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Aviation History
1955
1955 - 0156.PDF
156 FLIGHT, 4 February 195 B.O.A.C. SERVICES CUT - CUSPENSION of two B.O.A.C. Stratocruiser services was ^ announced last week. The flights concerned, both weekly, are the first-class return service from London to New York via Manchester and the London-Cairo-London extension to the normal "Monarch" service. Shortage of aircraft caused the sus- pension, which is of indefinite duration. Last year B.O.A.C. carried 283,330 passengers, 6,000 fewer than in 1953, the drop being caused by the withdrawal of Comets from service and the consequent abandonment of the Argonaut routes to South America. AMERICAN AIRLINES' TURBOPROP PLANS TOURING January four U.S. manufacturers submitted to Ameri- -*--' can Airlines their proposals for a 350-m.p.h. airliner powered by four turboprops. This was announced by the airline's presi- dent, Mr. C. R. Smith, in an address to the Buffalo Chamber of Commerce on January 29th. Mr. Smith said that his company hoped that an aircraft of this type would be available in 1958. "It is doubtful," he said, "that the turbine-powered airplane will have much effect on [U.S.] domestic air transportation in 1956 or 1957." Referring obliquely to Capital Airlines' Viscount plans, he said that some short-range turboprop aircraft would be in service by 1956-57, followed, possibly, by a long-range turboprop airliner—presumably the Lockheed 1449—by late 1957 or 1958. Both would be useful and would represent an advance. "But," said Mr. Smith, "we believe that better airplanes can and will be built soon thereafter and we are proceeding with plans to have that done." Three types were envisaged, as follows: —"(1) For the short and middle distances, a four-engined airplane, capable of transporting 50-60 passengers, turboprop engines, witha cruising speed of 350-400 m.p.h.; "(2) For the long distances, a four-engined airplane, capable oftransporting 80-100 passengers, turbojet engines, with a cruising speed of 550-600 m.p.h.;"(3) There may be need for an airplane of intermediate size and performance, turboprop engines, with cruising speed of 450 m.p.h." The speaker predicted that, subject to the effect of military requirements on the American aircraft industry's productive capacity, the small turboprop aircraft should be available in 1958, and the turbojet type "within a year or two thereafter." Though Mr. Smith did not refer directly to the Viscount, it is believed that American Airlines regard its seating capacity as insufficient for their highly developed network: hence the mention of the "small" 50/60-seater. Such an aircraft would need turbo- props of around 2,000 h.p., a requirement which seems most likely Seen exercising at Gatwick is G-ANFH "Sir Ector," first of B.E.A/s two Westland S-55s. Scheduled ser- vices between London Airport and the city-centre South Bank site are due to begin in March, by which time both aircraft will have amphibious gear enabling them to alight on the Thames in an emergency. to be met by a developed version of the Rolls- Royce Dart. At September 30th, American Airlines were operating a fleet of 187 aircraft, made up as fol- lows: 76 Convair 240s, 50 DC-6s, 25 DC-6Bs, 24 DC-7s, nine DC-4 freighters and three DC-6A freighters. A suitable turboprop design could replace both Convairs and DC-6s, and a turbojet airliner becoming available by about 1960 would presumably take over the non-stop coast-to-coast •;. » ~ services now operated by DC-7s. AVTATTAN DOUGLAS DELIVERIESJ\. T A A J. X \J 11 T^HE Douglas Aircraft Co. report that 112 mili- x tary and civil transports of their DC-6/7 series were delivered in 1954—an average of better than two aircraft weekly. All production of this series was at Santa Monica, where the total labour force is 18,000. Santa Monica also produces guided missiles. As at most other American industrial concerns, incentive schemes play an impor- tant part in achieving maximum output; one Santa Monica employee was recently awarded $5,000 (£1,780) for the design of an electronic wire-cutting, stamping and measuring machine. Both DC-6Bs and DC-7s are in production at Santa Monica. Western Airlines recently ordered five DC-6Bs for delivery in 1956, bringing the total commercial sales of the DC-6 series to 589 aircraft. Output of the newer DC-7 continues at an impressive rate: the £20m United Airlines order for 25 DC-7s plus spares was completed between March 1954 and January 1955. POSTAL ANNIVERSARY |N January 14th and 15th, 1925, three Breguet XIV aircraft flew the first postal service between Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires, covering the 1,460 miles in 36 hours. The 30th anniversary of this event has recently been celebrated by Brazil, the Argentine and Uruguay. VISCOUNTS FOR INDIA AND PAKISTAN? TTHE number of unofficial reports saying that the Indian Govern- •*• ment has decided to buy Viscounts for the I.A.C. now almost outnumbers the total of Viscounts sold to other airlines. The latest, coming last month from New Delhi, said that a three-man technical committee had been set up to decide whether Viscounts or Convair 340s should be chosen, and that a decision would be submitted "early in February." The report added that this was the third committee established in two years to consider this problem. Both previous bodies recommended the purchase of Viscounts, but according to the report the third committee is inclined to favour the Convair. It has also been reported recently that Pakistan International Airlines may buy Viscounts for their medium-range services. Mr. F. M. McGregor, general manager of P.I.A., recently confirmed that the Viscount is "under consideration." C.P.A. ARCTIC ROUTE APPROVED THE Canadian Government is reported to have approvedC.P.A.'s application to operate a trans-Arctic service between Vancouver and Amsterdam. It is expected that formalities will be completed in time to permit the service to come into operation early in May. The route will be operated with DC-6Bs initially on a once weekly frequency; it will be flown in two stages, a probable refuelling stop being Sondre Stromfjord, which is already Under construction at Leopoldville, Belgian Congo, are new buildings due to come into service in 7957. Shown here in model form, the buildings comprise (left to right) hangars, passenger entrance and terminal, administrative and technical offices and control tower.
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