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Aviation History
1956
1956 - 0786.PDF
788 FLIGHT, 15 June1556 CIVIL AVIATION . . . CARAVELLE TESTING COMPLETED THE S.E.210 Caravelle completed its flight tests last month,-•- less than a year after they began on May 28, 1955. A total of 400 hours were logged in the course of 173 flights. The proto-type, seen in the photograph above, has now been handed over to Air France for proving flights and cargo operations prior to theintroduction of regular Caravelle services next year in Europe and to North Africa. The speed with which the Caravelle's flight test programmewas completed is attributed by S.N.C.A.S.E. partly to the exten- sive use of digital and analogue computers used in the reductionof flight-test results. The company has released a brief summary of these results. The maximum Mach number, reached in adive from 42,500ft, was 0.84; slight buffeting began at 0.805, but no abnormal behaviour was observed. More than 100 stalls werecarried out in the required configurations, and recovery with normal elevator or aileron action was smooth. It was shownalso that the critical requirement of initial rate of climb with one engine out can be met at a weight higher than the maximumdesign weight of 90,400 lb. Take-off field length at maximum weight is 5,600ft; take-off speed is 120 kt, critical speed (failureof one engine) being 114 kt. Throughout the tests, S.E. report, "no incident was experiencedwith the Avon engines." Since the 38th flight (August 29, 1955), full 8.25 lb/sq in cabin pressurization has been used. De-icingtests and the evaluation of the radio installation are completed, and continued development and refinement of systems will bethe main task of the second prototype, which flew for the first time on May 6. First picture of the Caravelle in Air France colours: this is the prototype, which has just been handed over to the French airline (who have 12 on order) for a 500-hour programme of cargo operations. News of the Caravelle's recently completed flight tests appears in col. 1. A "Flight" photograph, taken recently at Chicago Midway, the world's busiest ariport, showing a Capital Airlines advertisement for the Viscount. This one occupies a commanding position immediately opposite the outlet road. BREVITIES R- HAROLD W ATKINSON, Minister of Transport andCivil Aviation, said on June 5 that he hoped that Britannia services would begin "in about two months' time." The Ministerwas opening the fifth conference of the Commonwealth Air Trans- port Council in London, the body set up in 1945 to discuss civilaviation matters of common interest to the Commonwealth. The latest meeting lasted two days. * * * On June 8 the Federal Republic of Germany became the sixty-eighth member of I.C.A.O. * * * A Chinese 11-12 recently flew from Peking to Lhasa—the firsttime an aircraft has landed in Tibet's capital. It is reported that the Chinese have just completed a modern airfield there. * * * The Jersey Royal Court has ordered Fairways (Jersey), Ltd.,to sell its two Ansons to pay the £500 fine imposed in April when the company was convicted of illegally operating a scheduled ser-vice between Jersey and Blackbushe. * * * Pakistan International Airlines' order for three Viscount 810-840s, forecast in Flight of May 18, has been confirmed. Delivery will be in 1958. The Viscount order book now stands at 316. * * * The possibility that the U.S. domestic operator Continental AirLines, which has 15 Viscount 812s on order, may buy a further five was hinted at by the president, Mr. Robert Six, on his arrivalfrom New York in this country on June 10. Mr. Six said that he had come to look also at the Vickers Vanguard and the BristolBritannia. The Viscount, he said, had "tremendous passenger appeal" in the U.S.A., and he hoped to introduce them into servicein March 1958. "Deadlock and slow progress" are reported from Cannes, whereone of the items on I.A.T.A.'s agenda is the PanAm and T.W.A. proposals for a 30 per cent transatlantic fare reduction (Flight,May 18). The proposal is being resisted by European operators, who are said to have offered a compromise aimed at reducingfares in Europe and elsewhere in exchange for an American agreement to postpone the transatlantic reduction for anotheryear. It is reported that some of the European airlines are seek- ing the support of American aircraft constructors to press homethe argument to the U.S. Government (which supports the reduction proposal) that lower fares would impoverish the European airlines and harm the sales of aircraft. * * * Talks about future Qantas-B.O.A.C. partnership were the rea- son for the recent visit to London of Mr. C. O. Turner, general manager of Qantas. At Singapore, on his way here, Mr. Turner confirmed that Qantas is considering the purchase of Boeing 707s or DC-8s. * * * Appropriately, the Society of Licensed Aircraft Engineers has chosen a classic rigging device, familiar to every engineer, as theJ symbol of a new award for all-round professional achievement. Known as the Silver Turnbuckle, it will be first awarded at the A.G.M. of the Society in London on June 30. Mr. R. E. Hardingham will be the guest speaker. * * * Unlike B.O.A.C.'s salary scale for captains, which varies accord- ing to aircraft, a flat basic rate is paid to all B.E.A. pilots of the same grade, irrespective of the type of aircraft they fly. The new salary structure for B.E.A. pilots, just agreed with B.A.L.P.A., and retrospective to April 1, provides all grades of pilot with an annual increase varying from £120 for second officers to £505 for senior captains, first class. Respective salaries are now £1,075 and £2,900.
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