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Aviation History
1960
1960 - 2787.PDF
FLIGHT, 25 November 1960 855 AIR COMMERCE ... MR TATA'S COMMONWEALTH LECTURE THE immense scope for the development of tourist traffic toIndia, at present limited to only about 100,000 visitors a year, was mentioned by Mr J. R. D. Tata, chairman of Air-India, inthe Royal Aeronautical Society 16th British Commonwealth lecture that he gave in London on November 18. Entitled "TheStory of Indian Air Transport" this well documented paper, by the man who is Indian air transport, can be regarded as the stan-dard work on the subject. Looking to the future, Mr Tata thought that the most seriouslikely obstacle in the way of Air-India's expansion might be the shortage of foreign exchange. But the airline was earning foreignmoney at the rate of more than £2m a year; and assuming that this difficulty would be overcome he could see no reason whyAir-India's future growth would not at least keep pace with the rest of the industry. There was still considerable scope forenlarging Air-India's route system—"the Pacific is an obvious possibility"—and under its series of five-year plans India hadembarked on a long range programme of forced expansion of its economy. As regards supersonics, "nothing should be doneto discourage or deter such a phenomenal step forward," but— the qualification so often made by the leading men of internationalair transport—"it is fervently to be hoped that supersonic opera- tions will not be forced upon the world of air transport for reasonsof prestige or political rivalry between power blocs before all the technical and economic problems have been solved." In any case,in his view, supersonics "can only supplement and can never supersede subsonic aircraft." AIR SAFARIS ACQUIRE DON EVERALL IT was announced last week that Air Safaris Ltd and Don EverallAviation Ltd have decided to merge their independent airline interests into one organization which will be known as Air SafarisLtd. Don Everall Aviation, one of the smallest British indepen- dents, are based at Elmdon Airport, Birmingham, and operatescheduled services from the Midlands to the Isle of Wight, Exeter and the Channel Islands, and charter flights. Air Safaris are based Gradually all BEA's fleet of 63 Viscounts (including one on lease) are being painted in the stylish red, black and white "corporate image" colour-scheme introduced 18 months ago. Here is a new air-to-air of a Viscount thus painted—V.8Q2 G-AOHL at Gatwick and they operate no scheduled services but are activein die field of closed-group tours and general charters. In effect, Air Safaris have acquired Don EveralFs operatinginterests and the latter's share in the expanded Air Safaris will comprise their fleet of two Vikings and two DC-3s. Mr Everallwill join Air Safaris' board and Don Everall Aviation's services from the Midlands, subject to Government approval, will con-tinue to be based on Elmdon. Don Everall Aviation Ltd will continue to operate the airport at Wolverhampton and to over-haul aircraft under their own name; overhaul of Air Safaris' fleet of three Vikings and one Hermes will be undertaken as required. Both Don Everall Aviation and Air Safaris have recentlyapplied to the ATAC for new UK internal services; Don Everall for a Dakota and Viking daily service between Elmdon andWoolsington and Air Safaris for a Rapide or Dove service from Bournemouth to Plymouth and Culdrose. The former have alsoapplied to increase their service from the Midlands to Guernsey and Jersey and to introduce new aircraft types, notably the Heronand the Herald. They have also applied to operate Viscounts on their Jersey services. BREAKING-EVEN ON THE COMET WHEN United Arab Airlines, then known as Misrair, last Junetook delivery of the first of three Comet 4Cs, the UK regional manager mentioned the possibility that a repeat order for threemore 4Cs might in due course be placed. Last week it was reported that UAA have placed a repeat order for two more aircraft. Ade Havilland spokesman confirms the airline has an option on a further two, but the taking up of these options is not yet the subjectof a signed contract. BEA also are planning to place yet another repeat order forComets—the fourth since the original fleet of six Comet 4Bs was ordered. This, it is understood, would be for two further4Bs, to bring the BEA fleet to twelve, or 16 including the four Olympic Airways aircraft operating in the BEA-Olympic con-sortium. No actual contract has yet been signed. These orders, if confirmed, will bring the Comet order bookto 60. Four years ago the managing director of de Havilland Aircraft, Mr (now Sir) Aubrey Burke, said that 50 Comet 4 seriesaircraft would have to be sold to break even (Flight, August 3, 1956, page 205). Making allowance for today's higher costs, itwould appear that de Havilland are on the point of breaking even, if they have not done so already, on the Comet 4 programme.Footnote: In last week's -special Commercial Aircraft issue weights and tankage of the Comet 4C (page 798) were inadver-tently quoted "as Comet 4B." This was intended to read "as Comet 4"; in fact the 4C's max weight is 162,0001b, ZFW,102,5001b; capacity payload (weight limited), 23,1451b; less fuel and payload, 79,3551b; and its tankage is 8,908 Imp gal. BREVITIES According to the FAA the number of civil aircraft registered in theUnited States is now nearly 80,000 compared with 70,747 on January 1. Of these 2,020 are in airline service and there are 6,034 multi-enginedaircraft and 27,259 single-engined aircraft with at least four seats in the general aviation category. Apart from this there are 35,334 other types. The contractors for the new Karachi runway, Vinnell Corp, Alhambra,USA, have selected the GEC company's lighting system. Cost will be £82,500. The new 10,500ft runway, with 1,000ft stopways at eachend, is being built to the north of the old one and is scheduled to be in operation on February 1 next. Air France last week announced arepeat order for three Boeing 707-3 20s for delivery in the spring of 1962. Thiswill bring to 20 the airline's Boeing jet fleet, and the Boeing order book for 707and 720 series aircraft is now 257. Stop press : it is reported that American, PanAmerican and TWA have all logged more than 100,000 hours (revenue andnon-revenue) with 707s. At A. V. Roe last week inspecting the Avro 748 was Mr Sao Wunna, cabinet member of the Burmese Government and a past chairman of Union of Burma Airways. With him is Mr Emanuel Galitzine, Avro's sales manager Capital Airlines have sold five of their Viscount 745Ds to Alitalia.They have been converted and painted at Washington to Alitalia's standards, and will replace Convairs on Italian domestic routes. It is reported that a river hovercraft is being developed by theMinistry of the River Fleet of the USSR, together with a hydrofoil craft capable of carrying a 200-ton payload. Re-elected Master of the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators for1960-61 is Dr Kenneth G. Bergin. Mr A. M. A. Majendie has been elected a Warden, the other wardens being: Mr E. B. Trubshaw, CaptJ. T. Percy, Capt M. R. Aries and Capt B. C. Frost. It is understood that the Ministry of Aviation is seeking Treasuryapproval for the completion of the second runway at Gatwick Airport in time for the 1962 summer season. Cost, according to one report,would be £3m in addition to the £7m approximately already spent on the airport. The first two BEA V.951 Vanguards are due to be delivered to thecorporation during the first week of December, and BEA's date for introducing the type into initial passenger service is December 20.Full Vanguard schedules, as already reported, are planned to begin on March 1. Representatives of the London Airport local authorities committeeare, says a Ministry of Aviation statement, "concerned about the con- tinued rise in aircraft noise, particularly at night." At a recent meetingwith Mr Geoffrey Rippon, Parliamentary Secretary to the MoA, a "full and frank exchange of views" took place, and Mr Rippon assured thecommittee that the Minister "would continue to do all he could to keep noise levels down." He recognized the claims of hospitals andschools for special consideration, and said that research is being "actively pursued in an effort to obtain more adequate solutions."
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