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Aviation History
1953
1953 - 1089.PDF
and AIRCRAFT ENGINEER First Aeronautical Weekly in the World Founded 1909 No. 2327 Vol. LXIV. FRIDAY, 28 AUGUST 1953 EDITOR MAURICE A. SMITH, D.F.C. ASSISTANT EDITOR H. F. KING, M.B.E. ART EDITOR JOHN YOXALL Editorial, Advertising and Publishing Offices: DORSET HOUSE, STAMFORD STREET, LONDON, S.E.1. Telegrams, Flightpres, Sedist, London- Telephone, Waterloo 3333 (60 lines). Branch Offices: COVENTRY 8-10, Corporation Street. Telegrams Autocar, Coventry. Telephone, Coventry 5210. BIRMINGHAM 2 King Edward House, New Street. Telegrams, Autopress, Birmingham. Telephone, Midland 7191 (7 lines). MANCHESTER. 3 260, Deansgate. Telegrams, iliffe, Manchester. Telephone, Blackfriars 4412 (3 lines). Deansgate 3S9S (2 fines). GLASGOW, C2. 26b, Renfield Street. Telegrams, Iliffe, Glasgow. Telephone, Central 1265 (2 lines). SUBSCRIPTION RATES Home and Overseas; Twelve months £3 3s. Od. U.S.A. and Canada, $10.00. BY AIR: To Canada and U.S.A. six months, $16. IN THIS ISSUE: Air Day at Coventry - 244 AAFCE ------ 247 Guided Midget - - - 254 Airborne in a Canberra 257 Are we Nearer to Space- Flight? - - - - 259 Victims of Progress WHAT is the future of the ten B.O.A.C. Hermes IVs now on the market, and soon to be joined by the nine still in service? That a great deal of public capital is still tied up in these aircraft makes their disposal a matter of considerable concern. Whatever the outcome, it will be generally agreed that they must not be allowed to lie unsold at London Airport. Each Hermes cost B.O.A.C. some £275,000, and this amount was, we understand, to be written off over the usual period of seven years. Their working life with B.O.A.C. has been about three years, so the present book value is in the region of £180,000 per aircraft. About six months ago the Corporation's deputy chairman was quoted as saying that the Hermes would be offered for £198,000—a representative price intended to cover the taxpayer's investment. In Britain, however, the number of independent operators prepared to pay such a sum could be counted on the fingers of a clenched hand. Broadly speaking, the traffic potential of the present independent network is insufficient to sustain the sudden addition of a large Hermes fleet. As Sir Miles Thomas has suggested, the Hermes would be suitable equipment for an aircraft pool used primarily for trooping and available for immediate use in time of war. But trooping contracts are quickly snapped up, and most of the short-term Army and R.A.F. "tasks" are already being carried out with less expensive but adequate types such as the York or Viking. If more than lip-service is to be paid to the demand for an air-transport reserve, serious consideration must be given to means of increasing the present scale of air-trooping work. This would be in keeping with War Office policy based on practical and economic considerations. We do not intend to suggest the creation of an artificial pool; but if a pool existed it could result in a ready demand for aircraft such as the Hermes. Many people may find it puzzling that the independents, who have more than once bemoaned the comparative obsolence of their equipment (which affects economy but not safety) have not bid for these Hermes—particularly as B.O.A.C. are almost certainly prepared to accept something like half the figure originally quoted. One important reason is that newer and far more economic aircraft such as the Britannia will become available within the next two or three years, thus permitting systematic planning for a period of seven to ten years ahead. Even comparatively cheap second-hand types would have to be intensively operated to show profitable results during the interim period. Alternatively, the Hermes may be sold abroad. Potential overseas buyers facing an urgent re-equipment problem will undoubtedly consider two important advantages of the aircraft: they are available for almost immediate delivery as a going concern; and they are probably the least expensive modern aircraft of such capacity to be found on the market today. Of attractive appearance and exceptionally comfortable from the passenger viewpoint, the Hermes should be well worth the consideration of several busy operators now using obsolete machines and seeking an interim replacement. Such companies, by using the aircraft intensively for, say, three to four years, could immediately enhance the appeal of their services to their increasing travelling public, thus paving the way for the newer and much more economic types to come. To criticize B.O.A.C.'s decision to sell the aircraft would, in our view, be unreasonable. It is the Corporation's responsibility to operate highly competitive services with the most suitable aircraft available. To do otherwise would place an unnecessary strain on the taxpayer, and would be against the interests of British prestige. For want of suitable routes and services in the Corporation's network, their Hermes have become progressively less active as Comets came into service and other machines were down-graded to tourist work. Thus it is necessary to dispose of the Hermes; and we reiterate the hope that the disposal will be achieved speedily. The sad demise of the Solents, most of which have been left inactive and wasting for nearly three years, must be avoided at any cost. As consolation, the fact that a still-modern aircraft should be retired from B.O.A.C. service at this early stage may be taken as an indication of the progress and exceptional quality offered by the new British airliners now entering service or shortly to do so.
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