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Aviation History
1962
1962 - 1637.PDF
103 FLIGHT International, 30 August 1962 WORLD NEWS (Continued from page 297 BEA1961-1962 As usual the annual report for British European Airways sets an example of en lightened public accountability unmatched throughout the industry. It might be thought that the airline would incline, at a time when things are going wrong, to conceal the more intimate details of its private life from the public gaze. In the event the report contains an admirably documented and analysed diagnosis of the malaise which has afflicted not only BEA but airlines generally. Although a loss by BEA might come as a shock after seven years of uninterrupted profit, the reverse was slight compared with the catastrophic experiences which befell many other European operators. That BEA's results were merely bad and not awful is due to the relatively high load factor still achieved: although this index dropped more than five points to a shade under 60 per cent, few other airlines now manage to reach such a load factor. The story of this decline in load factor (which came on top of heavy aircraft- development costs) is told in the profit and loss account. This shows that the pre vious year's profit of £ljm was converted into a loss of £l£m, both figures being after payment of interest. But these figures do not tell the whole story. For example, operating expenditure amounting to over £l|m has been carried forward to be charged against future years. Again, the insurance reserve has been mysteriously cut by almost £lm (this could be explained by the loss of a Comet at Ankara last December). Finally it is quite possible that BEA's Viscount fleet stands valued in the books at a figure above the market value. Whereas most other airlines are taking advantage of a bad spell to revalue their propeller equipment, BEA are appa rently still putting off the evil day. According to a break-down of revenue and expenditure as between international and domestic networks, it appears that the international three-quarters of BEA's opera tions showed £1.2m profit whereas the domestic one-quarter lost £2.7m. No analysis by routes is available, but the poor results on domestic routes were achieved despite the biggest traffic increases—21 per cent, compared with 9 per cent for the whole system (for which a growth of 20 per cent had been budgeted). This was partly because aircraft size—mainly the Van guard—outstripped traffic growth, and also because domestic routes appear to have borne the brunt of heavy introductory Vanguard costs. Heralds for Bolivia As we go to press, Handley Page Ltd announce an order for five Herald 200s, with an option on two, by Lloyd Aereo Boliviano. The Heralds will replace DC-3s, and first delivery will be made next year. Luton, not Farnborough Although it will not fly in time for the SBAC Show next week, the Hunting H.I26 jet-flap research aircraft may now be illustrated. Engine, 6S Orpheus; span, 45ft 4in; length, 50ft 2in; height, 15ft 6in; tailplane span, lift Win; track, lift 8in; wheel- base, 14ft I0.6in; further details on this page Hunting H.126 Since the reference to this aircraft on page 317 of this issue went to press the Ministry of Aviation has permitted British Aircraft Corporation to issue the following statement:— "A new research aircraft, the H.126, built by Hunting Aircraft, is undergoing ground checks in preparation for its first flight. The H.126 is designed to a Ministry of Aviation specification to investigate the principle of using jet engine exhaust gases as a " jet flap" to increase lift and so improve landing and take-off performance. A single-seat aircraft powered by one Bristol Siddeley Orpheus turbojet, it will be piloted on its first flight by Hunting Aircraft's chief test pilot, Mr S. B. Oliver. "The Orpheus provides power for both forward propulsion and lift. The greater part of the efflux from the engine is ducted into the wings and ejected as a thin sheet from the trailing edge and over the full-span flaps which act as a jet deflector. The stream follows the flap as it is lowered, thus considerably increas ing lift. This part of the efflux produces thrust as well as lift, and further thrust is provided through nozzles low down on each side of the fuselage just aft of the wing. "The H.126 has conventional flying control surfaces, the ailerons being in effect the out board section of each flap. They are supple mented by yaw and pitch nozzles at the tail for control at very low airspeeds. Independent roll nozzles are fitted at the wing tips, operated by an autostabilizing system. Design of the H.126 posed a number of engineering prob lems associated with the large volumes of hot gas to be passed through the fuselage and mainplane to the trailing edge. Despite the high temperatures in the ducting, the primary structure of the wings and fuselage is of con ventional light-alloy stressed-skin. This has been made possible by efficient insulation of the ducting and by the use of a heat-reflective shield around the inside of the wings and fuse lage. The flaps presented a particular problem in that only the top surfaces are subjected to the hot exhaust gases while the bottom sur faces remain relatively cool. The method of construction employed allows differential expansion to take place, while maintaining the correct profile. "The H.126 is fitted with extensive test instrumentation, most of the rear fuselage being occupied by automatic-observer equip ment and associated apparatus. The jet-flap principle is of great potential importance as a means of reducing the take-off and landing speeds of the aircraft of the future, and the research programme which lies before the H.126 is, therefore, of major significance to the progress of aircraft design technology." Industrial Avons Rolls-Royce and English Electric have jointly developed a 17,500kW turbo-alter nator set powered by a pair of industrial versions of the Avon RA.29 turbojet. The two firms have investigated other sets burn ing natural gas or diesel oil, developing from 8,000 to 50,OO0kW. Four of the 17,500kW model have been ordered for emergency and peak-load generation at the new CEGB 2,000MW station at West Burton. The Avons will run at a very modest power setting, and the two in each set will dis charge through a two-stage English Electric power turbine. TWO MORE'FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL' SBAC SHOW SPECIALS SEPTEMBER 6: "Farnborough Report." A first-hand report on the aircraft and flying demonstrations at the opening of the Show. SEPTEMBER 13: "Farnborough Review." The rest of the Show-week news and pictures, with a detailed survey of technical progress. Regular features will appear in both issues.
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