a long period of negotiation, the de Havilland Aircraft - Co., Ltd., have announced yet another definite purchaser of Comets—Panair do Brasil, which has placed a firm order for four Series 2s (for delivery beginning in 1954), and has taken an option for two Series 3 machines for later delivery. Both versions of Comet as supplied to Panair will be powered by Rolls-Royce Avons. The Series 2s will be fitted out as 44-seaters capable of operating 2,000-mile stage-lengths with full capacity payload of over 13,000 lb; the Series 3s will probably be furnished as first-class mainliners for 58 passengers, though capable of conversion to a 78-passenger coach layout. Payload-range combinations for the Comet 3 have been provisionally given as 17,300 lb/2,600 miles (first-class) and 20,000 lb/2,400 miles (tourist). As long ago as April 6th, 1951, Panair do Brasil announced in Rio de Janeiro a decisicn in principle to adopt the Comet for its main trunk services, including those which cross the Atlantic Ocean to Europe and the Middle East; and it was then believed that the Series 2 would suit the company's needs more satisfac torily than the Series 1, by reason of the long trans-ocean and continental stages. These include crossings of the Andes, which the Comets will traverse at twice the mountain heights. The main Panair services at present operate once weekly in each direction between London and Buenos Aires, Beirut and Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro and Santiago, Frankfurt and Buenos Aires, and Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires. The company's fleet includes seven Model 049 Constellations, which carry 41 passen gers on trans-ocean stages and 50 on the shorter sectors. De Havilland state that: "Up to now 46 Comets of all series have been definitely ordered, in addition to more than 100 of the Series 2 and 3 now under active discussion, many of them in an advanced stage of contract negotiation." Details of most of the orders announced so far were published in Flight of January 2nd. Certain newspapers have inferred that Panair would now become the first airline to operate jet services across the South Atlantic between Britain and South America. B.O.A.C. point out, however, that the first of the Corporation's Comet 2s will be delivered this year, enabling the British airline to pioneer jet travel to South America early in 1954. The Comet 2 would also be used to begin upper-air exploration over the North Atlantic preparatory to the opening of regular services with Comet 3s. This is the first official statement that Mk 2s will not be used on N. Atlantic services. DANGEROUS AIRFLOW . . . DISCUSSING the behaviour of airflow over mountains, with particular reference to the loss of an Aer Lingus Dakota a year ago, Mr. A. H. Yates pointed out in Flight recently (January 2nd) that "a safety height of 1,000ft above the mountain tops, which was until recently accepted even for much lower ground, is clearly inadequate in the light of present knowledge ..." His belief is now endorsed by an M.C.A. Information Circular, Number 3/1953, which recommends pilots, in deciding the safety height for each section of a route, to take account of the "con figuration of the terrain, the wind velocity, the cloud amounts at various levels and the practicability of keeping clear of icing levels, the meteorological advice given in the particular case and any past experience of the route in similar weather conditions." The circular states that: "In unstable air, vertical currents associated with convection are liable to be more intense over mountains than over level terrain, especially in strong transverse air streams, but in these cases the distribution of vertical currents is irregular. With transverse streams of stable air, however, the disturbance of the airflow by a mountain range can set up an organized flow-pattern comprising waves and/or large-scale eddies in which strong vertical currents and turbulence can occur. These effects are sometimes manifest to a considerable height above the level of the crest and may persist for many miles downwind. Thus, whether the air be stable or unstable, mountains may give rise to strong vertical currents. It may be noted that the phenomena referred to have been observed even in moderate winds, an example being a down current of 800 ft/min experienced on the lee side of mountains 1,500ft high in transverse winds of only 20 kt. More pronounced effects can be expected in stronger winds, especially over higher ground with a precipitous lee slope." . . . DANGEROUS EXHAUST W/'ARNING of another hazard underlined by a recent accident ""is contained in an A.R.B. notice to licensed engineers and owners of civil aircraft, which warns operators of Austers modified for the use of cameras, long-range belly tanks and similar fittings against the possibility of dangerous carbon monoxide concentra tions in the cabin. An M.C.A. report found that this was the probable cause of the accident to a photographic Auster, resulting in the death of its pilot, as reported in Flight of January 9th. The A.R.B. is unable to prescribe any general corrective measures for camera installations already approved and therefore instructs operators to warn pilots to increase the ventilation if exhaust fumes are smelt. Before further camera modifications are approved, tests of the aircraft concerned must be made in varying conditions of flight, and no further aircraft may be modified in accordance with the already approved installations unless the modifications are checked by similar tests to the satisfaction of the A.R.B. COMET CERTIFICATION TALKS TT is announced that Mr. R. E. Hardingham, secretary of the *- Air Registration Board, will fly to Washington in a week's time to discuss with the American Civil Aeronautics Administra tion the question of certification of British gas-turbine powered aircraft in the United States. The main subject of the discussions, which will continue for about a fortnight, will be the possibility of American recognition for certificates of airworthiness issued for the various marks of Comet. The Comet cannot qualify for American certification since the C.A.A. has not drawn up any airworthiness requirements for turbine-powered aircraft, the American view being that "there is as yet insufficient data on jet transport operation to formulate a realistic policy on certification requirements." Pending the formulation of American policy, the A.R.B. delegation will simply attempt to persuade the C.A.A. that British requirements are adequate. It is reported that the discussions will be followed by a visit to this country by C.A.A. representatives, who will be able to make a complete personal investigation of the circumstances in which British transport aircraft are manufactured, certificated and operated. The announcement recalls the prolonged negotiations which resulted in American acceptance in October, 1950, of British certificates of airworthiness for civil types other than those powered by gas turbines. The C.A.A. were at first unwilling to recognize the British requirements then prevailing, despite the fact that these were based on I.C.A.O. standards which in turn were based mainly on American requirements. So far the C.A.A. has only admitted willingness to consider each aircraft type on an ad hoc basis. Acceptance of British C.s of A. is, of course, essential to the export of the new British airliners to America. The sale of Comet 3s to P.A.W.A., for example, is conditional on C.A.A. acceptance of the British certificate. The influence of PanAm. who have already stated that there should be no difficulty in gaining this acceptance, should help to counter the "anti-Comet" views of those American manufacturers and operators who, for obvious reasons, would be sorry to see British jet airliners earning revenue in the States. There will be no obstacle to T.C.A. operation of Viscounts within the U.S.A., since Canada accepts British airworthiness requirements and the onus of enforcing airworthiness is, by international agreement, borne by the respon sible authority in the country of origin. INDIA'S AIRLINE CORPORATION A BRIEF report from New Delhi gives April 1st as the probable date of the nationalization of the Indian airlines. The necessary legislation, it is stated, will be introduced in the forth coming budget session of the Indian parliament. The probable name of the state airline, which will be responsible for both domestic and international air services, is Indian Airways Corporation. CORPORATION'S JULY RESULTS REVENUE passenger-miles flown on B.O.A.C. services in the 28 days ending July 26th, 1952, exceeded 78 million, compared with 72«million in the 31 days of July, 1951, giving an effective increase in the rate of output of some 20 per cent. The greatest increase was on the routes of the western area, on which over 34 million passenger-miles were flown, compared with 27 million in July, 1951—an effective increase of over 40 per cent. Freight and mail traffic also showed continuing expansion in this area, but were disappointing in the eastern area, reaching only 1,360,000 and 910,000 short ton-miles, respectively, for the 28 days, compared with 1,580,000 and 990,000 in July, 1951; the overall revenue load factor achieved on eastern services fell from 74 to 69 per cent. The number of passengers carried on B.E.A. services was 23 per cent above the figure for July, 1951. Domestic passengers increased by 26 per cent. The number carried on B.E.A.'s inter national services was 19 per cent higher, even though total carryings to and from the Continent during summer were lower than in the previous vear. The Corporation carried 1,829 short tons of freight and mail, an increase of 15 per cent over July, 1951. Services flown by associates of the two Corporations were more extensive and carried more traffic. The route mileage was doubled,
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