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Aviation History
1957
1957 - 0998.PDF
994 FLIGHT Work continues around the clock on the Boeing 707—still scheduled to fly before the end of the year. Lights in the windows of the first production aircraft give a seasonal touch to the flight line at Renton. CIVIL AVIATION REPUBLIC'S NEW RAINBOW TT is reported from the United States that Republic Aviation•*• Corporation are testing airline reaction to a new short/medium- range turboprop—their first civil transport venture, apart fromthe earlier Rainbow, since the company's name was changed from Seversky in 1939. The new turboprop is to perpetuate the name Rainbow, whichwas given to the commercial version of the XR-12 long-range photo-reconnaissance aircraft which was flown in 1946. Aspecial feature will be large slotted Fowler flaps and leading-edge slats to give a good short-field performance. Republic are pro-posing to use either four General Electric T64s or four Rolls- Royce Dart RDa.lOs of 2,655 e.s.h.p. The Rolls-Royce-poweredversion would have a take-off weight of 77,500 lb and would be 1,500 lb heavier than the alternative version. Some idea of the importance which is attached to interior decormay be gathered from the early announcement that the cabin colour scheme would be designed by Charles Butler Associates.Two seating versions are being offered; a first-class configuration with 68 seats placed five-abreast and an 80-seat tourist versionwith at least some of the seats six-abreast. Other details that have been given are: span, 111ft llin; length 87ft; height, 29ft 6in;cruising speed, over 400 m.p.h.; average range, 2,200 miles; and cruising altitude, 25,OOOft. The estimated take-off run at grossweight is said to be about 3,000ft, and the landing run 4,000ft at sea level on a standard day. TRANSATLANTIC TIMETABLES T^ISPARITY between B.O.A.C. and El Al schedules for operat-*** ing the same aircraft on the same route has aroused a spate of criticism. The Corporation has been accused of over-caution andlack of enterprise. Although such criticism may be damaging, the British line has limited its reply to the observation that, at any rateinitially, they consider their timetable to be realistic. The schedules were published on p. 970 in last week's issue. Israeli aircraft will follow courses suggested by prevailing NorthAtlantic pressure-patterns. This is no new technique over the North Atlantic, but the higher cruising altitude of the Britanniaenables it to be used to greater effect. Precise meteorological knowledge of these altitudes is still limited, and it will be sometime before timetables based on pressure-pattern flight planning will cease to contain a degree of uncertainty. El Al has set atimetable which is admitted to be possible only on four occasions out of five. B.O.A.C.'s experience is that punctuality with new aircraft typescan be obtained only by flexible scheduling and that only experi- ence can prove the realism of a timetable.An account of a transatlantic Britannia flight, and an examina- tion of flight-planning techniques, will be presented in an earlyissue of Flight. CONCRETE AID REQUIRED THE significance of the position occupied by Ceylon on the airroute map of the world is growing as the range of modern airliners increases; for the most direct route between Europe andS.E. Asia (and on to Australia) lies through Ceylon. Until recently aircraft range with full payload has usually been such that air-liners were routed via Calcutta to avoid the 1,700-mile overwater crossing between Colombo and Singapore. But transports designedto fly regular non-stop North Atlantic services will seek the most direct routes available. Ceylon's Minister of Transport, Mr. Senanayake, is askingParliament to approve expenditure of Rs.475,000 (£36,000) with- out which "Ratmalana airport may have to be closed down in thenear future," because the runway is "now crumbling rapidly." The next step will be to find nearly £4m to finance constructionof an airport suitable for accommodating turbojet airliners: hope- ful eyes are looking towards Washington. THE INDIAN AIRLINER MARKET DESPITE India's foreign-exchange problems and difficultiesin finding money to finance the second Five-Year Plan, the Indian market for both civil and military short-haul transportaircraft continues to attract the attention of European manufacturers. Between now and early January the Fokker Friendship will bedemonstrated to Indian airlines and aviation authorities. The nationalized carrier, Indian Airlines Corporation, operating anageing fleet (including 64 DC-3s and 12 Vikings), is the principal target for Fokker salesmen, although the trend towards greaterscope for independent airlines means that potential customers are to be found among companies such as Air Assam, DharbhangaAviation, Indamer, Jamair and Kalinga. A strong selling point is the possibilitythat Hindustan Aircraft, Ltd., might manufacture the Friendship under licenceat Bangalore. The departure of the Friendship tocontinue demonstrations in the Middle East will almost coincide with the arrivalin India of representatives from Handley Page, intent on selling the Dart-poweredHerald. But British and Dutch salesmen willfind that they are not the first in th:s field. Since mid-November a Fren hNord 2508 (combination freight / passe :- ger version of the military Noratlas) h.is An impression of American Airlines' n«* £5m terminal at Idlewild, due to be com- pleted in 1959. Extensible passenger cor- ridors swing clear to allow the aircraft <o taxi under their own power up to i'ie departure lounge.
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