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Aviation History
1955
1955 - 1231.PDF
PLIGHT, 2 September 1955 CIVIL AVIATION . . . Pakistan International Airlines announce that Mr MauriceMcGregor is relinquishing his post "in favour of a Pakistan national," whose name has yet to be announced. Formerly over-seas manager of Canadian Pacific Airlines, Mr. McGregor joined Pakistan International as general manager some 16 months agowhen the airline was in process of formation. During the first six months of the year, the British Traveland Holidays Association reports, 52 per cent of American visitors to Britain came by air. American air travellers to Britain last yeartotalled 97,000, compared with 106,000 sea travellers. 345 Traffic results for the financial year ended June 30th, 1955nave been announced by Trans-Australia Airways. Passenger traffic increased only slightly—685,000 passengers were carried,4.3 per cent more than in the previous year—but freight and mail traffic went up by more than 12 per cent.* * * Hunting-Clan Air Transport have doubled the frequency oftheir "Africargo" York freighter service, previously operated once weekly between the United Kingdom and East Africa. Flightsnow leave Manchester and London on Tuesdays and Saturdays, arriving at Nairobi on Thursdays and Mondays. Since the in-auguration of the service in June all outward nights have been heavily booked, and Hunting-Clan say mat the increase in fre-quency results from the strong support received from commercial houses, forwarding agents and other shippers. FROM THE CLUBS T>RIVATE pilots' licences have recently been gained by the firstA two members of the A.S. Flying Club to be trained ab initio by the club. The members are Stan Clarke (treasurer) and BasilFryer (secretary), who are employees of Armstrong Siddeley Motors (as, indeed, are all members of the club). The cluboperates a Tipsy B Trainer and is based at Baginton; the club- house there has recently been redecorated. Subscriptions and fly-ing charges are 2s 6d per week and 30s per hour respectively, hangar rent being paid by the Armstrong Siddeley company. THE "re-play" of the Vintage Aeroplane Club's rally took place•*- on Sunday, August 21st at Denham, Ron Gillman reports, but morning mist (which lifted into low cloud) again prevented manycompetitors from getting through to the aerodrome. However, nine machines got away after lunch on the first legof the course, from Denham via Fleet to Portsmouth, where a landing was to be made. There, the competitors had twentyminutes to plot their course for the return journey—which had been unknown to them until that time, and which was thenindicated by a skeleton map only. The homeward leg via Win- chester and Hook proved the more difficult flight, several navi-gators failing to find the turning points at all. Point penalties were given for early or late arrivals at the various turns, for badairmanship and poor aircraft-handling. A right-hand circuit sign in the signals area at Portsmouth caught out a number of pilotsand one, having flown round the field left-handed, proceeded to land with a flourish down-wind. The organizers were caused some embarrassment when it was revealed that the winner wasDenham's own C.F.I., Wilbur Wright, with 162 faults; while the second man was Mr. Castle of the Warwickshire Aero Clubwith 228 faults, and third Mr. Cosme'.li in the Spartan with 232|. The winner took possession of the Chiltern Hills Trophy, and thefirst three entrants received cash prizes. "THE secretary of the Home Counties Flying Group reports-•- that his recent news that the group was to move from Denham to Panshangar was based on a misunderstanding. The group'saircraft continues to use Panshangar for maintenance purposes, but Denham remains as its permanent base. AMONG the record flying times logged for the month of Julywere those of the Yorkshire Aeroplane Club at Sherburn-in- Elmet (250 hr), Yeadon Aero Club (347 hr), and Fair Oaks AeroClub (621 hr). "COLLOWING the success of the Cambridge Private FlyingA Group's first treasure hunt, held at Marshall's Airport on August 7th, it is hoped to organize a similar event before theend of the summer. Gordon Baylis, who recently gained his P.P.L., won the treasure hunt, and Ivor Barnes, a student pilotwho went on to win the spot landing contest, was placed second. A height-judging competition was won by Mrs. D. Hancock.Prizes were presented by Capt. A. C. Taylor, president of the group, which now has a membership of over 90. CORRESPONDENCE The Editor of "Flight" does not hold himself responsible for the views expressed by correspondents in these columns;the names and addresses of the writers, not necessarily for publication, must in all cases accompany letters. The P.I at FarnboroughI NOTE that the English Electric P.I Fighter will not be dis-played at Farnborough on September 9th, 10th and 11th as it is undergoing development trials, and cannot be spared. Surely, if it can be spared for private display as stated, couldit not be shown to the public on the last day? There are many who would wish to see Britain's No. 1 Fighter. Who is toblame, the Ministry of Supply—the usual red tape—or the manufacturers?Newbury, Berks. A. W. Hm. Ancient Customs ANOTHER example of the archaic manners and customs of• H.M. Customs is that in 1955, after 36 years of air transport, they continue to refer to their officials at airports as "waterguards"!London, S.W.3. GEOFFREY DORMAN. Civil-aviation Old Stagers' Association? OUR own impending retirement, coupled with the retirementor impending retirement of so many old friends who have been connected with the development of civil aviation at homeand overseas since early days, has led us to wonder whether the time is not ripe for the formation of some body which wouldenable the old stagers of civil aviation to keep in touch with one another, meet from time to time, swap yarns and deplore thefact that spirit of civil aviation is no longer what it was in our young days! Air transport has now been going for approximately 35 yearsand inevitably we have reached the stage where many of those who came into it in one capacity or another in the early dayshave now reached, or are rapidly approaching, the age of retire- ment. Some of us, in one capacity or another, may be able toretain contact with aviation affairs, but to others retirement may well mean the severing of all ties with aviation and the loss ofcontact with old friends and acquaintances who have shared the heat and hurden of the day.I am not suggesting an association composed entirely of old "has bcens," which would gradually lose all its members as theyacquired wings of their own (perhaps an optimistic thought!), but would rather see a body for which the qualification formembership consisted of not less than 25 years' continuous work for the cause of civil aviation in any capacity. This would includenot only those who had reached die retiring age, but also those still actively connected with civil aviation; and the minimumqualification of 25 years' service while giving a founder member- ship confined to those who had joined the ranks of civil aviationbefore the 1930s, would add a fresh class of those eligible for membership each year. I hope that dais letter may reach the eyes of many old friendsand that among them one will be found with sufficient time and enthusiasm to organize such an association. If he would liketo get in touch widi me [British Aviation Insurance Co., Ltd., 3-4 Lime Street, London, E.C.3], I shall be very glad to givehim a preliminary list of those whom I know to be eligible for membership, and to help him in any other way within my capacity. London, E.C.3. A. G. LAMPLUGH. Water Injection in 1917 THE use of water injection was being developed in the summerof 1917 by Maj. Hopkinson (a Cambridge professor?) at Martle- sham Heath. "Hoppy" was killed there in the autumn of that year. In World War II the idea of water injection was adopted 100 per cent. Incidentally, in June 1917, a D.H.4 with B.H.P. engine failedwhen being tested at 17,000ft. Water got into the lubrication system and oil into the cooling system.Detroit, Michigan. STANLEY UDALE.
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