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Aviation History
1956
1956 - 1061.PDF
3 August 1956 CORRESPONDENCE The Editor of "Flight" is not necessarily in agreement with the views expressed by correspondents in these columns; the names and addresses of the writers, not for publication in detail, must in all cases accompany letters. "Not So Incidental" WITH reference to the news item with the above heading onpage 106, Flight, July 20, we heartily endorse the comments made. We of this company feel that the probe-and-droguesystem, and in fact, the earlier "looped hose" system of refuelling in flight, for which this company is responsible, are also majoraids adopted by the United States of America. The U.S. Navy adopted probe and drogue some six years ago. The "boom" system was developed by the Boeing Companyas an answer to the "looped hose" system before the development of probe and drogue, but could not be conveniently housed on acarrier-borne tanker. Lucky Lady, the first aircraft to fly round the world non-stop,could only have done it by employing the British-developed "looped hose" system.Tarrant Rushton, Dorset. P. G. PROCTER,Technical Sales Manager, Flight Refuelling, Ltd. [The news item referred to a protest made to Life magazine byMr. John Peck, of the British Information Services in New York, about the use of the phrase "incidental air community" inreferring to Britain. Mr. Peck enumerated three aircraft carrier aids which had been adopted by the U.S. Navy.—Ed.] The Size of an AirlineF ROM his comments on Sir George Pirie's speech at theannual general meeting of the Air League, in which Sir George argued that there was a relationship between an airline's routemileage and its efficiency, it would seem that Mr. Black Flight, July 20) did not fully understand the point of view of the AirLeague Council regarding this relationship. It can be shown that in 1953, the last year for which fullfigures are available, there were some 31 airlines in the world, excluding South America, with more than 1,000 employees. Ofthese, eight have a route mileage in excess of 25,000, and of these only two had a productivity per employee (a reasonabletest of efficiency) in excess of 20,000 capacity ton/miles per annum. Of the 23 airlines with less than 25,000 route-miles, 14had productivity figures well in excess of this. If the standard is set at 30,000 capacity ton/ miles per employee per annum,then no carrier with over 25,000 route-miles was efficient, while 11 of those with less route mileage achieved better results. Admittedly, none of the three criteria of efficiency is satisfac-tory—not even Mr. Black's test of capacity ton/miles compared with load ton/miles (generally more simply called "load factor")because this can be artificially boosted by a very inefficient airline, i.e., by uneconomic advertising, or cutting of fares. But ifMr. Black, using the published results of airlines, should apply route miles against efficiency as measured by almost any standard(productivity per employee, cost per c.t.m., airline profit or loss, rate of capital turnover, etc.) he will find that although a routemileage of less than 25,000 is not a guarantee of efficiency, it appears to be impossible for an airline with greater route mileageto be really efficient. This is die basis of the Council's argument that, so far fromamalgamating B.O.A.C. and B.E.A., the right course would be to split up B.O.A.C. into manageable units. Whether theyshould be nationalized or private enterprise is another problem, requiring separate consideration. F. N. HILLIER,W.I. Secretary-General, Air League of the British Empire. Con-di Pro and Con NOT being of very long standing in the engineering industry,I hesitate to comment on R. M. Bass's remarks (Flight, June 15). But it would appear to me that the term "con-di," asapplied to nozzles, is not (as your correspondent suggests) a neologism, but merely a convenient abbreviation of the self-explanatory term "convergent-divergent nozzle." Newbridge, Mon. R. H. LEWIS. THE INDUSTRY IN BRIEF Hawker Aircraft (Blackpool), Ltd., announce that Mr. E. H.Jefferson has relinquished his appointment as general manager with effect from July 31. Responsibilities of the general manager arenow being undertaken by Mr. J. T. Lidbury. Mr. Jefferson, who is returning to the south of England, will remain a directorof the company. * * * International Aeradio, Ltd., announce that "several years'negotiations" with the Swiss Air Force have now resulted in an order for a radar trainer. The trainer—a Marconi Type ST 201—is to be modified by I.A.L. so that it can be used with the radar equipment used by Switzerland. Instructors' panels andcontrols are to be incorporated in an I.A.L. air traffic control desk. * * * A Sikorsky S.51 which had been wrapped in "Visqueen" filmfor an eight-month sea voyage, during which it travelled 16,000 miles, arrived in England recently. The film had protected itfrom corrosion, and the helicopter, one of two shipped to the Antarctic for use in the Government-sponsored 1955-56 Graham-land Survey, was said by its owners, Autair 3 Ltd., to be in "excel-lent condition." Spares were also wrapped in the film, which is supplied by British Visqueen, Ltd., a subsidiary of I.C.I. * * * From Edward A. Pearce and Partners, of 28 Baker Street,London, W.I, comes an announcement that they have taken over the practice of the late H. G. A. Reeves, M.A., A.M.I.Mech.E.,who lost his life last autumn whilst supervising a test of turbojet ground-silencing equipment he had developed. Pearce and Part-ners state that they are continuing his work except for heating and ventilating, in which field Mr. Greatorex, 15 Berners Street^London, W.I, will deal with Mr. Reeves' former clients. The French firm Bronzavia S.A., of Courbevoie, near Paris,makers of aircraft accessories, recently signed an agreement to manufacture and market the Napier "Spraymat" de-icing system.To mark the occasion, Bronzavia organized a party in Paris at which members of the French aircraft industry met Mr. C. L.Cowdrey, manager of Napier's flight development establishment at Luton and one of the men responsible for the development ofSpraymat." This de-icing surface is sprayed on with a flame gun in three layers. The inner and outer layers are insulating material,the centre the sprayed-on metal element. Earlier this year Napier's received a production order for the installation of "Spraymat" inthe Fairey Gannet. * * * The Stewart Aeronautical Supply Co., Ltd., will be occupyingnew premises, from August 14 onwards, at Adastral House, Low- field Heath, Crawley, Sussex (Crawley 4300).* * * A party of 25 Commonwealth representatives, attending thefourth meeting in London of Commonwealth Military Communi- cations Electronics Representatives, visited the New SouthgateWorks of Standard Telephones and Cables, Ltd., recently for discussions on and demonstrations of the latest types of groundand airborne radio communication and navigational equipment. * * * From Redifon, Ltd., comes information that their radio trans-mitters are being employed in the new communications tech- nique, "Janet," which has been developed by Canada's DefenceResearch Board. This system, which uses die trails of minute meteors to "bounce" radio signals round the curvature of theearth, was described recently by Mr. Ralph Campney, Canadian Minister of Defence (see Flight for July 20, page 107). Aug. Aug. Aug. Aug. Aug. Aug. Sept. Sept. 1-12. 4. 5-6.11. 17-19.25-26. 3-9. 7-12. Sept. 10-16. Sept.Sept. Sept. 15.18-23. 27-28. FORTHCOMING EVENTS Central Aero Club of U.S.S.R.: World Parachuting Cham- pionships, Moscow. R.N.A.S. Brawdy: At Home. World Power Model Championships, Cranfield. R.N.A.S. Lee-on-Solent: At Home. Sportsflyveklubben: International Rally, Denmark. Midland Aero Club: International Rally, Elmdon, Birm- ingham. S.B.A.C. Display, Farnborough ("Public" days, 7th, 8th, 9th). French Grand Prix, France. . .. Battle of Britain Week. , Battle of Britain Day. Aero Club of Italy: International Air Week. Aerodrome Owners Association: Annual Conference, Southampton.
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