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Aviation History
1953
1953 - 0383.PDF
20 March 1953 381 outer skin, the final exit to atmosphere being through exhaust louvres shown in the drawing at the foot of p. 378. The whole system is electrically controlled and, in the event of failure of an inner engine, can be fed by either of the heat- exchangers. Present Viscounts are not fitted with ice-detectors, and ice-inspection lamps are therefore fitted in the outer engine nacelles, under the control of the pilots. Windscreen de-icing is a conventional electrically-pumped spray of alcohol-base fluid, an individual supply being available for either pilot. The fluid is spread by the controllable-speed windscreen wipers, which are actuated by an electrically-powered hydraulic system. The engine intakes and airscrews are de-iced by electric resistance heating pads (page 370). Fuel System.—The normal fuel supply is contained in 16 tanks, arranged four pairs in each wing separated by the spar. The total capacity of these tanks is 1,400 gallons; additionally, a long-range tank of 160 gallons capacity is fitted in each wing inboard of the inner engines and feeding to the main tanks. The tanks are of the Marston crashproof-bag type and are retained in their plated wing boxes by dome-shaped buttons which are pressed into holes in the tank bay. Access is obtained through large panels in the wing under-surface. Pacitor contents gauges are fitted. The port and starboard systems are entirely separate, except for a single cross-feed line and cock. Fuelling may be carried out over the wing, the refuelling valves being sited near the leading edge just outboard of the outer engines. Alternatively, pressure-fuelling may be used, the appropriate connections being in the outer nacelles. Under the Paris agreement, a three-point bayonet fitting is standard and all Viscounts from No. 11 onwards will be so equipped. Present production uses both Avery-Hardoll sockets (Air France, for example), and Flight Refuelling (T.C.A. aircraft). For restoring full take-off power in "conditions of high temperature or high altitude," a water/methanol system is pro vided. There is a 37^-gallon tank in each wing from which the 60/40 mixture is electrically pumped to each engine through a metering valve. When the system is selected, it operates when engines are opened up. B.E.A. Furnishing.—In the flight deck the floor forms the boundary of the pressure cabin itself. It is, therefore, part of the primary airframe, with a central walkway in ply, covered with green Lionide. In the passenger cabin the flooring is wood, as already described, over which is fitted a deep-pile felt-backed carpet in B.E.A. red. Elsewhere in the aircraft the flooring is generally in a resilient synthetic material, Hardura. Throughout, access panels are provided for underfloor services and, in the luggage bays, freight-lashing points are provided. The material used for the wall-trim is, chiefly, Vynide—green in the cockpit, grey in the pantry, grey and red in the saloon (cream over the roof) and blue and cream in the toilet. Also employed are various types of fabric, damage-protected bulkheads (in the luggage compartments) with a paint finish and, in the rear vestibule, polished veneer. Above the floor, the entire pressure-hull is insulated against sound and temperature-changes by Fibreglass sealed in flameproof madapolam bags. An excellent impression of the general furnishing of the main saloon may be obtained from the cross-section sketch on page 380. B.E.A. and Vickers-Armstrongs have worked very hard together to develop the Discovery-class interior. In this connection we cannot do better than quote Mr. R. C. Morgan, O.B.E., F.R.Ae.S., chief project and development engineer of B.E.A. Writing in Flight on January 16th last, he said: "Taking the B.E.A. red and grey as the basis of the colour-scheme, we [B.E.A., Vickers-Armstrongs, and Mr. James Gardner, O.B.E., R.D.I., M.S.I.A.] set ourselves the broad target of producing an interior which would be 'light and airy,' 'appropriate to the vehicle,' pleasant and, at the same time, practical. The standard of detail finish we set ourselves was not easy to meet, and Vickers' design staff had to tackle each item, particularly as no standard fittings were available. . . . While bearing in mind ease of main tenance and durability, we kept in the forefront the fact that the interior would stand or fall by the views of the womenfolk. Judging from comments already received, we have succeeded." The B.E.A. Discoveries are variously fitted as 40- or 48-seat aircraft, the high-density version having the same seat-pitch—one row opposite each window—but with some triple-seat units on one side of the gangway. The eleventh, and subsequent, aircraft will have seat rails running down each side of the cabin, capable of taking either twin or triple units with any desired pitching. Further, fore- or aft-facing may be adopted, although conversion involves transferring the triple seat units from one side of the cabin to the other. By inserting a movable bulkhead, part of the cabin may be used for freight. This has, in fact, been called for in the Viscount 707 for Aer Lingus. But, so far, no all-freight Viscount has been announced—although the lengthened Series 800 aircraft would This photograph of a Discovery-class machine complements the drawing on the opposite page. The white filament lighting units conceal the cabin- air extraction outlets. On the walls are individual lamps, louvres and call buttons. For clarity, all but the last row of seats have been removed. appear to be a particularly attractive proposition in this regard. The interior of the Series 701 is well shown in the sketches on pages 366-367. The B.E.A. pantry, which is built up of the stan dard B.E.A./G.E.C.-developed units, really requires fuller treat ment than can be given here. Those familiar with the Corporation's Elizabethan class will know the type of service which it can provide. The pantry water system includes a four-gallon tank, two-gallon heated urn, and seven-gallon waste tank, the servicing panel being under the port side, as shown in the drawing on page 378. Right aft is the toilet; the hand basin is supplied with hot water from a 12-gallon roof tank and drains into a larger waste tank. The chemical closet is a standard Vickers' product and both it and the hand basin are serviced from a panel under the rear fuselage. A very great range of emergency equipment is carried, including several fire-extinguishers and portable oxygen for the crew. Finally, it is of interest to review the various types of interior provisionally specified by some of the operators who are to put the Viscount to work in the near future:— Series 701 (British European Airways).—40 or 47 seats in rows of four and five. Forward pantry and luggage bay. Rear toilet and freight hold. Series 707 (Aer Lingus).—(A) 23 seats in rows of four and five. Large rear luggage hold and two forward toilets to starboard. Forward 20ft of cabin given over to freight with central gangway, separated from saloon by removable bulkhead. No pantry. (B) 48 seats in rows of four and five. Forward pantry and two toilets; large lugeaee space aft. Incidentally, a considerable amount of Connolly's leather will be used in the Aer Lingus furnishing. Series 708 (Air France).—(A) 40 seats in rows of four. Forward luggage bay and pantry; rear toilet and freight hold. (A very French interior, furnished in satin de laine and moquette.) (B) As before, with 49 seats, the last row having four seats only. The Air France Viscounts differ from all others at present on order in that the rear freight bay is separated from the entrance vestibule by a curtain only. Other airlines specify a wall and door. Series 724 (Trans-Canada Airlines).—This very different interior will have 48 seats in twelve rows of four. The main freight bay is forward, separated from the flight deck by a concertina blind. Then come two toilets, one either side of the central gangway. Abaft the cabin will be found the pantry on the starboard side, behind which will be a second luggage bay and a coat rack, the latter being adjacent to the door. W.T.G.
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