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Aviation History
1954
1954 - 0101.PDF
ROYAL HERON: On the left is the interior of the N.Z.N.A.C. Heron in which the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were to fly from Rotorua to Gisborne on January 6th. The crew consisted of (left to right) Capt. H. C. Walker, A.F.C., the company's operations manager, Capt. W. Raymond and Stewardess Audrey Winefield. The Royal party will also make several flights in Dakotas of N.Z.N.A.C. CIVIL AVIATION BREVITIES ON January 1st the Republic of China became the 62nd member-nation of I.C.A.O. China joined die organization on its inception in 1947, but withdrew from membership on May 31st, 1951. * * * Registration letters G-ANHA-F inclusive have been allocated to B.E.A.'s second batch of Viscount 701s. The initial order for 20 is well on the way to completion; 16 have been delivered. * * * El Al Israel Airlines have acquired a fourth Constellation, which will enter service on their routes in about two months' time. * * * Taylor Woodrow Construction, Ltd., have been awarded the contract for the superstructure of die "eastern apex" building in the central area at London Airport. The same company recendy completed die 2,040ft access tunnel connecting the Bath Road with the terminal area, and holds contracts for the two other terminal buildings—control tower and passenger-handling building. The "apex" will take two years to complete. Suggested as a suitable vehicle for carrying small groups around airports or large factories, and shortly to be offered on the British market at "less than £1,000," the Volkswagen Microbus employs the same engine as the manufacturer's famous small car but can accommo date a driver and seven passengers. Cruising speed is given as 50 m.p.h. and fuel consumption as 27-30 m.p.g. Pan American's traffic and sales manager for the United Kingdom, Mr. James Montgomery, recently returned to the United States to take up his new appointment as passenger sales manager there. He is succeeded by Mr. James O. Leet, who has been the airline's station manager at London Airport since April 1947. PanAm also announces die appoint ment of Lt. Cdr. Kenneth Leach as U.K. district sales manager; he was previously assistant sales manager. Mr. J. 0. Leet. CLUB AND GLIDING NEWS PILOTS of the Rochester Flying Club, which now has a fleet of three Tiger Moths, two Magisters and an Auster, logged 1,600 hr during 1953. A.T.C. pupils were responsible for about half this total. The club is operated by Short Bros, and Harland, Ltd.; in addition to the full-time C.F.I., S/L. F. Holt, A.F.C., it has the part-time services of ten qualified instructors. Through its parent company, the club has close affiliations with the Navy, as demonstrated at the recent annual dinner, held to celebrate the 50th anniversary of powered flight. Guests included Admiral Sir Albert Poland, K.C.B., D.S.O., C.-in-C. R.N. Dockyard, Chatham, Admiral M. S. Slattery, C.B., manag ing director of Short Bros., and Cdr. Johnston, D.S.C., repre senting Rear Admiral Reserve Aircraft. Also present were several members of the Naval Ferry Flight based at Rochester (and likewise operated by Shorts), whose chief pilot is Lt. Cdr. A. E. R. Forwood, O.B.E. AMONG the other social events arranged to coincide with the •powered flight anniversary last month was the Wolverhamp ton Aero Club's dance, held at the Victoria Hotel, Wolver hampton, and marking the conclusion of a successful year for the club. The year's flying time amounted to 1,782 hr, and 33 private pilots' licences were gained—in each case an increase over the 1952 figures. Under the A.B.A.C. works flying-club scheme, the employees of three local companies are now learning to fly at Wolverhampton. At the club's "At Home" on September 27th, the H.M. Hobson Cup, Webster Cup and Chairman's Cup were won by M. D. Hill, A. E. Guy and H. Nutt respectively. Dr. L. W. Hamp was awarded the Veteran's Cup and, in the inter-club relay race with the Derby club, Wolverhampton was successful. A thirty- hour lecture course and a link-trainer competition are forming part of the club's winter activities. A SERIES of three light-aircraft records (subject to confirma- ** tion) were recendy established in Australia, under the con trol of the Aero Club Federation of Australia and the Australian Department of Civil Aviation. The nights, made in Auster Auto car VH-ADY (fitted with a 155-h.p. Cirrus Major III engine) were sponsored by the Kingsford Smith Aviation Service in an attempt to demonstrate the reliability and economy of modern light aircraft. Miss Margaret Cornwell was the pilot, and on the second and third flights Mr. E. Wills performed the duties of radio operator/navigator. The first flight was made on October 31st from Sydney to Adelaide, the 720 miles being covered in 8 hr 12 min non-stop; Miss M. Sincotts was carried as passenger. On November 14th, the 930-mile out-and-return flight between Sydney and Brisbane was flown in 8 hr 15 min at an average speed of 112.7 m.p.h. Finally, on December 12th, VH-ADY covered the 1,160 miles from Sydney-Broken Hill-Sydney in exacdy 10 hr. In the rear of the cockpit of the Auster was installed a 49- gallon long-range fuel tank, together with an extra two-gallon oil tank. Fuel consumption on the three flights averaged six, seven and 6.5 gallons per hour respectively; oil consumption amounted to approximately one pint per hour. Radio equipment comprised a remotely controlled Plessey TR61 V.H.F. set. TT\ETAILS of an interesting series of German "pod-and- *-* boom"-type sailplanes are available from the British dis tributors, the Atlas Manufacturing and Distributing Company, of 85, York Street, London, W.l. (Ambassador 5582). The machines are the Greif models 1, 3 and 5, all designed by Hans Hollfelder, and developed from the 14.8-metre Greif 4 (formerly known as the EW 18). These machines are of mixed wood and metal construction, and duralumin is used both in the pod-type hull and (exclusively) for the thin tail boom.
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