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Aviation History
1957
1957 - 0739.PDF
745 EI-AFV, Viscount V.707 "Padraig," is the flagship of the Aer Lingus fleet. This photograph, taken very recently, shows the current Aer Lingus Viscount liyery, which will also be worn by the new V.808s; the first of them is illustrated below. these were disposed of to Misrair (Egyptian Airlines) and toAirwork, Ltd. In addition to the four Wayfarers mentioned earlier, two Airspeed AS65 Consuls and two Miles M.65 Geminiswere operated at various times by Aer Lingus on behalf of Aer Rianta. The success of the four Viscount V.707s introduced by AerLingus in 1954 led to the order of three of the larger V.808s, seating 65 passengers. One will enter service this summer andwill be used on the busy Dublin-London route alongside the B.E.A. V.802s. Delivery of the remaining two 808s which willalso be used on the Dublin-London route will be made towards the end of this year. With the delivery of five F.27 Friendshipsin 1958, Aer Lingus may be among the first airlines in the world to operate an exclusively turboprop passenger fleet. Staff. Aer Lingus staff are mainly recruited locally, providinga very useful outlet for the growing technical ability of the younger generation. Aircrews are mostly Irish nationals who have servedin the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm and Aerchor (Irish Air Corps), whilst ground-crews are most ex-Aerchor. In additionto training air- and ground-crews of other airlines in Viscount operations, Aer Lingus has provided the managers in Irelandfor several well-known European airlines. In common with most operators, Aer Lingus has a high wastage-rate through marriageof its female staff—the average duration of employment of female staff is 3j years. In the hostess branch, the rate is extremely high,the average "survival" being a little under two years. This spring, to mark the 21st anniversary of Aer Lingus, thefamiliar green-gabardine-garbed girls of Aer Lingus have appeared in a new "Donegal green" tweed uniform, designed by Miss IreneGilbert, the well-known Irish couturiere, which replaces the uniform worn since 1947. The "Kerry" tarn o' shanter is a com-pletely new departure in airline headgear, upswept in an appropriate wing shape, with a Celtic design cap-badge. Economics. During the financial year 1955-56, Aer Lingusearned a total revenue of £2,612,623. Expenditure amounted to £2,429,478, leaving an operating surplus of £183,145 and a netsurplus, after deductions, of £41,495. Passenger revenue amounted to £2,103,164, and excess baggage brought in £23,689. Cargorevenue amounted to £210,434 During the half-year to September 30, 1956, the companycarried 314,056 passengers, 3,082 tons of cargo and 837 tons of mail, and flew 17,370 revenue hours. Utilization for four Viscountsand 13 DC-3s was 2,037 hours per aircraft; the passenger load- factor was 76 per cent; and the all-cargo load-factor 65 per cent.Total revenue for the period was £1,892,400 (half-year to September 30, 1955, £1,683,900); total expenditure was£1,548,400 (£1,370,900), giving a surplus of £344,000 (£313,000). Aer Lingus is now about to embark on its twenty-second yearfaced with competition on routes on which it has hitherto exercised a monopoly. B.E.A. will operate on the London-Dublin,Manchester-Dublin and Birmingham-Dublin routes alongside Aer Lingus. In addition, new routes to the Continent, includingDublin-Manchester-Brussels-Frankfurt and Dublin-Manchester- Zurich-Rome, as well as an extension of the Amsterdam route to EI-ACE, Douglas DC-3 "Colmcille," second oldest unit of the Aer Lingus fleet, seen at Collinstown in its present-day liyery. Diisseldorf, have been put into operation. This important changein the operating pattern marks a critical point in the history of the company, making as it does a complete transition from therole played by Aer Lingus over the last 21 years as an ultra-short- haul local operator. It may well be some little time before theresults of the new policy are seen; in the meantime, every individual in Aer Lingus is on his mettle—and the Irish are veryproud of their national airline. L. S. This photograph of the first of the three Viscount 808s ordered by Aer Lingus brings the story up to date: taken at Vickers' Wisley airfield on Wednesday of last week, it shows EI-AJI shortly before its collection by an Aer Lingus crew.
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