FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1960
1960 - 1295.PDF
2683 VOLUME 78 FRIDAY 12 AUGUST 1960 Editor-in-Chief MAURICE A. SMITH DFC Editor H . F. KING MBE Technical Editor W. T. GUN8TON Production Editor ROY CA8EY IN THIS ISSUE From All Quarters 208 Bristol Siddeley's Fans 210 Missiles and Space-flight 213 Sailplanes at Butzweiler 216 Service and Civil Gliding Contests 218 Aerobatics for Beginners 219 Sport and Business 223 Flight System Survey 224 Air Commerce 225 Service Aviation 230 Straight and Level 231 Prestwick is Twenty-five 232 Australian Light Aircraft 234 Correspondence 235 The Industry 236 Iliffe & Sons Ltd, Dorset House, Stam-ford Street. London SKI , telephone Waterloo :«33. Telearams FlightpresN'diat London. Annual subscriptions: Home £4 15s. Overseas £5. Canadaand USA $15.00. Second Class Mail privileges authorized at New York, NY.Branch Offices Coventry : 8-10 Corpora- tion Street; telephone Coventry 25210Buminaham: Kins Edward House. New street, 2; telephone Midland 7191. Man-chester: 260 Deansgate, 3; telephone liackfnars 4412 or Deansgate 3595.• •lasgow: 62 Buclnnan Street, C.I; tele- Pli me Central 1265-6. , NV: Thomas Skinner * Coi where) Ltd. Ill Broadway, 0; telephone Digby U-1197. © Uifle & Sons Ltd, 1960. Permissioni'| reproduce illustrations and letterpress •an be granted only under written agree- made mth due acknowledgment AIRCRAFT, SPACECRAFT, MISSILES Official Organ of the Royal Aero Club First Aeronautical Weekly in the World Founded 1909 Supersonic HasteT HOSE who, like Rear Admiral Sir Matthew Slattery, command positions of high responsibility in the aviation business know how easy it is to command the headlines with prophesies about supersonic airliners. Flight's files are bulging with supersonic quotes; and to them are now added those of BOAC's new chairman, who last week imparted to the Press his own positive views on the subject. They are reported on page 225 of this issue. Briefly, Sir Matthew feels that while supersonic transport is difficult to justify, it will come "more or less regardless of the economic consequences," and he intends that "BOAC shall not be behind in the race." So let us, the admiral urges, "get on with it." He mentions 1968 as the "most optimistic" date for delivery. Mindful of the cost to British aviation of bygone folies de grandeur, and mindful too of BOAC finances crippled by too fast a rate of re-equipment (we recall Sir Gerard d'Erlanger's words from Sir Matthew's chair only a fortnight ago), let us take a look at some other supersonic quotes in our files. First, Mr M. M. V. Custance, Deputy Secretary of BOAC's proprietor, the Ministry of Aviation. Addressing—as the senior UK delegate—the General Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization in San Diego on June 16, 1959, he warned that it was "imperative" to co-ordinate supersonic progress with economic and social planning. "To get the best economic advantages and social changes for civil aviation,1* he said, "we in the United Kingdom think that it is up to governments to promote close co-ordination at a much earlier stage than we have been able to do in the case of the jets." This co-ordination should, he urged, be between governments, airports, airlines and manufacturers. As was said in these pages at the time, here at last was a responsible voice speaking out in a responsible forum against the god of technological progress, excessive worship of which requires taxpayers to subsidize an airline industry which, for the most part, they themselves still cannot afford to use. What the Select Committee said Again, the Parliamentary Select Committee that examined BOAC and BEA said in its report published a year ago: "On past form, there is the danger of a panic rush by the airlines of the world to buy these supersonic aircraft before they have fully counted the probable cost." If the airlines tried to embark on a super- sonic airliner race too early, the Select Committee said, "they will almost certainly run into financial difficulties." Such a race, the report added, however attractive it might seem at first sight to take advantage of scientific and technical advances, "may only end in the airlines of the world suffering severe financial losses which they will be unable to make good without help from their governments." Sir Matthew is right to plan for supersonics, which will and must come. But should he not have spent his first days in ±e airline business seeking, quietly and behind the headlines, to sponsor international agreement to make supersonic haste slowly? Instead of so soon calling a let's-press-on-with-it news conference, perhaps thus shutting the door so wisely opened by the senior UK delegate to ICAO, could not Sir Matthew have discussed with the Aviation Minister—a new and receptive Minister—the possibility of opening the door further? International agreement to avoid a supersonic rat-race will not be reached easily; but it is still worth striving for.
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
