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Aviation History
1958
1958 - 0182.PDF
FLIGHT, 7 February 1958 THE INDUSTRY Blackburn Apprentice PrizegivingO NE hundred and thirty apprentices of Blackburn and GeneralAircraft, Ltd., received awards at the company's annual prize- giving at Hull Guildhall on January 20. Proceedings were openedby Mr. Eric Turner, chairman and managing director of the com- pany, in the presence of an audience which included Lord Middle-ton, Lord Lieutenant of Hull and the East Riding of Yorkshire. Mr. N. E. Rowe, technical director, said in his address that theaircraft industry could honestly attract young men with a view to eiving them better training than they could get elsewhere, andwhich would be applicable to other branches of the industry. In the apprentice-training report, Mr. T. A. Wolstenholme,group technical training officer, stated that nearly 400 apprentices were now in training at Brough—the highest number ever reachedin peace-time. Educational lacilities had been greatly improved, and much help in arranging courses had been given by some ofthe local educational establishments. The merit awards were presented by Lord Middleton, who gavea brief address, followed by presentation of the Robert Black- burn Memorial prizes by Mr. Turner, and the Directors' Prizefor the best all-round apprentice, won by Anthony Addison and presented by the works director, Mr. T. Bancroft. Weybridge Overseas Appointments NEW appointments in the Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft), Ltd.,sales organization have been announced. They include posts both in Europe and in the Far East. Mr. A. G. Page, who has been with the sales department since1953 has been appointed assistant sales manager (Europe and Africa). Until the end of 1956 he was concerned with sales ofVickers aircraft in North America and since that time has covered European and African sales.Mr. Page went to Vickers after a distinguished career with the Royal Air Force in which he attained the rank of wing commanderat the age of 24 and won the D.S.O., D.F.C. and Bar and the Netherlands order of Orange and Nassau. He is officially creditedwith 15 aircraft shot down. In 1945, whilst still serving with the R.A.F., he was seconded to the company as a test pilot. Mr. H. C. W. Sharp, who has been a member of the sales Mr. A. G. Page (left) and Mr. H. C. W. Sharp. Tony Addison, best all-round Blackburn apprentice, receives an inscribed wrist-watch from the works director, Mr. T. Bancroft. (See first news item.) department since 1950, now becomes assistant sales manager(Middle and Far East). Mr. Sharp has been concerned with sales in those territories since he joined Vickers, first mainly withmilitary aircraft and after 1952-53 principally with yiscounts. In the R.A.F. during the war he served in the Middle East andAfrica, first as personal assistant to an A.O.C. and later with the Rhodesian Air Training Group as a flying instructor. Beforegoing to Vickers-Armstrongs Mr. Sharp was for two-and-a-half years export secretary of the S.B.A.C. A New Relay THE constantly changing needs of the aircraft industry, and itsstringent requirements, have caused the Plessey Co., Ltd., of Ilford, Essex, to introduce a new range of relays. One of these is a 60-amp bridging make relay built to withstandsevere conditions of shock, vibration, humidity and altitude. Operating over an ambient temperature range of —65 deg C to+ 70 deg C, the relay is available either hermetically sealed or dustproof, both versions having identical mechanisms. In com-mon with other Plessey relays in the range it is built with a balanced armature so that operation is not affected by vibrationor acceleration. Additionally, the bridging contacts have a wiping action, thus minimizing contact resistance. The hermetically sealed version, which weighs 10i oz (1 ozheavier than the dustproof type), has a moulded terminal shroud and detachable terminal cover, whereas access to the terminals ofthe latter type is gained by removing the dust cover. Overload capacity of both relays, which are wound for 28V D.C., is 480 ampD.C. at 60,000ft or 600 amp D.C. at lower altitudes, non inductive. At normal rated current, subject to certain limitations regardingthe inductive nature of the controlled circuit, the relays are capable of a minimum of 100,000 make and break operations. The hermetic-ally sealed version is flame- and climatic-proof to D.T.D.1O85B. Importance of the Apprentice OPEAKING at the annual apprentice prize-giving of George*-* Kent, Ltd., at Luton on January 13, Sir Frederick Mander, M.A., B.Sc, F.I.E.S., chairman of the Bedfordshire CountyCouncil, said that apprenticeship was "just as much National Service" as serving in the forces. The apprentice was very im-portant to the nation, and the expenditure of £lm on the new Luton and South Bedfordshire College for Further Education,plus a third of this amount per annum on its upkeep, was evidence of the Council's appreciation of this fact. Principal prize-winners were J. C. Keeling (Cdr. Kent ChallengeCup), R. Gamble (Sir Walter Kent prize), J. Powell (R. W. Bedford Challenge Cup), and M. J. Robinson (Grout Prize). Cdr. P. W.Kent, R.N., chairman and managing director of the company, presented the awards. IN BRIEF The Dart, Tyne. Avon, and Conway engines will be amongRolls-Royce products displayed on the British Industrial Pavilion at the 1958 Universal and International Exhibition at Brussels.* * * Responsibility for the metal-finishing division of the PyreneCo., Ltd., has been taken over by Mr. H. F. Parshall, M.A., T.D., who has been a director since 1947. He succeeds Mr. W. E. Wright,F.C.S., who has retired after some 30 years with the company. * * * Electronic equipment to the value of £500,000 has been orderedfor the West German defence forces from Decca Radar, Ltd. Research on this particular specialized equipment has beencarried out by Decca over the last three years, and other equip- ment based on the results is also being supplied for civil andmilitary purposes to other countries. * * * Preliminary financial results for the year ended September 30,1957, have been announced by H. M. Hobson, Ltd. Consolidated profits of the group were £849,895, reduced after deducting depre-ciation and taxation to £373,623. These figures compare with £712,006 and £307,272 in the previous year. The annual generalmeeting takes place on February 21. * * * Mr. Arthur J. Geraghty has been appointed U.K. liaison engin-eer for Rolls-Royce of Canada, Ltd., Montreal. Mr. Geraghty, who retired from the Royal Canadian Nayy on January 1, wnlremain at the Montreal plant until the spring for familiarization purposes and will then come to England, where he will replaceMr. William Skelding at Derby; the latter is returning to the Canadian company for duties in North America.
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