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Aviation History
1956
1956 - 0456.PDF
THREE weeks ago it was announced that British OverseasAirways Corporation had made a net profit of some £500,000during the financial year ended March 31st, 1956. This profit was double that for the previous year (though still some way off the £lm peak of 1953-54) making it apparent that the Corporation, despite its lack of new equipment, is steadily regain- ing the ground which it lost to its competitors after the Comet setback two years ago. Ton-miles flown in the year showed a healthy 10 per cent gain over 1954, in which year, through lack of capacity, there had been a decline in traffic. Actual operating costs and revenue for the year are not available in full, but the total gross surplus (i.e., before deduction of interests on capital), was about £l|m up to March 31st, 1956. Announcing this hearten- ing result the Corporation's chairman, Sir Miles Thomas, said that it had been achieved in the face of "massive difficulties." B.O.A.C. had, he said, successfully challenged the aggressive enter- prise of the biggest world operators, most of whom had dollars available to buy the latest types of American aircraft. There was, he added, a whole wealth of tradition and training in B.O.A.C. which would take foreign airlines a long time to match. Sir Miles recently announced his decision to relinquish his chairmanship of B.O.A.C., news which has given rise to the expression of many doubts about the future leadership of the Corporation during the next few critical years. One of the prob- lems his successor will have to solve, in view of the fact that most of B.O.A.C.'s transatlantic competitors now have Douglas DC-8s or Boeing 707s on order for 1959-1960, is the future equipment policy of the Corporation. Yet the immediate re-equipment pros- pects are far from bleak: in a few weeks' time the Bristol Britannia will be making its competitive presence strongly felt, first on the Corporation's routes to South Africa, and later in the year to the Far East and Australia. Four of fifteen Mk. 102s have already been delivered after completion of a pre-service test programme of great severity, and a vigorous B.O.A.C. training programme has been in hand since the beginning of the year. Next year the long-range, higher capacity Mk. 312s will put the Corporation well ahead of its transatlantic competitors, until which time the DC-7Cs which are on order will enable B.O.A.C. to compete on equal terms on this important route. B.O.A.C.'s present operating fleet comprises 21 Argonauts, 16 Constellation 749s, 16 Stratocruisers, and four York Freighters. Four of 15 Britannia 102s have been delivered; 11 long-range Britannia 312s will be introduced during 1957, together with five long-range 305s and two medium-range 302s. The first of ten DC-7Cs will be delivered towards the end of this year, with the fleet of ten at full strength by mid-1957. A particularly bright prospect is the resumption in 1958 of Comet services. B.O.A.C. have a twenty-strong fleet of Cornet 4s on order, and the reward to B.O.A.C.'s firm belief in this aircraft will be its appearance on the air routes ahead of its larger jet Sydney, Australia, sees the Comet 3 prototype in its B.O.A.C. colours —a glimpse of the future. A fleet of 20 Comet 4s is on order tor delivery between the years 1958 and 1960. 456 FLIGHT The 8 riti sh B.O.A.C. A Bristol Britannia, B.O.A.C.'s first-line equipment for the competitive years ahead. (Below) Sir Miles Thomas, D.F.C., whose name will always be linked with that of the British Overseas Airways Corporation. competitors, to which it will con- cede nothing in economy or appeal, and over which it will have an advan- tage in the modesty of its airport require- ments. Well in ad- vance of the Comet 4, probably later this year or early next, a Comet 2 with Comet 4 engines (Rolls- Royce Avon Ra.29s) will be delivered for route - proving and crew-training. B.O.A.C.'s pre- sent world routes, including those of its subsidiaries (detailed in the World Airline Directory in this issue) extend to Canada, the U.S.A., the Caribbean, South and Central America (the direct England-to-South America service was discontinued in 1954), Europe, the Middle East, Africa, India, the Far East, and Australia. Talks between the United States and British Governments on behalf of B.O.A.C. and American airline interests were held during the year to discuss the Corporation's plans for extending its services, bringing nearer the realization of the Corporation's plans for round-the-world operation. A hint of future intentions was given by Sir Miles Thomas last September, when he forecast a west-about route from London across the Pole via Canada and the Aleutians to Tokyo, and to the U.S.A. West Coast; the Cor- poration's new landing rights at San Francisco could also provide the link between London and the Qantas trans-Pacific service to Australia, which is already served by the existing B.O.A.C. eastern route. There is still no immediate prospect of operations to Soudi America, although it is the Corporation's firm intention to resume services when the Britannia fleet is at full strength. The expansion of services in immediate prospect for die coming summer include 27 return flights across the Atlantic, 18 to the U.S.A., seven to Canada and two to the Caribbean; the Strato- cruiser Monarch service will fly overnight every night between London and New York, and for the first time Detroit will be served by London to Chicago tourist flights. An imminent important change in the Springbok service will be the introduction of DC-7Bs by B.O.A.C.'s partner, South African Airways, and it will be interesting to watch how traffic is shared between these aircraft and, as from July, B.O.A.C.'s Britannias. Viscounts were put into service during the year by B.O.A.C.Y associate, B.W.T.A., and this summer they will be flying on the routes between the Caribbean and New York. 1955 Traffic: Revenue scheduled passengers carried, 341,083; freight(short tons), 7,337; mail (short tons), 3,675; revenue load ton-miles flown, 148,682,367; number of staff at December 31st, 18,411. Senior Executives of B.O.AC. include: Sir Miles Thomas, chairmanand chief executive (due to retire before June 30th); Lord Rennell of Rodd, deputy chairman; Basil Smallpeice, deputy chief executive; MajorJ. R. McCrindle, adviser on international affairs; Sir Victor Tail, opera- tions director; H. O. Houchen, deputy operations director; A. C.Campbell Orde, operations development director; Sir William Cushion, supplies manager; C. Abells chief engineer; J. R. Stainton, generalmanager, stations and traffic; Keith Granville, sales director; Gilbert Lee, general sales manager; B. G. Porter, administration director; K. W.Bevan, chief accountant; H. C. Spear, chief personnel officer; F. C Gillman, chief Press and information officer; K. H. Staple, secretaryand legal adviser; Sir Harold Whittingham, director medical services. Headquarters: London Airport, Hounslow, Middlesex.
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