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Aviation History
1954
1954 - 0501.PDF
fn W AIR( 6HT and RAFT ENGINEER First Aeronautical Weekly in the World Founded 1909 No. 2353 Vol. 65. FRIDAY, 26 FEBRUARY 1954 EDITOR MAURICE A. SMITH, D.F.C. ASSISTANT ED/TOR H. F. KING, M.B.E. ART ED/TOR 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, lliffe, Manchester. Telephone, Blackfriars 4412 (3 lines). Deansgate 3595 (2 fines). GLASGOW, C.2. 26b Renfteld Street. Telegrams, ItifTe, Glasgow. Telephone, Central 1265 (2 lines). SUBSCRIPTION RATES Home and Overseas: Twelve months Ci 3s. Od. U.S.A. and Canada, $10.00. BY AIR: To Canada and U.S.A., six months, $16. IN THIS ISSUE : The Statement on Defence 227 Tudor Developments - 231 Cooling a Hot Ship - - 233 Pembrokes for Belgium 234 "Available Jones" - - 235 Air-transport Newsreel 238 Gibraltar-bound in " Eagle " 240 Helicopter Research - 242 With Mutual Advantages I N recent months there have been three unions between independent air operators and well-known shipping companies, and the consensus of opinion has been that this is a good thing. We have not heard anyone volunteer an opinion as to exactly why it is a good thing, or which partner is likely to profit most. We have not, moreover, been able to ascertain from which side the first approach came in each instance. Except for the financial aspect, the advantages forseen are mainly of a long-term nature. One difference appears in the case of the latest marriage—that between the General Steam Navigation Co. (P. and O. associates) and Britavia; here the shipping side has obtained a controlling interest, mainly from insurance companies who had previously held the shares. In the Hunting and Airwork deals this is not the case. The Hunting link-up involves the formation of a new £1 million company, Hunting-Clan Air Holdings; Air- work, in its Furness Withy association, retains the majority of its own shares. The parties in these deals prefer not to discuss the arrangements in any detail, but the reason for their reticence is not apparent. There are precedents for such pooling of interests in transportation. For example, the railways have in the past tried their hand at running air services, and foreign shipping lines in several countries have provided initiative and backing for the formation of air operating companies. In the three cases under discussion the shipping companies are providing financial backing and what may be broadly called travel and transport resources in return for an introduction to the new and competitive medium. They gain a direct interest in promising new airlines which have successfully passed the difficult early years of existence. The independents concerned, who have had anything but an easy passage so far, can now feel established in the traditional sense, and less vulnerable to political manoeuvres. Uncertainty about fair competition and tenure still deters some shipowners. Apart from the difficulties of obtaining approval to^ operate their services and the lengthy and costly business of building them up, the independent operators have also been severely handicapped by the lack of suitable aircraft and the money to buy the few that existed. More modern and economical aircraft are now coming onto the market, and the backing of the shipping companies will make available the capital needed. These remarks apply particularly to the Silver City division of Britavia, who will need more aircraft to cope with their rapidly expanding traffic and to carry out their new develop ment plans. Had the provisional offer for the Princess flying-boats—made by AquUa to the Ministry of Supply and reported to be over £1 million per aircraft—been accepted promptly we imagine that the company might (at least until recently) have been some what embarrassed by the need to find so much money. The Princess Boats S O important do we regard the subject of the future of the Saunders-Roe Princess flying-boats that we must once again turn to it. There is a real risk that another Brabazon episode will occur if plans are not made for the Princesses—or more particularly their power units—within the next month or two. If Aquila can suggest practical plans for their operations with the minimum of delay then we hope the new airline/shipping combine will get them. If B.O.A.C., on the other hand, really want to operate them and can suggest a worthy future for the Princesses, and one which does not entail indefinite delays, then we have no doubt that they, too, would be admirable operators. But there must be no grudging attitude to such an enterprise, nor must anyone be permitted to undertake it mainly to prevent others getting in. There is no doubt that re-engineing will be essential before the Princesses see service. But it seems equally sure that, with six fully developed Proteus turboprops of 750 or later series in place of the ten early units, the Princesses could perform just as well in all- important respects as was estimated for the ten-engined arrangement; and in many ways they would be a much better proposition than was originally foreseen. The aim of all concerned should now be to see the re-engined Princesses in service on the direct Atlantic or other long-range services within three years. C
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