FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1957
1957 - 0132.PDF
134 BRITANNIA PRELUDE . . . FLIGHT years. Concurrently with the Fleet's work the engineers workedout overhaul schedules, spares requirements, technical improve- ment, maintenance methods. Crews were trained, engineers weretrained, equipment was built or bought, stores were stocked. New equipment and spares were positioned at all stations on the route.The Sales Branch arranged demonstration flights, sales clerks and agents were flown in the aeroplane. Advertising schemes wereworked out and prepared and publicity was nurtured. Delay in commissioning the aircraft, caused by technical troubles(referred to later) caused elaborate plans to be rearranged. But now the formative months are over and the work of the past willmingle imperceptibly with the future. If the work of the crews appears to be easy and even leisurely, that is their highest praise:it is praise, too, for the men who evolved the procedures and techniques and then taught them. The small band of flying staff who formed the Britannia Fleetnucleus in October 1953 quickly formed their views on this new airliner. But what would be the reaction of die crews when theywere transferred from other aircraft? True, the Britannia was new and fast, but they had all been flying American aeroplanes.During the war and since, B.O.A.C.'s fleet had been predominantly American. Of the 755 pilots in B.O.A.C. only 48 flew withImperial Airways. All the British Airways pilots and most of the ex-R.A.F. pilots have spent their civil careers on American air-craft—which they like, because they are good aeroplanes. The "only-America-can-build-airliners" outlook of some was shatteredby the Viscount. Perhaps Bristols could also compete with the traditional American excellence: perhaps, like Vickers, they couldalso move ahead. But when the new members of the fleet flew in the Britannia there was no need for salesmanship: they liked itfrom the start. Britain might not swamp the world with airliners but what they did produce was good. The now-forgotten wishy-washy praise for the Viscount must not be repeated. Men who knew aeroplanes knew the Viscount was the best thing of its kindin the world; but they got little attention from the world until Viscounts were bought by the Americans. Men who know aero-planes know the Britannia to be the greatest aeroplane in its class in the world today. Picture, if you can, a crocodile—a crocodile of one hundredsoldiers filing aboard an aeroplane, each with a rifle, pack, tin helmet and inch-thick boot-soles, while lorries feed kitbags for thelot into the holds. Then, with a crew of ten, the aircraft leaves on a 7i-hour flight and cruises at 320 kt. That is not the limit of theBritannia's capabilities—it is an account of what it has already done many times. And this is the "small" Britannia, not thebigger long-range version. Pilots and crews have loved and hated aeroplanes or beenapathetic about them. Maybe the highly skilled, technically trained men who handle modern airliners are unromantic—about theirwork, at any rate—but they can become very attached to some aeroplanes and not to others. The Britannia may be "any pilot'saeroplane" or "a big Anson" (the accolade); but whatever they say about it, it is always kindly. They like it. How can seventy tons of complicated metal evoke respect andaffection? A pilot's hands and brain act in co-ordination to create The Britannia flight simulator at London Airport, made by Redifon "More complicated than the Britannia," to quote the author, "it is regarded by harassed instructors as a heaven-sent gift and by the unfortunate trainee victims as a device of the devil." The "victims" in this picture are E/O. Buckley (in the jump-seat), F/O. Gaynor (left-hand seat) and Capt. Gosling. The Bristol Proteus overhaul bay at B.O.A.C.'s London maintenance base. When this picture was taken the de-icing modifications were being incorporated (see page 136). a personal impression of the aircraft he is handling. He feels thetremendous power of the Britannia, but he knows it to be power so well controlled that as he takes off at full weight he can cutthe 4,000 thrust-horsepower of an outboard engine and, without effort, take the air in a fast climb. He could do that even with thestick held hard back from the start of his run. Precision handling is what the Britannia normally gets; but it is comforting to knowthat ham-fisted manoeuvres don't bring disaster. If a pilot deliber- ately mishandles it, it gently forgives the abuse. If he stops twoengines on one side it maintains height as he weaves a crazy pattern. If he comes in to land with two dead on one side andwithout flaps, he finds it as easy as a normal landing. There are no tricks to learn. The Britannia forgives blunders graciouslyand slowly. The Britannia is a safe aeroplane. But let's go back to October 1953, when the fleet was formedand consisted of the flight superintendent, Captain A. S. M. Rendall; Captain F. W. Walton, the officer i/c training; CaptainT. H. Farnsworth, development captain; and myself as fleet manager (non-operational). The task—to prepare the trainingplans and operational procedures and organize a structure to operate a fleet of the largest airliners in the world. Among manyother things, we had courses at Bristols' engine school, and air- craft service department, and at component manufacturers. Weflew many hours in the Britannia. In due course the Master of Test Flight, one Bill Pegg, put pen to paper to the effect that thethree captains could venture forth in the old workhorse G-ALBO —on their own. By this time the solid shape of the job to be donefaced us and we threw away our crystal ball. Eventually, on December 30, 1955, uniforms (grown tight and smelling of mothballs) were donned and G-ANBC and G-ANBD were delivered to B.O.A.C. at London Airport. At 0800 hours next morningwe began our intensive training programme, which was to con- tinue at Hum seven days a week, starting at 0730 each day andfrequently finishing at midnight. . Oae°i. me peculiarities of airline flying is that in a large fleet itis possible to operate for two years or more and fly with a com- pletely different crew on each flight. This means that everyoperating procedure and drill must be so precisely taught that each man knows exactly what he is expected to do at everystage of the operation, and—more important still—he knows what every other member of the crew will do in any given setof circumstances, even though he may never have flown with them betore. From the time a plot is posted to the Britannia Fleet until he first commands a Britannia on a passenger-carrying service, this is what happens to him. First of all he goes to the training school
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
