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Aviation History
1953
1953 - 0501.PDF
17 April 1953 497 "Flight" photographs HOME AND AWAY : Hellenikon Airport, Athens, is the focal point for the network of domestic and international services operated by TAE (Greek Airlines), one of whose 18 DC-3s is seen (left) returning to the Greek terminal. The Misrair Viking, one of seven operated by the Egyptian airline, is calling at Athens on the weekly service from Cairo to Istanbul via Nicosia and Hellenikon. W. D. VAN OS, O.B.E. F RIENDS in the British aircraft industry learned with regret of the sudden death, in Holland on March 19th, of Mr. W. D. van Os, adviser to the production directorate of K.L.M. Mr. van Os who was 56, pined K.L.M. in 1926; during the war, at Whitchurch Airport, Bristol, he was responsible for the technical organization of the airline's service between England and Lisbon. He frequently visited the United Kingdom in the post-war years and was well known in aircraft manufacturing circles. A colleague in Holland writes that he "was always full of enthusiasm to defend English products against other markets." HIGH-DENSITY ARGONAUTS ARGONAUTS furnished to carry 56 passengers are being used >• on B.O.A.C.'s cut-fare services from London to Lod (Israel), Singapore and Hong Kong. Early in May they will replace Hermes 56-seaters on the weekly London-Rome-Cairo services, making an 'additional stop at Frankfurt subject to government agreement. An Argonaut service to Beirut via Rome will be introduced at the same time. The Hermes will continue to maintain low-fare services to East Africa and Northern Rhodesia. It is estimated by the Cor poration that approximately one-third of the total seating capacity during the coming summer will be offered at tourist fares. On the North Atlantic route 65-seat Constellations will continue to operate all B.O.A.C.'s cut-fare services. LOCKHEED'S BIG BACKLOG T HE annual report of the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation shows that at December 31st, 1952, the company held outstanding orders for 70 Super Constellations and the associated spares and services, representing a total value of nearly £44 m. These com mercial orders, placed by 11 different airlines, form only 8 per cent of Lockheed's 1952 backlog (which, incidentally, was 66 per cent higher in terms of dollars than that for 1951). Lockheed's sales last year were valued at more than £155 m, of which 10 per cent was paid by airlines. By the end of the year the company had spent over £350,000 on jet transport studies intended to place Lockheed "in a good technical position for the time when military or commercial market conditions justify further effort." The report expresses the belief "that 1953 will certainly see important decisions in the American commercial jet transport field." BREVITIES ELIZABETHANS in service with B.E.A. flew about 10,000 revenue hours during the year ended February, 1953, earning some £1.5 m, and are expected to log 28,000 hours and earn £4 m over the following 12-month period. Viscounts are scheduled to fly 14,000 hours by February, 1954, earning at the rate of £185 per hour. * * * Aviation Meteorology on the Route Marseilles-Rome-Athens- Cairo is the title of a 68-page report issued by the Meteorological Office and published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office at 2s. 6d. * * * Formerly leased to Airwork, Ltd., by Eagle Aviation, Ltd., three Viking 1 As have now been sold to the former company. * * * The London School of Air Navigation reports that it now undertakes to coach students for type ratings (general and specific). * * * Four-seat Bristol 171 Mk 3AS are expected to re-open B.E.A.'s- London-Birmingham passenger service on July 27th. The service will be preceded by freight flights to Elmdon and a number of proving flights to Haymills, terminal for the passenger service. * * * To mark "Flower Fleet Day" at Schiphol, Amsterdam, K.L.M. stewardesses presented bouquets of spring flowers to every passenger arriving at or departing from the airport on April 9th. * • * Overhaul time of Wright C18BD engines powering the six L649A Constellations of Chicago and Southern Airlines was recently increased from 1,600 to 1,700 hours. Average utilization of these aircraft on comparatively short stages is 8 J hours. Normal cruising speed is 254 m.p.h. and the average stage is 380 miles. * * * Mr. W. de Mier, who has been appointed general manager for K.L.M. in Mexico and Central America, is to be succeeded as general manager for the U.K. and Ireland region by Mr. R. L. G. Borgerhoff Mulder. Trained as a pilot at Cranwell in 1940, Mr. Borgerhoff Mulder made 70 bombing sorties with the R.A.F. during the war. Since 1949 he has been a member of K.L.M.'s foreign-policy bureau in The Hague. * * * Special procedures for nights to the Channel Islands during the busy summer period are set out in Notams No. 170 and 178. A new system of parking aircraft on the apron at Ringway Airport, to avoid congestion during the summer, is the subject of Notam No. 171. * * * Fares on certain routes of British West Indian Airways were increased on April 1st to offset "steadily rising costs." A B.W.I.A. announcement noted that the company's fares had previously been maintained at a level below that recommended by I.A.T.A. The airline will open a new route between Kingston and Maracaibo, Venezuela, on May 1st. * * * Aer Lingus summer schedules feature nearly 200 flights weekly and accommodation for 6,000 passengers on the company's busiest route—that between Dublin and London. Of this accommodation 1,350 will be offered on 48 "Starflights" at the reduced fare of £10 return. The weekly total of seats offered by Aer Lingus on all routes will be about 17,000. * * * B.E.A.'s new Waterloo Air Terminal, due to be opened on May 19th, will also be used by passengers of Air Lingus, Air France, Iberia, Sabena, S.A.S. and Swissair. To avoid traffic delays during the Coronation period, the Waterloo building will be closed between 11 p.m. on June 1st and 7 a.m. on June 3rd; the White City Stadium will be used as a temporary terminal. * * * M.C.A. investigations into the forced landing of an Aer Lingus Dakota in Warwickshire on January 1st have been suspended, following the decision of the Irish Department of Industry and Commerce to hold a public inquiry into the incident. The aircraft, EI-ACF St. Kieran, was extensively damaged, but the 22 passen gers and crew of three escaped injury.
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