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Aviation History
1959
1959 - 0177.PDF
80 AIR COMMERCE . . . FLIGHT, 9 Januaiy 1959 The first of six de Havilland Comet 4Bs ordered by B.E.A. is seen here taking shape at Hatfield. The two B.E.A. captains in the picture (with 12 other B.E.A. staff they are on a seven-week D.H. and Rolls-Royce training course) are Capt. W. Baillie (left), general flight manager, and Capt. G. T. Greenhalgh, who will be flight manager of the B.E.A. Comet Flight. Plans call for 30 B.E.A. Comet 4B crews, each of which will comprise three pilots B.E.A. ROTODYNES? PURCHASE of "a developed version" of the Fairey Rotodyne isbeing seriously considered by B.E.A. In a letter of intent to the manufacturers, Lord Douglas of Kirtleside, the chairman, hasexplained that the Corporation is not in a position at present to place a firm order, but that six aircraft would be ordered ifGovernment financial approval were given, and if the developed version matched B.E.A.'s requirements. The Government has supported much of the Rotodyne pro-gramme to date and has been reluctant to embark further without the prospect of a successful civil market. In the light of B.E.A.'slatest move that prospect is certainly now improved. It is likely that the modifications sought by the Corporation willresult in a larger, faster vehicle powered by Rolls-Royce Tynes. A note on the Rotodyne's recent remarkable record appears onpage 52. SHIPPING FORSAKEN NORTH ATLANTIC traffic statistics provided the brightestaspect of last year's gloomy airline record. In a year when total traffic increased by only 5 per cent, the number of passengers crossing the North Atlantic rose by about a quarter to reach a record figure of some 1$ million. That this increase is not entirely the result of creating a new class of traffic is shown by the Conference figures for shipping traffic last year; the number of people travelling by sea between North America and Europe fell by 7 per cent. Traffic carried on Conference lines rose steadily in the first post-war decade, passing the million mark in 1956 and reaching a peak figure of 1,036,923 in 1957. Last year the figure dropped back to 959,325 passengers, equivalent to the 1955 level. This fall was due to a deterioration of traffic on Canada - Europe services of as much as 95,000 (the 1957 level was inflated by an unusual volume of emigrant business). Traffic between the U.S. and Europe increased slightly—by 17,400 passengers. Cunard continued to hold a position among the shipping com- panies analogous to that of PanAm among the airlines—each carried about one quarter of total respective sea and air traffic. But whereas PanAm's share fell slightly, Cunard steamed ahead at the expense of their rivals. . x • BREVITIES The first of Pakistan International Airlines' three Viscount 810swas handed over at Vickers' airfield at Wisley on January 2. The aircraft was accepted by Mr. M. Ikramullah, Pakistan High Com-missioner. At fhe same time it was announced that P.I.A. have increased their 810 order from three to five, completion of the fifthaircraft being scheduled for October 1959. This brings total Viscount orders to 404. P.I.A.'s Viscount route network willinclude Karachi - Lahore - Delhi, Karachi - Bombay and Middle Eastern routes. * * * A DC-3 recently transferred from Skyways to SamlesburyEngineering has now been delivered to Bahamas Airways. * * * Aircraft Exchange Inc., the new airliner sales organization,announces that Mr. Denis Handover has been appointed U.K. and European representative in London. Mr. Handover is aformer traffic director of B.O.A.C., his experience in air transport extending over 38 years. * * * A report in the Italian journal Settimana Alata that Lufthansaintend to change their order for Boeing 707s to an order for Douglas DC-8s so as to standardize with Alitalia was last weekdescribed by a London spokesman for Lufthansa as "completely without foundation." * * * "Air Transport—Chaos or Progress Ahead?" will be the title ofa lecture by Mr. M. H. Curtis, M.Inst.T., Hunting-Clan's manag- ing direaor, to be given to the Tees-side Institute of Transport atthe Cleveland Scientific and Technical Institution at Middles- brough on January 16 at 6.30 p.m.* * * Yeadon Airport will not be closed by the Leeds-Bradford JointAerodrome Committee, as was threatened when the airport was to be derequisitioned by the Ministry on December 31. Derequisi-tioning will be postponed pending agreement between the com- mittee and Yeadon Aviation about the terms on which operationswill continue. * * * The Exlm Bank has approved a $1 million credit to assist thesale by Douglas to Clanair Ltd. of two DC-6As. Clanair is a sub- sidiary of Clan Line Steamers, joint owners with the HuntingGroup of Hunting-Clan Air Transport. According to Aviation Daily, the Exlm Bank's credit represents 60 per cent of the totaldelivery price; it is repayable over five years and is said to be guaranteed by Clan Line. The aircraft are already in service. Overseas Aviation (Channel Islands) have acquired a Canadair 4Argonaut from B.O.A.C. 1 * * * A sixth B.O.A.C. Comet 4, G-APDF, was delivered by de Havilland to the Corporation on December 31, nearly two months ahead of schedule. * * * Mr. A. H. Milward, B.E.A.'s chief executive, left London forMontreal on January 3 on a three-week round-the-world promo- tion tour. He will go from Canada to Australia and return toLondon via Singapore. * * * A Scandia operated by VASP crashed into the Bay of Rio deJaneiro on December 30, reportedly after take-off from Santos Dumont airport en route for Sao Paulo. There were 31 passengersand a crew of four on board; 14 people are said to have survived. * * * Night-stops on the Viscount Safari services to East Africa havenow been eliminated. Schedules on the Central African Safari service show night-stops at Entebbe. Night-stops at Las Palmaswill be retained on the West African Safari service. .... - * * * ••• -'-'•• - •• Southend Airport handled 52 diversions from major British air-ports during foggy weather on Christmas Eve. According to the Commandant of Southend, Mr. Bernard Collins, his airportremained operational largely because of its new runway lighting system. This is the new type of G.E.C. high intensity installation. * * * According to the president of the Argentine Air TransportAssociation, Brig-Gen. Juan E. Fabri, Aerolineas Argentinas "are one of the biggest money-losers in the world." The 1958 loss,reports Aviation Daily, was put by the general at £1.4 million ($4 million) to which was added a £9 million commitment($25 million) for six Comet 4s. * * * In a New Year statement, Sir Gerard d'Erlanger, chairman ofB.O.A.C., announced plans for expansion in 1959. In the spring, subject to government [American C.A.B.] approval, Britanniaswould operate to Tokyo and Hong Kong on the western route via New York, San Francisco, Honolulu and Wake, joining theeastern-route service to Tokyo and Hong Kong which will be taken over in the spring by Comet 4s. This would provide the firstround-the-world all-turbine air service. Towards the end of 1959 Comet 4s would take over the routes to Sydney and toJohannesburg.
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