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Aviation History
1957
1957 - 0035.PDF
35 Here, at Winnipeg, are a T.C.A. DC-4M North Star and DC-3—typical of the reliable but dating piston-engined equipment which, together with the airline's Super Constellations, will be entirely replaced by mid-1961 with a Rolls-Royce turbine-powered fleet. The view (right) of the impressive Vanguard mock-up—now sufficiently detailed to give a clear picture of the appearance of the aircraft—should dispel any misconcep- tions that the Vanguard is "just a bigger Viscount." the turbojet. One was cruising altitude, a critical air trafficcontrol matter on T.C.A.'s busier traffic sectors, especially in the Maritimes. Another was that the DC-9, unlike the advancedVanguard and Electra designs, was still only a project, with Douglas waiting upon U.S. domestic airline decisions to orderit, and with delivery at least two years after the turboprops. Yet another anti-jet consideration was that Vickers, alert to thechallenge of the "baby" American jets (Boeing and Convair were trying them on the airlines too) had also drafted out jet projectsto convince themselves as much as the airlines of what they believed to be the disparity in operating cost between the twoforms of propulsion. As Mr. George Edwards said when asked about the so called "Vanjet" at a news conference last week: "Wehave done 80—or perhaps it is 100—projects on medium-range jets. With our experience of the Valiant we were able to evaluatethe two forms of propulsion without relying on imagination. We just couldn't get seat-mile costs down to Vanguard levels . . .I know of no form of jet that will produce that standard of economy. But the confusion between jet and turboprop hasup to now stopped people coming to the turboprop decision— and that's for sure." Taking all these anti-jet considerations into account, one mightargue that it is surprising that T.C.A. were influenced by the jet at all. Especially when one takes into account the significantfact that T.C.A. has no fear of jet competition—nor indeed of any competition—on its domestic routes, and therefore no inducementto pay a little extra for jets. Nevertheless, the case for the jet, as a transport on its ownmerits and without the influence of outside factors, was very strong. It would, one feels, be wrong to conclude from T.C.A.'schoice of the turboprop that the medium jet's chances are "pretty skinny"—to quote (from another context) the recently expressedopinion of Mr. C. R. Smith, president of American Airlines. There are a good many airlines by whom the medium jet mayyet be chosen (in addition to Capital, Delta, T.W.A., Air France and Aeroflot, who have already bought such equipment). Werefer to B.E.A., and also to other still uncommitted big operators who have the necessary competitiye stimulus in their networks,and big jets with which smaller jets could logically be paired according to the so-called "transportation system concept." Suchoperators are United, S.A.S., Swissair, K.L.M., and possibly Japan Air Lines. T.C.A. will receive their first Vanguards—designated V.952—in September/October 1960, six months or so after first deliveries to B.E.A. All twenty should be on T.C.A.'s routes by July 1961(where, incidentally, they will burn JP-4 fuel). Though its basic formula was inspired by European trafficpatterns, the Vanguard may be said to be thoroughly "Ameri- canized" in its physical design. Everything that Vickers learntabout the North American market from the Viscount went into it so that, as was to be expected, T.C.A.'s change-orders weresmall—trivial compared with those made to the Viscount. They were, in fact, largely due to special domestic route-considerations(and will not apply to B.E.A.'s V.951s). Gross weight has gone up from 135,000 lb to 141,000 1b, mainly to accommodate morepayload; and T.C.A. will be able to use 24,000 lb payloads instead of 21,000 lb (though with a minor penalty in structure weight).They wanted the higher payload (1) because of their heavy mail loads, which have precedence over passengers, and (2) becausethey required six-abreast seating for up to 120 "thrift"-class passengers. Zero-fuel weight, the payload limiting factor, hasbeen increased from 98,500 lb to 104,500 1b, permitting high proportions of the capacity-payload to be used on the ultra-shortsectors. Maximum landing weight is 114,000 lb, and the under- floor holds now total 1,435 cu ft, beating the DC-8 as the largestin any passenger transport. Further structural modifications to the wing have been madeto raise V NO at the lower altitudes which T.C.A. may have to use,particularly for flying the airways and rigid A.T.C. patterns of eastern North America. Take-off field length at the increasedweights is little different from the original figures, thanks to yet another—and newly announced—five-per-cent increase in thepower of the Tyne. The Stage-I engine, with which initial pro- duction aircraft will be fitted, is now up from 4,100 s.h.p. to4,300 s.h.p. This engine will permit typical cruising-weight speeds at 20,000ft of 410 m.p.h.: the retrospective modification of theseengines to Stage-II standard—which will start in 1961—will give powers of 4,830 s.h.p. or 5,315 e.h.p. (formerly 4,600 s.h.p.) anda cruising speed of over 420 m.p.h. Looking further ahead, Vanguard cruising speeds of 440 m.p.h. are foreseeable in 1962when Stage-Ill engines are installed. When Mr. George Edwards was asked what the top limit of the Vanguard's cruising speedwas likely to be, he replied: "I think 450 m.p.h. is in sight. This is realistic; but I dare say that if we calculated speeds like someother firms—unnominated—we could claim 465 m.p.h." For Rolls-Royce, the T.C.A. order establishes them yet morefirmly as the dominant aero-engine firm in the air transport busi- ness. Of the nine European and American turbine transportsbeing built, seven will be exclusively or alternatively Rolls-Royce powered. These seven embrace every class of transport. Theyare: Fokker/Fairchild Friendship (Dart); Vickers Viscount (Dart); Vickers Vanguard (Tyne); Lockheed Electra (Tyne);de Havilland Comet 4 and 4A (RA.29); Sud-Est Caravelle (RA.29); Boeing 707 (Conway); Douglas DC-8 (Conway). Asthe firm's new chief executive, Mr. J. D. Pearson, pointed out last week, "more than a few crumbs" of the $229m dollar ordersso far placed with Vickers have gone to R-R. Being interested in both forms of propulsion, Mr. Pearson is perhaps disinclinedto discount the medium jet, particularly as the RA.29 fits the DC-9 so well. But he is sure there is "quite a large field" for themedium-range turboprop. The following additional items emerged from the news con-ference at which the T.C.A. Vanguard order was announced: (1) Mr. Edwards said that "in the next thirty days or so" the$229m total of orders so far placed with Vickers for Viscounts and Vanguards would be raised to above $250m by new purchases.This indicates prospective sales equivalent to some 20 Viscounts (and they include at least one repeat-order). Further prospects forthat aircraft, Mr. Edwards said, would take present orders from 357 up to around the 400 mark. (2) The Tyne has recentlycompleted a 150-hour test, although it has not yet been put up for its type-test. Two Ambassadors are now being fitted withTynes, and will be operated by B.E.A. on freighting duties to amass operational flying hours—following the precedent of theDart-Dakotas in 1951 and 1952. (3) Sterling price of the Van- guard varies from £770,000 to just over £800,000, dependingupon customer specification. Mr. Edwards, questioned about the apparent lowness of this figure, replied: "It is no use pricingyourself out of a market before you get into it." (4) T.C.A.'s Vanguards will accommodate passengers as follows: 82 first-class, 92 mixed-class (of which 56 will be tourist), or 120 "thrift"-class. The interior layout will include four washroomsand two galleys. (5) Asked whether the "Atlantic dream" was entirely out of the Vickers and Rolls-Royce minds Mr. Edwardsreplied, "It was an active dream once, but a fragrant memory now. I would be misleading you if I were to suggest that Vickersand Rolls-Royce are going all-out for the Atlantic." On the sub- ject of a possible supersonic airliner, he turned to Mr. BasilStephenson (newly appointed chief engineer, civil aircraft) and said, "We don't know how to do it yet, do we Steve?" (6)Vanguard production, all at Weybridge, is planned for four per month by October/November 1960. (7) Asked whether it wasnot curious and unusual for Vickers to have referred by name to a competing aircraft [the Lockheed Electra powered by Tynes],and had there possibly been some under-hand competition, Mr. Edwards replied: "No, there has not," adding wryly, "Youshould know that in our business everyone is covered in shining armour, with a heart of purest gold and gloves of finest kid."
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