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Aviation History
1953
1953 - 1083.PDF
NEW B.E.A. LINE? British European Air ways are seriously considering the ad vantages of a proposal to operate Bristol 171 helicopters between Waterloo Air Ter minal and London Airport. The heli copters would be equipped with floats for emergency land ings on the Thames. Tnis topical study is of a military Bristol Sycamore over the L.A.P. terminal area. "Flight" photograph CIVIL AVIATION G.C.A. ACCIDENT REPORT YI7TIILE making a ground-controlled approach to the R.A.F. " airfield at Lyneham on November 27th last year, a Surrey Flying Services York (operated by Air Charter, Ltd.), descended some 140 yd short of the touch-down point and was severely damaged. Captain A. P. Lane and two of his crew of four were slightly injured. The results of an official M.C.A. inquiry into the accident were announced on August 17th and will be published by H.M.S.O. in printed form in a few weeks' time. The report states that the last instruction given by the talk- down controller was "quarter mile—left 3 deg, clear to land, talk-down out." Although visibility was given as 600 yd, the captain and first officer could not see any approach lights and continued to fly on instruments. The first officer then saw trees 50 to 100 yd ahead and shouted a warning to the captain, and both pulled back on the control column. However, the aircraft flew through the tree tops and struck a ridge of steeply sloping ground. In the opinion of the official investigators the accident occurred as a result of the captain allowing the aircraft to descend below critical height during a ground-controlled approach without having visual reference to the ground, contributory causes being :— (1) The captain was not warned by the talk-down controller that the aircraft was approaching break-off altitude; (2) the visibility at the threshold of Runway 07 was less than the airfield visibility which had been reported to the captain; (3) the aircraft was affected by a down-draught which caused it to sink below the glidepath. The glidepath at Lyneham allows for less obstacle clearance than is normal with a civil installation. The report makes the following recommendations: That the R.A.F. should ensure (1) that the Q.F.E. values refer to either the published airfield altitude, or the touch-down altitude for the runway in use; M.C.A. RETIREMENT: When the Ministries of Transport and Civil Aviation are amalgamated in October, Sir Arnold Overton (left) will retire from his appointment as Permanent Secretary to the M.C.A., which he has held since 1947, having reached the age of 60. His duties will be taken over by the Permanent Secretary of the combined Ministry, Sir Cilmour Jenkins, who has held a similar post with the Ministry of Transport forthe lastjix years. (2) the advisability of increasing the break-off altitude (obstacle clearance limit) for ground controlled approaches to Runway 07 at Lyneham; (3) the use of the civil system of reporting runway visual range; (4) that the attention of pilots is drawn to (a) their responsibilities with regard to critical height; (b) the necessity for systematic flight instrument scanning during instrument approaches; (c) the need for systematic pre-arranged co-operation between the first and second pilots during the transition stage from instrument to visual conditions. [The first officer's action, which may well have reduced the severity of the accident, and recommendation (c) above, are of particular interest in view of Flight leading article of July 31st.] ONE FORM FEWER ON and after August 31st captains of mail-carrying aircraft arriving in the U.K. will no longer have to "solemnly declare that ... I have delivered or caused to be delivered to a proper Office of the Post Office every postal packet and every mail bag, package or parcel of postal packets that was on board the above- mentioned aircraft . . ." The abolition of this declaration, thus reducing by one the number of documents to be completed by commercial pilots, has been made possible by a new Act of Parliament, following representations by the M.C.A. MOVING BY AIR S OME surprise has been expressed at the report (Flight, July 31st) that an Aer Lingus Freighter moved an entire household, consisting of a family of five and furniture, weighing just under 4 tons, from Dublin to London at a cost of £100. Reference to the list of cargo rates published by the airline, however, shows that household furniture is carried on this route on a scheduled service at 7d per kg for a minimum of 500 kg. On this basis the cost of transportation of four short tons from Dublin to London would be about £105; and in the case mentioned in our report the customer was a member of an airline associated with Aer Lingus who was changing his address for professional reasons, and who therefore received a slight concession in rates. These figuresl'efer only to the cost of moving from one airport to another and the total cost would be increased by surface charges. B.O.A.C. FLEET NEWS BY acquiring the Series 1A Comet originally ordered by C.P.A., B.O.A.C. have replaced the aircraft lost near Calcutta last May. The loss of one of two Comets ordered by C.P.A. (while making a delivery flight) made it impossible for the Canadian air- l'ne to run its projected jet service between Sydney and Honolulu. B.O.A.C. took delivery of the remaining aircraft on August 10th, and within two days it had been repainted in Corporation colours. Its registration, formerly CF-CUM, is now G-ANAV. The aircraft is being virtually converted to a standard B.O.A.C. Series 1 Comet by removal of extra tanks and water- injection equipment, modifications to radio and alterations to the passenger cabin (the number of seats will be reduced from 44 to 36); it should enter service within a few days. One of the two weekly Comet services to Tokyo was suspended
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