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Aviation History
1957
1957 - 0665.PDF
FLIGHT, 17 May 1957 671 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in agreement with the views expressed by correspondents in these columns; the names and addresses of the writers, not for publication in detail, must in all cases accompany letters. Express Post—by BritanniaI AM sure you will be interested to know that our copy of theApril 26 issue of Flight was awaiting collection in our Post Office box at 0815 hours on Tuesday, April 30. This is a record—normally it arrives on Thursday mornings. Let's hope it finds its way into a Britannia mailbag every week!Wellington, N.Z. G. CARTER, A. CDRE.Managing Director, Bristol Aeroplane Co. (New Zealand), Ltd. Flight Plans and Air Traffic ControlM AY I, an ex-R.F.C. pilot who for the past fourteen years hasbeen an air traffic control officer, not connected with the M.T.C.A., say how sorry I am to read that Major Draper, D.S.C.,[Correspondence, May 3] found it humiliating to be subjected to air traffic control regulations during his recent flight from Croydonto Cardiff, especially as he seems to have got lost, not in the air but amongst the I.C.A.O. four-letter abbreviations for airports? Except for the particulars given in Flight, I have no knowledgeeither of the controllers concerned (unless they be fellow-members of my Guild) or of the weather and other factors at the time ofthe flight; but Maj. Draper's knowledge of the atmosphere he mentions must tell him how quickly weather conditions change inthis country, and he must know that watch-keeping air traffic control officers do not compile the regulations, but that it is theirduty to comply with them and to see that aircrew do so as well. He must know, also, that in these days of high-density air trafficsome system of control is necessary; and that, could a comparable air traffic control system have existed forty years ago, more of his(and of my) friends would be alive still. Melton Constable, Norfolk. J. F. HIGGINS. Airline Airships Again?I WONDER whether Mr. Cleaver, in his study on aeronauticalprophecy (Flight, March 22 and 29), may not have been a little premature in writing off the airship as a long-range transportvehicle? After all, it is only with the advent of the DC-7C and Britannia that it has once again become possible to fly a regularpassenger service in a single stage from European capitals to New York as was done by the Zeppelin Hindenburg 20 years ago.It is true, of course, that the aeroplane is much faster than the airship; but is speed the sole criterion by which transportvehicles are to be judged? If so, is it not surprising that ocean liners are still being built? Airships are basically safe because they can take off and landslowly, have an almost unlimited endurance and are not placed in jeopardy by the failure of engines. How many aeroplanes havebeen lost through lack of these qualities? A study of accident statistics is not calculated to comfort would-be air travellers. Bycontrast, in the history of commercial airship operations, which began before the First World War, fewer than fifty fare-payingpassengers have lost their lives. This bears thinking about. Moreover, airships provide much of the roominess and comfortof liners, whereas aeroplane accommodation approximates increas- ingly to the sardine tin. Last but not least, there are groundsfor thinking that airship passengers could be offered not only safer and more comfortable, but also cheaper, travel. With the help of a little "guestimation" let us bring the Burneyproject up-to-date (retaining, however, the traditional shape and operating technique). Assuming a gas capacity of 11,000,000 cu ftto give a lift of about 300 tons, using helium, this ship would be 900ft long and 150ft in beam. She would have a metal skin inplace of the traditional fabric cover, as in the experimental Ameri- can Metalclad, circa 1930.Guestimate 1.—Taking a pessimistic view, it ought at least to be possible to achieve a total structure weight, including engines,passenger accommodation and equipment, of not more than half of the total lift, leaving 150 tons of dispensable load. Guestimate 2.—The ship would require about 7,500 h.p. topush her along at a cruising speed of 90 kt (three Nomads, per- haps, with a specific fuel consumption of \ lb/bhp/hr). On thisbasis fuel and oil for 5,000 n.m., i.e., London - New York with two-thirds reserve, would amount to about 65 tons.The water content of the exhaust gases is recoverable for ballast and domestic use, and only five tons would be carried initially.The crew of 100 would account for about ten tons. Food, drink and miscellaneous, ten tons. This leaves 60 tons for passengers and freight, say 240 passengers with a luggage allowance of 120 lb each, and 30 tons of freight. The ship should be able to make her passage from London toNew York in the course of two nights and the intervening day, so that a businessman would lose only one day's work.Provided that care was exercised in conserving the expensive helium the ship should prove a commercial proposition, but, ofcourse, where airships are concerned, the bigger the better. A 1,000-tonner, for example, could carry 1,000 passengers and 125tons of freight across the Atlantic at 100 kt. Do not be put off by her length of 1,350ft. Size is a purely relative concept and haslittle relevance to the problem. There is plenty of sky to float her in. She would be built in a sheltered valley and would live in theopen for the whole of her life, so no hangar would be required. It may be of interest to shipping companies that such an air-ship would consume little more than three tons of fuel per hour. Surface ships can never be efficient when used only for passengertransport, because the load carrying capacity cannot be properly utilized and too many tons have to be pushed through the oceanfor every passenger embarked. And if we are going to take atomic propulsion for aircraftseriously why not try it in a large airship first? At least it could be guaranteed to lift the plant off the deck. Nicosia, Cyprus. F. P. U. CROKER,Lieut-Cdr., R.N. (Retd). J. M. Bruce's Magnum Opus TTNDOUBTEDLY one of the most exciting features appearing*-' in Flight of recent years has been the series on famous World War I British aircraft. After the recent story of the Sopwith Tri-plane there would appear to be very few major types left with which to deal. At this stage, then, one looks forward inevitably toan announcement of a book combining the complete series and also any lesser but none the less interesting types not previouslycovered in the comprehensive type histories. Not the least important has been the spate of correspondenceand photographs adding to, or even in some cases correcting, the original articles of Mr. J. M. Bruce. It is to be hoped that theadditional evidence thus made available will be taken into account and incorporated in the final volume. The extra time and care willbe amply repaid if a production can be achieved which does not suffer even the minor faults and blemishes which marred theinspiring pages of the original Aircraft of the 1914-18 War. It seems strange that nearly 40 years have elapsed since the bookto end all reference books on 1914-18 aircraft has been tackled. It is essential, however, to place on permanent record the enthrallingstory of those gallant days of the birth of aviation when flying was flying and aircraft were not piloted missiles jet-propelled by bruteengine force and aerodynamic guesswork. Southampton. ** J.O.I. [J. M. Bruce's British Aeroplanes, 1914-18, is to be published inthe autumn by Putnam. They have recently announced that the book, which is to consist of some 700 large pages, will contain thefullest possible descriptions of 286 basic types, with details of all known variants. "All operational types," they state, "receive thesame generous treatment as those described in the author's series of articles in Flight, but the specifications of the aircraft are moredetailed than any hitherto published."—Ed.] FORTHCOMING EVENTS May. 17. Institute of Navigation: "Navigation and the Airlines," bv E. W. Pike. May 18. British Interplanetary Society: A.G.M. and Brains Trust. May 18-20. Quiberon Aero Club: Air Rally and International Touring Meeting, Ouiberon. May 21-23. European Aircraft Ignition Conference (Champion Spcr': Plug Co.), London. May 24- June 2. May 25. May 25-26. May 26. May 28. May. 31- June 1. June 1-2. June 5-7. Paris Aero Show, Le Bcurget. Elstree Flying Club: At Home and Flying Display. Popular Flying Association: Annual General Meeting. Luton Flying Club: At Home and Flying Display. R.Ae.S.: Section Lecture: "Flight Instruments," by F. W. Meredith, F.R.Ae.S. Aero Club of South Africa: Govern:r-General's Air Race. Aero Club of Western France: International Rally, Anjou. Institute of Navigation: "Avoidance of Collision by Ship- borne and Airborne Means," a Three-day Conference in conjunction with the French and German Institutes. June 8-10. Frejus-St. Raphael Aero Club: 4th International Rally, Frejus. Austrian Aero Club: International Rally, Vienna/Aspern. British National Model Aircraft Championships, R.A.F. Waterbeoch. S.B.A.C. Show, Farnborough. _. •,..;. .. June 9-10. June 9-10. Sept. 2-8.
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