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Aviation History
1956
1956 - 0969.PDF
FLIGHT, 20 July 1956 115 Although two of the Marathon's seats have to be sacrificed forthe Jersey run, very high load factors for the short season are ensured by full bookings in February, and the aircraft are utilizedfor two and a half return trips every day. Flying operations are the responsibility of Eric Lines, who until recendy was with AirSchools at Wolverhampton. He has a staff of four pilots. The successful operation of the various aircraft is largely dueto the hard work of the company's technical director, Throttle- Bender Ron Paine, who is assisted by the chief engineer, K. W.Felps. This aggregate of experience is reflected in the approval of Air Schools as a maintenance organization for aircraft up toDakota standard, and for the contracting of considerable outside overhaul work. Few carriers can yet boast that theirs is a family business, norare they likely to establish a precedent if they do, for Mr. Felps has both father and brother occupying administrative positions. All organizations reflect in some degree the personalities of theirofficers, and nowhere is this more evident than at Derby Aviation's flying school at Elstree Flying Club. Faltering faith in the needfor a healthy background of private flying to a nation committed to commercial aviation can hardly fail to be reassured by contactwith David Ogilvy, the manager and chief flying instructor. An ardent protagonist of flying for sport and for its own sake, he givesto Elstree a rare spirit of enthusiasm which is reflected in the instructional facilities that are offered. Both David Ogilvy andRon Paine (who is responsible for Elstree) find additional oudet for their enthusiasm by racing single-seater aircraft, the latter thewell-known Hawk Speed Six and the former the venerable Comper Swift Black Magic.The last few years have shown a steady increase in the club's flying tempo. In 1952, a fleet of two Austers and a Magisterflew 620 hr; last year with an average fleet of three Austers and three Magisters, which were later joined by a Gemini, the hoursflown mounted to 3,168. Already this year, with the aircraft state increased to four-all and the Gemini, 2,000 hr have been flown insix months. Nine Chipmunks are being overhauled and converted at Derby, and although seven are to be sold, the club will benefitfrom the remaining two for the advanced instruction in which it specializes. Both Chipmunks and one of each of the odier typeswill be suitably equipped with radio and lights for instrument and night flying. Some difficulty is being experienced in clearingthe Chipmunk for civilian use; and the lower overhaul period of the Gipsy Major 10 will result in increased costs per aircraftflying hour—apart from the difficulties of repairing aircraft of metal construction.Instruction under David Ogilvy strenuously avoids the "dodgem at the fair" principle, where the pupil comes to the aerodrome,pays, flies, and goes away. Printed notes are issued to the pupil after his first instructional flight, at the circuit stage, after firstsolo and prior to taking the private pilot's licence. Each set of notes explains what has taken place so far and examines the nextstep forward, besides continuously preaching the tenets of good airmanship. In addition all instructional flights are supported by pre- and post-flight briefing by the instructor. Thus, with dualand solo flying charged at the same rate, the pupil is offered very good value for his money. Supplementary lectures are also givenonce a week during the summer and twice a week in winter. Service of this nature can only be provided if adequate instruc-tional staff is available, and the club is fortunate—or provident— in having four full-time instructors who are fully rated andapproved by R.A.F. Home Command, and four part-time instruc- tors, two of whom took their instructors courses at Elstree. AsC.F.I., David Ogilvy is also a member of the pilotage committee of the Association of British Aero Clubs, and is responsible forwriting pilot's notes and rewriting the instructor's rating course. With this background, Elstree offer considered courses for theprivate pilot's, instructor's and commercial licences. At a time when diere is an increasing shortage of pilots in the Corporations,die opportunities for commercial training which the course pro- vides should not be ignored by aspirants for flying posts. Theattainment of professional qualifications is inevitably somewhat expensive, and in this field scholarships are sadly lacking; but theinvestment of about £700, which is required to train a pilot ab initio to a suitable airline entry standard, can be regarded as reason-able in view of the eventual salary and status which can be attained. Accommodation costs are not included in this figure, but suitablelocal arrangements can generally be made. The course consists of 200 hr flying, of which 100 must be flown solo, with ten hoursof night flying and basic instruments. Apt pupils should find it possible to progress to instrument rating standard in this time,aided by Link trainer exercises. The demand for the trainer is such that a full-time instructor is now employed, so that seriouspractice can be undertaken diroughout the day. The theoretical requirements of the commercial licence canlargely be met by the study of comprehensive notes which have been written by the instructional staff, assisted if required by themore specialized correspondence courses offered by firms such as Avigation. Widi full-time attendance, it should prove pos-sible to obtain a commercial licence in less than eighteen months. These courses also cater for the personnel from airline com-panies who wish to obtain'a commercial licence or take a refresher course in their spare time. Summer operations until dusk makethis quite practicable. While by no means the only firm to combine M.T.C. A. approvedtraining with club flying—Thruxton and Southend are other notable examples—Derby Aviation is able to back Elstree withunusually comprehensive facilities, and die opportunity of embark- ing on a civil aviation career from a private rather than commercialbackground has much to recommend it. Private flying still needs the-stimulus of active training which such courses can offer ifit is not to stagnate, and the airlines should benefit from a con- tinued influx of young men who are able to appreciate an aeroplanefor its own sake. Flying clubs are offered disguised subsidies in the form of A.T.C. training and the A.B.A.C. works flyingscheme. How much more valuable a commercial licence scholar- ship would be. A. T. P. CLUB AND GLIDING NEWS BY sending eleven aircraft to Flers for the 9th InternationalRally of the Aero Club of Lower Normandy, the Surrey Flying Club won the Claude Salle Trophy, awarded to the clubwith most aircraft at the rally. This is the first time the trophy has left France and it now occupies a place of honour behind thebar at the S.F.C. clubhouse at Croydon. Another win was the Bagnoles-de-1'Orne Cup, awarded to die entrant with "the bestlooking and most comfortable aircraft" and who "presents the aircraft in the most cheerful manner." This went to W.J.A.C.members Mrs. Mavis Harriott and Miss Hazel Prosper in a Tiger Modi. Anodier first, of a different nature, was set up later duringa lavish banquet on die opening night, when the first British guest to be carried out horizontally proved to be a Surrey member. FIRST newsletter of the Vickers-Armstrongs (Hum) FlyingClub covers die initial seven months of the club's existence and records a big increase in hours flown widi die improved weadierand lighter evenings of May and June. At present eight mem- bers (four trained by the club) possess P.P.Ls., an equal numberare approaching diis stage, and 15 are under instruction. There are 32 members, with 85 on the waiting list. At die beginningof May the number of subsidized flying hours approved by die company for die first year was increased to 810. During Junea social evening was held at Christchurch. The newsletter con- cludes : "Finally, hearty congratulations to Messrs. Fuller, Keebleand Oram (not to mention myself) for obtaining dieir P.P.Ls., and to Messrs. Vaughan, Pearson, Gorringe, Joy, Gough and Coxfor achieving solo standard.—B. Shepherd, secretary." MEMBERSHIP of die Puffin Aero Club at Chivenor, NormDevon, has greatly increased during die past few mondis. Flying hours are well up on die Auster Mk 5 G-AJXC, and die club has just acquired a Magister, G-AKAT, for continued instruc-tion. The Auster is still maintaining die air link with Lundy Island, due to Belgian registration troubles widi the Miles Aerovandie club owns. Any private pilots on holiday in North Devon will receive a welcome if they care to visit Chivenor. r¥1OTAL membership of die Southport Aero Club is now over •*• 40, ten of whom are taking instruction towards dieir P.P.Ls.One recent ab-initio solo was by a new member who is over 50 years of age. "We operate off die sand aerodrome at Southport,"secretary David Vernon writes, "and although diis has many dis- advantages—such as the tide, and having to wash the aircraftdown each time we use it—we are not subject to lengdiy peri- meter tracks to taxi around, and we have achieved some veryrapid turn-rounds between flights." The club's Tiger Modi is operated at 45s per hour, and all work is performed voluntarilyby members. Other endiusiasts in die Soudiport area are reminded that the secretary's address is 146 Roe Lane, Southport. AVRO Gliding Club has devised a co-operative means of over-• coming a lack of launching equipment. Six members have "syndicated" a Ford V8 autotow car for use on the If m runwayat Woodford. This should prove useful for a high launch when die elusive "Woodford wave," formed in the lee of the nearbyDerbyshire hills, appears again. AT Polebrook Aerodrome, twelve miles from Peterborough, thePerkins Gliding Club is now operating with 55 members. Club aircraft comprise two Kirby Cadets and one Tutor. Thechief flying instructor, John Hulme, is also an instructor widi the Cambridge University Gliding Club, while all the remainingmembers are employees of the F. Perkins diesel-engine company of Peterborough. Club chairman is W/C. Morgan Griffiths.
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