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Aviation History
1960
1960 - 0408.PDF
Executive DC-3 conversion by Atlantic Aviation Corp Production-prototype of the Lockheed JetStar Sport and Business Business Flying in the USA . . . executive to step into his aeroplane while wearing a businesssuit rather than old sports clothes. He can complete his flight under relatively relaxed conditions and step out at his destinationno more weary—and perhaps a good deal less—than if he had driven his automobile for a similar period of time. More execu-tives fly their own small aircraft today because of the rapid improvement in safety and comfort; little of the increase can beattributed to superior performance. Certainly the small increases in speed in recent times (in the lightplane field) have had littleto do with the increased popularity of business transports. How comes it, then, that reductions have been noted in Class I(the heavy twins) and Class IV (the one- and two-place single- engined aircraft)? These are special cases, the pure statistics onwhich do not reveal the true state of affairs. A drop was recorded in Class I because most of the aircraft previously (and indeedcurrently) registered in this category are of the DC-3 type.* As was indicated in Flight's previous business aircraft issue, most ofthese aircraft were purchased at ridiculously low prices in the early post-war years. Not surprisingly, many were (and still arebeing) operated by firms perhaps too small to justify the use of aircraft of DC-3 size except on the basis of low purchase price.Logically, when such aircraft show signs of wear (which even DC-3s do) their owners are unable to find replacements inexpen-sive enough to meet their limited budgets. While the more affluent companies have replaced their DC-3s with even biggerand several times more costly aircraft, the smaller organizations have stepped down somewhat in their requirements and havepurchased a light or medium twin. And since the really wealthy companies are in a minority, it is easy to understand why the totalnumber of large aircraft in service has declined in the past two years. This process can be expected to continue for perhapsseveral more years until many of the DC-3s have been retired and replaced by new (small or large) types. At that time the totalnumber of Class I aircraft will probably remain constant for a short period and then rise again in subsequent years. With theextraordinary lives being built into large new turbine aeroplanes —the Gulf stream, for example, has a proven fatigue life of 44,000hr—-few of the newer types will be retired and it is likely that there will be a steady increase in total numbers of heavy twins in servicein the middle sixties. Ultimately, it would not be at all surprising if there were more large executive aircraft in service than therewere scheduled airliners. A slightly different reason accounts for the drop noted inClass IV. Many of the lightplanes in this category were con- structed in die late forties, before manufacturers became acutelyaware of the need to have really attractive interiors in their air- craft. Sales of private planes increased when automobile-likecomfort was provided. The older aircraft are also wearing out and it can be expected that this class will evidence a reawakenedinterest in forthcoming years. It can safely be predicted that substantial numbers of small two-place aircraft will be turned outin the next few years. The remarkable public response which greeted the reintroduction of the inexpensive Cessna 150 lastyear supports this prophecy. All indications are that there will be an even greater boomin executive aviation in the next decade. The lingering effects of America's business "recession" have been wiped out, and ahealthy economy is bound to create additional impetus for the growth of business transport. What manufacturers and aircraftwill receive the benefits of this boom? A large number will do so, some more than others. Below are a few pertinent (and neces-sarily personal) comments about the most favoured contenders for sales. *In September 1959 the FAA had registered some 486 DC-3s (andC-47s) in their "rum-tdr-carrier" listings. The Heavy Twins The most important news in the heavy-twin field is likely to centre on the Lockheed JetStar. Product of the Marietta, Georgia, facility of the West coast firm, the JetStaris scheduled to make its inaugural flight—in production form- in July. Pratt & Whitney will receive die initial model and installfour of their own JT-12 (military J-60) turbojets. Following engine trials, the aircraft will be returned to Lockheed forcertification. The first certified production machines will be delivered to the Continental Can Company in January 1961.Lockheed's ten-passenger jet transport will be offered mainly in die four-engined version; but the company is quick to add thattwin-engined models, powered by Bristol Siddeley Orpheus, will also be available. Attesting to die reliability of die Orpheusvariant are Lockheed press releases which note that during "intensive flight evaluations" with die two Orpheus-poweredprototypes the aircraft flew a total of 70,000 miles in 53 days. "Not a single day's flying was missed because of maintenanceproblems," said a Lockheed spokesman. But even aside from the switch in emphasis from two tofour engines, production JetStars will differ considerably from die two prototypes which have been touring the US on salesdemonstrations. Addition of thrust reversers (P & W designed) will cut die JetStar's landing distance by several hundred feet.Both landing and take-off distances will be further reduced by the inclusion of high-lift edges (slats). Dual mainwheels andnosewheels have also been added to production models. With these improvements, the JetStar's take-off weight will be raisedto 28,0001b. Coast-to-coast non-stop flights should be possible with auxiliary tanks, which further increase take-off weight to38,0001b. - -.- Grumman Gulfstream " ' Convair executive by Frederick B. Ayer & Associates
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