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Aviation History
1961
1961 - 0340.PDF
348 FLIGHT, 16 March 1961 CORRESPONDENCE. . . Ally Sloper (with three other RAF-acquired DC-2s, plus VickersValentias and one requisitioned AW Atalanta) were used by No 31 Sqn for carrying troops to help quell the abortive Nazi-inspired Rashid Ali revolt in Iraq. This is yet another chapter in the long and varied career of the very first of the DC-2 line, whichwent into service on May 18, 1934, as recorded by Mr Brooks. Despite considerable research to discover the ultimate fate ofthe first DC-3 built, NX 14988 (actually a DST model, as were the following six DC-3s delivered to American Airlines lnc), I haveonly been able to record that it was impressed by the USAAF in January 1942 and given the Air Force designation C-49E. Thesecond production DC-3 (NCI6001) was given the same military designation, serving in the USAAF as 42-56097. 1 have reason tosuspect the actual war-time records of both these earliest DC-3s are in the archives of Wright-Patterson AFB in Ohio, but I amquite sure neither of them survived to return to American Airlines in peace-time service again. A total of 194 airline DC-3s were requisitioned by the USAAFin the year 1942, under the designations C-48/49/5O/51/52 prior to the first production C-47 series, which were delivered in this sameyear. The first Lend-Lease deliveries of standard C-47s to the RAF began in June 1942 when No 31 Sqn received its first Dakota Isin Burma, with No 117 Sqn in Egypt following a few weeks later. Nairobi, Kenya DENNIS M. POWELL The Changing Face of Piarco IN your issue of December 9, 1960, in the article "The ExpandingGirdle" by Mr G. L. Marchault, it was very interesting to readthe appreciation of the development of runways. I note that under the heading "International Airports—Facts and Figures," ourinternational airfield Trinidad/Piarco is listed. The airport is known to us as the Piarco International Airport, and you may wishto know that the information which you have supplied is generally correct and you are to be congratulated on obtaining it. A recent photograph of Piarco Airport, Trinidad, token from the north of the main 10/28 runway while flying east. In the left background is the new terminal, 80 per cent complete; the old wooden building is in the centre of the picture. The hill on the horizon, 1,000ft high, is some ten miles distant You may like to know also that the work of strengthening, re-surfacing and cambering the entire runway has been in progress for some time and is a continuing project contained in a develop-ment programme of this Territory. A recent evaluation of the aerodrome indicated that its subsoil and also its paved bearingsurfaces meet requirements well above those officially stated. Some difficulties are experienced at times on account of the high tempera-tures. Surface cracks develop, especially along runway (white) markings on the asphalted runway where there is a differential intemperature. These surface cracks generally occur during the dry season, but any rain seeps through and forms small nuddles in theclay soil. The blazing sun (since the rainy season does not mean persistent rains) then turns the puddles into "bubbles," and it isnecessary to treat these individually. This recambering, resurfacing and general airport improvement will be continued for perhapsanother three years as required. In respect of the extension of the runway, work is already inprogress and is expected to be completed this month (March). In addition to the actual runway, taxi tracks, loading apron and a newterminal building are expected to be brought into use towards the end of this year. Enclosed are photographs of the airport [one ofwhich is reproduced herewith—Ed]. Trinidad. WI CARL AGOSTINI, Director of Civil Aviation. Port of Spain TAA EconomicsI READ with interest the comment published in the issue ofFebruary 3, 1961, relating to the annual report of Trans-Australia Airlines for the year ended June 30, 1960. The remarks in one regard suggest to me that there are factorswhich are well known to us in Australia but which are apparently not fully appreciated in the United Kingdom. You say "it is seen that the airline fails to pass the acid test ofmanaging to turn over its capital once in a year." By comparison it is admitted there are other airlines in the world who do this andmore. We strive to better these standards. However, in making comparisons the analogy is only true if: (a) the cost of the fixedassets per unit of output are the same, and (b) the revenue rate per unit of output is in the same area. In Australia, long distances from production centres make theinvestment in aircraft and spares more costly per unit than it is for those more fortunately placed; delivery charges must be addedand base stocks of spare engines and parts must be higher to allow for procurement lag and safety margins. This, I estimate, addsabout 10 per cent to the total investment in these items. Our revenues per unit of passenger or cargo carried are lowerthan those which comparative airlines achieve, as the following will show:— Sector Distance Fare rate per passenger-mile (miles) (pence sterling) Melbourne -Sydney 452 London -Glasgow 342 . . Paris - Rome 697 . .New York - Chicago 724 . .Los Angeles - San Francisco 340Inc. above Australian sales First Class .. 5.0 . . 6.25. . 9.76 . . 5.93 Tourist 3.87 5.267.08 4.53 . . 6.44 4.14 . . 38-90 per cent 5J-9O per cent These disabilities, if such they be, we try to mitigate by operatingat a relatively high average load-factor, a high aircraft-utilization rate, and close attention to economy in all business sectors. Wesometimes compare rather enviously the less strenuous conditions overseas with the highly competitive conditions existing in Australia,but we would not willingly change our lot. Melbourne R. EDELSTEN POPE,Director of Finance, Trans-Australia Airlines Hands off PhineasR E-READING an old copy of Flight (July 22, 1960) 1 note thatRoger Bacon has shot down another cherished illusion. A whole generation of boys has grown to manhood convinced that theSpandau guns were as much a part of the First World War as Baron von Richthofen and Billy Bishop. Who can forget the stirring stories in Triumph, Wizard, Roverand Champion that included whole paragraphs of rat-tat-tat-tats attributed to these deadly guns? 1 must insist, sir, that some things remain inviolate. Next thing,Roger will be telling us Phineas Pinkham never existed. Quebec, Canada JACK BAILIE Australia's First AirlinerI N "Sport and Business" (November 25) you published an articleon the de Havilland Australia DHA-3 Drover in which it is stated that the Drover was Australia's first and only airliner. This is notso! The first airliner was the Larkin Aircraft Supply Company's Lascoter. Designed by W. S. Shackleton, the Lascoter was also the firstAustralian-designed aircraft to receive its C of A. Only one was built and this entered service with Australian Aerial Services inMarch 1930 on the Melbourne-Hay route. The Lascoter carried four passengers or some 8001b of cargo at about 100 m.p.h. Initiallyit was powered by a 230 h.p. Puma, but this engine was later replaced by a 300 h.p. Nimbus before the aircraft entered service. The seven-passenger Drover was actually Australia's secondairliner, and the only Australian-built multi-engined airliner. lnverell, NSW LINCOLN A. WARD Cody and "Colonel"R EFERRING to Col Bill Cody, mentioned in your issue ofFebruary 10, about 58 years ago I occasionally assisted him with his box-kites at the polo grounds (later the Crystal PalaceFootball Ground in the grounds of the Crystal Palace. Sydenham). Very often, he was running two kites on the same cable. I would help him, on the average, five or six hours weekly andI would only get a few coppers. When one of the kites broke loose I helped to get it from the trees. Also, I often held on to thecable whilst the kite was on the ground, but as a rule the kite would be in the air all day long at about 400ft. It was around 10 to 12filong and 5ft square. Biggin Hill, Kent H. S. PERCIVAL
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