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Aviation History
1959
1959 - 0696.PDF
TURBINE HELICOPTERS: Left, an experimental Westland Whirlwind specially modified to take the de Havillond Gnome engine and at present fitted with an imported General Electric T58. It was first flown on February 28 by "Slim" Sear, Westland's chief test pilot. In the picture are Mr. H. Buckingham, managing director of the de Havilland Engine Co. Ltd., and Mr. D. L. Hollis-WiUiams, technical director of Westland Aircraft Ltd. The artist's impression on the right shows the Vertol YHC-IB Chinook of 2/3-ton capacity to be developed for the U.S. Army as a replacement for obsolescent piston-engined transport helicopters future of safe navigation in the air that I.C.A.O. should establishadequate technical criteria for denning navigational requirements and that a detailed examination should then be made of the extent to whicheither of the two systems meets those requirements. Neither of these things has been done. "Before VOR/DMET can be accepted as an international standardthe recommendations of the special conference must be approved by a two-thirds majority of the Council of I.C.A.O."Present standards of safety in congested air space cannot be main- tained with the use of VOR/DMET without seriously reducing theefficiency of air traffic control. For this reason Her Majesty's Govern- ment will continue to press in I.C.A.O. for a more satisfactory solution.In the meantime the further development and evaluation of the Mk 10 Decca system will continue. "We are not aware on what grounds the International Air Trans-port Association decided to support VOR/DMET. Both B.O.A.C. and B.E.A. expressly and publicly dissociated themselves from this decision." This statement signifies official disagreement with the I.C.A.O. proposal. If such opposition does not influence the deliberations of the Air Navigation Committee and the Council, it may well lead to the filing of a "deviation" by which Britain would refuse to accept, and therefore to implement, the new standard. Devia- tions have not previously been filed on technical grounds; usually they reflect the economic inability of a State to implement a standard. In this instance a deviation might well delay or prevent the installation of the 15 VOR beacons now planned for the British Isles and, more important, would thereafter virtually oblige foreign airlines to use Decca at least in the main terminal areas. If such airlines then established that Decca offered a con- siderable improvement in navigation, they might well press for the installation of Decca in other countries, and particularly in the crowded international terminal areas in the U.S.A. (Statements made by the British delegation at the I.C.A.O. meeting are recorded on page 367) Agricultural Aviation Meeting AT the second meeting of a recently formed group of U.K.**• operators and others concerned with agricultural aviation, held at London Airport on March 6, an organized discussion onaspects of aerial farming took place and a number of films were shown. The films comprised The Rival World, Operation Cock-chafer, Spraying Practice and a New Zealand film on agricultural aviation. The discussion was opened by Mr. S. W. G. Foster, a designconsultant who suggested that there was a need in this country for two types of agricultural aircraft, one for low-volume workand the other for heavier duties involving larger application rates and higher payloads. Mr. R. C. Amsden of Chesterford ParkResearch Station described the types of machine required by the agricultural operator: there were at present 13 U.K. operatorsemploying some 36 aircraft, he said, and their requirements differed widely. Included in the general discussion was the suggestion by a senior pilot of Fisqn-Airwork that aircrew safety had not beengiven the attention it deserved. Mr. H. Winton of the Air Regis- tration Board discussed the use of stall-warning indicators toincrease pilot-safety, and Mr. F. de Frias, M.T.C.A., stressed the advantages of full shoulder-harness, well-padded cockpits andthe use of a good eye-shield when working with toxic chemicals. A significant point which arose was that most of the aircraftaccidents in agricultural work arose from the climbing turn made at the end of the spray run. Overseas operations were also discussed. Mr. Amsden describedconditions encountered in the Sudan and Mr. B. Snook, repre- senting the Aviation Industry Association of New Zealand, saidthat the large-scale use of aircraft in the Dominion had become thoroughly established and only three fatalities had occurred lastyear. In the final stages of the discussion attention was centred on performance requirements and the relative advantages of fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. The "aerial jeep" machines now being built in the U.S.A., it was suggested, might be a step inthe right direction towards an ideal agricultural aircraft. IN BRIEF The Swedish Air Force is to be equipped with Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. A contract for their purchase was announced recently. * * * Aero-engines are among U.K. products to be exhibited at this year'sBritish Trade Fair in Lisbon (May 29-June 14). Elected deputy chairman of Dowty Group Ltd.: Mr. R. F. Hunt, A.F.R.Ae.S., A.F.C.A.I. He started his career with the company in 1935 and was appointed export manager in 1945. In 1948 he went to Canada as vice-president and general mana- ger of the Canadian subsidiary, becoming president five years later. Home again in March, 7956, he was then appointed a director of the Dowty Group Ltd. Examples of two famous Rolls-Royce engines, the Merlin 20 andDerwent 5, have been lent by the company on a long-term basis for exhibition in the Glasgow Art Gallery and Museum.* * * "How to get the maximum enjoyment from your driving during thebrighter months ahead" is the theme of today's (March 13) Spring and Touring Number of The Autocar. Contents of this enlarged specialnumber include advice on touring and information on summer motoring equipment. TURBOFA&TFirst photograph of the Pratt & Whitney JT3D-1; rated at 16,000 Ib thrust, this engine was described in detail "i our issue of December 19, '958. With a host of other engines it will be reviewed by the Technical Editor next week in "Flight's" special "Aero engines of the World" number
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