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Aviation History
1953
1953 - 0130.PDF
128 FLIGHT, 23 January 1953 COMMERCIAL-HELICOPTER ECONOMICS value. The total operating cost of a mail service using the fleet of five small (500 h.p.) helicopters operating for 1,200 hours per annum, at a 33 per cent load factor over an average stage of 25 miles, has been calculated (Ref. 4) at £110,000 per annum. This service could carry 6J million lb of mail, effecting a 12-hour saving in time at a cost of one-fifth of a penny per letter—a not un economic prospect by any means, and attainable in the immediate future, given official support. Conclusions At the present time, therefore, the helicopter is seen to be grossly uneconomic for commercial passenger use, although existing types can be used successfully for mail services and other specialist (e.g., agricultural) purposes. The lines along which future development will progress have been studied by several authorities (Refs. 2-5, 10, 11) with a marked agreement on major issues. The forseeable future of the rotorplane lies in its use for passenger transportation over short-haul inter-city routes, for which role it is well suited. Its speed and convenience will make it preferable to both surface and fixed-wing air travel over such routes, but its operating economy must become competi tive. For this economy in operation, there are two basic requirements; firstly, the initial cost of the machine must be kept reasonably low, either by Government assistance in the development stages (e.g., by means of a joint civil /military specification) or by other means of ensuring sufficiently large production orders to bring down the unit costs. This might call for construction of a smaller machine than would ideally be required from the airlines' point of view, in order to stimulate the demand elsewhere. Secondly, the performance of the helicopter in terms of payload carried and speed achieved must be improved, in order to reduce THE BRITISH CIVIL HELICOPTER LIST WE print below a list of civil helicopters on the British register for January, 1953. The three Services hurriedly retired behind the security screen (or should it, we wonder, be deficiency screen ?) when we questioned them upon their equipment plans and train ing facilities. However, they probably have two or three dozen machines in use to make up the grand total with the 21 com prising the civil complement. It will be noted that one experimental operating unit (B.E.A.), three manufacturers and only one independent company (Pest Control, Ltd.) are featured in the list. The surviving modified second Fairey Gyrodyne, which is expected to fly again this year, will no doubt retain its letters G-AJJP. Type Sikorsky S-51 Sikorsky S-51 Sikorsky S-51 Bell 47 B3 Bell 47 B3 Sikorsky S-51 ... Bristol 173 Sikorsky S-51 Ltd. ... Bristol 171 Mk. 3 Ltd. ... Bristol 171 Mk. 3 Ltd. ... Bristol 171 Mk. 3 Hiller 360 '. Hiller 360 Hiller 360 Sikorsky S-55 Bristol 173 Mk. 2 Sikorsky S-55 Sikorsky S-51 Hiller 360 Sikorsky S-51 Sikorsky S-51 ... Saro Skeeter Reg. Owner G-AJHW B.E.A G-AJOR B.E.A. G-AJOV B.E.A. G-AKFA B.E.A. G-AKFB B.E.A. G-AKTW Westland Aircraft, Ltd. G-ALBN The Minister of Supply G-ALIK Westland Aircraft, Ltd. G-ALSR The Bristol Aeroplane Co. G-ALSX The Bristol Aeroplane Co.; G-ALTB The Bristol Aeroplane Co., G-AMDN Pest Control, Ltd. ... G-AMDO Pest Control, Ltd. ... G-AMGY Pest Control, Ltd. ... G-AMHK Westland Aircraft, Ltd. G-AMJI The Minister of Supply G-AMJT Westland Aircraft, Ltd. G-AMJW Westland Aircraft, Ltd. G-AMMY Pest Control, Ltd. ... G-AMOW Westland Aircraft, Ltd. G-AMOX Westland Aircraft, Ltd. G-AMTZ Saunders Roe, Ltd. ... Registration letters allocated to the Bristol Aeroplane Co., Ltd., for 171s in production are G-AMWG to G-AMWP inclusive, and G-AMWR to G-AMWU inclusive. Also on the current register are three Cierva C.30A Autogiros (G-ACUU, G. S. Baker; G-AHTZ, Rota Towels, Ltd.; and G-AIOC, still registered in the name of the Cierva Autogiro Co., Ltd.) and a Kay Gyroplane, G-ACVA, registered by Kay Gyro planes, Ltd., of Edinburgh. ROTORCRAFT PILOTS' LICENCES AT the present time no licences exist for helicopter pilots as «• such. Applicants must already be in possession of a normal pilot's licence, either private or commercial according to require ments, and it is endorsed for a particular type of helicopter, provided the candidate has successfully passed certain tests laid down in M.C.A. information circular No. 24/1951. Five and the total operating costs per seat-mile to approximately one-eighth of their present value. Opinions on the most suitable type of transport helicopters are divided : the large 50-seat, 150 m.p.h. machine which would please jhe operators is felt by many manufacturers and others to be beyond the next step of practicable development. Provided the operators and manufacturers can agree on suitable designs, how ever, the transport helicopter can become an economic reality by i960. This country is indeed fortunate to possess not only rotorplane designers of great skill and experience, but also a national airline which, having operated the world's first regular passenger heli copter service, is continuing actively to follow up developments in this field. The world lead in yet another branch of aviation is even now within reach. K. T. O. REFERENCES (1) Hafner: "Investigation on the Development of the Helicopter." April, 1948. (2) Masefield: "Some Economic Factors in Civil Aviation." R.Ae.S. Lecture, October, 1948. (3) Rowe: "Helicopter Operations—Some Problems and Prospects." Helicopter Association Lecture, January, 1949. (4) Wigdortchik: "Some Economics of the Helicopter—Present and Future." Helicopter Association Lecture, September, 1949. (5) M.C.A. : "First Report of the Interdepartmental Helicopter Committee." September, 1950. (6) Belinn: "Helicopters Applied to Local Air Service Operation— American Plan." S.A.E. Meeting, April, 1951. (7) Rowe: "Helicopters Applied to Local Air Service Operation— British Experience and Requirements." S.A.E. Meeting, April, 1951. (8) B.E.A.: "Oudine Specification of Requirements for Large Commercial Helicopter." October, 1951. (9) Vernieuwe: "Helicopter Operating Experiences." Helicopter Association Lecture, September, 1952. (10) Piasecki and Wigdortchik: "Can the Airlines Use the Heli copter?" S.A.E. Meeting, October, 1952. (n) Masefield: "Thoughts on the Operational Future of the Transport Helicopter." Helicopter Association Lecture, November, 1952. 50 hours of solo, respectively, are required for private and com mercial endorsements, and a technical examination must be passed. A certificate from a qualified instructor is also required, stating that the pilot is competent on the particular machine concerned, and in this connection it is frequently the practice for applicants first to obtain the Royal Aero Club's helicopter Aviator's Certificate. Special arrangements have been made in the past for the small number of applicants who have flown only rotating-wing aircraft. At the recent I.C.A.O. Conference it was decided to recommend that separate private and commercial helicopter licences should in future be issued. United Kingdom legislation to this effect may therefore be forthcoming. SPECIALIZED HELICOPTER EQUIPMENT AMONG the pioneers in the supply of specialized helicopter - equipment is the Palmer Tyre, Ltd. In addition to a wide range of wheels, tyres and braking systems designed for modern British helicopters, the company's rotorcraft products include floats, drip trays, and a fiat pneumatic ring for rotor-clutch operation. Types of machines to use this equipment include the Bristol 171 and 173, the Fairey Gyrodyne, and the Saunders-Roe Skeeter. Close co-operation in the early design stages between the company and the airframe constructors has often resulted in useful savings of weight, always an important design consideration. A notable example was in the development of the Cierva Air Horse, where such co-operation made possible the use of extremely small wheels, with consequent reductions in both weight and drag. In spite of the theoretically small loads imposed on helicopter wheels, it has in general been found preferable to use small-size standard-quality wheels, rather than specially designed helicopter wheels of lower strength. The company was the first in England to manufacture pontoon floats for helicopters, and it is at present developing, together with the Bristol Aeroplane Company, a relatively high-pressure (5 lb/sq in) float for the 171. The object is partly to obtain improved rigidity and, as the float will be used as a stressed member, partly to reduce the weight of the heavy supporting framework that is normally required. Another feature of this float is that it is of streamlined shape to reduce drag. Experience gained on air/sea rescue helicopters has shown the need for something to protect the cockpit floor and underside controls from the corrosive effects of sea water. This need has been met by the provision of a removable waterproof tray made of polythene and designed to drain away water in considerable quantities. These are at present fitted to the Bristol 171 and the Westland-Sikorsky S-55. For the future, the firm has submitted designs for landing and other equipment for the Mk 3 version of the Bristol 173, the Fairey Rotodyne, and the projected Percival helicopter to which reference is made on page 107.
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