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Aviation History
1963
1963 - 0079.PDF
FLIGHT International, 17 January 1963 4§§V AIR C WELSH AIRLINE ATLB APPROVAL has now been given for Cambrian Airways to take over all BEA's services to the Isle of Man from next April 1. The routes which Cambrian will operate with four ex-BEA Viscowit 701s are: London (Heathrow or Gatwick) to Liverpool and/or Isle of Man; Liverpool to Isle of Man and/or Belfast; and Man chester to Isle of Man with an optional stop at Liverpool. At the same time as it made these awards, the Board refused applications by Silver City for various other routes to the Isle of Man, and by Siarways for part of the network only. In making their decision, the Board said that it was the "stuff of commerce" that BEA should consult on future plans first with their associated company, and only later their competitors. This was said in reply to the point made on behalf of Silver City that Cambrian received an unfair advantage over other applicants as a consequence of being informed by BEA, several weeks before any public announcement, of the corporation's decision to terminate their Irish Sea services. Both airlines used the intervening period to represent to the Isle of Man Airports Board the merits of sub stituting Cambrian for BEA. The Board found little to choose between Cambrian and Silver City as regards their general fitness to operate the services. How- UAA AND THE LAA ARE now closer to a decision in favour of Super VClOs, having for the last year or so been deliberating between the British big jet and the Boeing 707-320B. Mr A. El-Moneim Atallah, UAA's deputy general manager, says: "I would say we are now closer to the Super VC10." For two weeks before Christmas a team of UAA executives, including Capt M. H. Shams, chief pilot and operations manager, was at Weybridge and Bristol for a technical course on the Super VC10. UAA representatives have also been at Boeing for a 707 sales presentation. A final decision on the Super VC10 will be made when Vickers provide the figures for the extended payload- range performance. A Vickers team has recently been in Cairo and the airline has been told that the new performance estimates will be supplied as soon as they are available and at the same time as they are given to BOAC. UAA say they feel confident that the extended range will be achieved. They have specified Cairo-New York nonstop capability, though this is not necessarily the way the aircraft will always be scheduled. At the present time the necessary 'third and fourth freedom" traffic rights are being negotiated with the Americans, and fifth-freedom rights (London - New York) with the British Government. UAA are confident that, despite difficulties so far, these rights will in due course be granted. Cer tainly Egypt's booming tourist business puts the airline in a good bargaining position. UAA's considered opinion is that there is little to choose tech nically between the Super VC10 (assuming the range requirement is achieved) and the 707-320B. But, in the opinion of Mr Atallah, the VC10 "has something which will be new in the market," and its commercial appeal will be greater. Though the additional range will increase the cost of the Super VC10 there is also little to choose, say UAA, between the financial terms offered by the British and the Americans. The British- equipped Egyptian airline is used to dealing with British manufac turers and, as one official has put it, "we can do a better deal with the British." UAA were impressed by the commercial sup port which British manufacturers continued to give after the Suez episode. The Super VC10 requirement is for three aircraft, with an option on a further two, for delivery in time for service in the urnmer season of 1965. The loss of one Comet 4C last year reduced UAA's fleet of 71 O M M E R C E ON THE MOVE ever, it was impressed by the operational and commercial backing of Cambrian (by BEA) that would obviously make for a smooth transition. Silver City's argument that they had considerable experience of operating servicss to the Island, and of Viscount operations, was turned to their disadvantage because the Board felt that with few exceptions the new services would enable Silver City to enjoy a monopoly of air services to the Island, and the Board declared it did not think it prudent to place air services vital to the economy of the Isle of Man in the hands of a single operator. Starways' application for Liverpool - Isle of Man and/or Belfast was refused on the grounds that the traffic on these sectors cannot yet support two operators. Now that the green light has been given to Cambrian's expansion plans, work is due to begin shortly on a £70,000 extension to the company's engineering base at Cardiff (Rhoose) Airport. In addition to the four Pionairs and the four Viscounts already ordered, Cambrian have placed an option with BEA for a fifth Viscount 700. From April 1, all the Irish Sea routes will be operated with Viscounts as well as the London - Cork and Cardiff - Channel Islands services. SUPER VCIO these aircraft to seven, and also had an adverse effect on the com mercial results of the Far East route opened in May 1962. Fre quency was reduced from two to one a week; but this was increased again to two from yesterday, January 16. UAA are considering taking up their option on a further Comet, which could be delivered by November, but are at present examining the question of whether there will be surplus jet capacity when the VClOs come along. UAA still envisage the Comet 4C as their main Viscount replace ment, and foresee it taking over almost entirely from the smaller- capacity turboprop on such important domestic trunk routes as Cairo to Luxor and Aswan. There are, however, one or two import ant points, for example Alexandria and Jerusalem, which will probably not be suitable for Comets. A requirement for a small number of BAC One-Elevens is being considered, as it remains UAA's intention, even on the non-com petitive domestic routes, to be an all-jet airline. The small-jet decision is not, however, regarded as urgent. The BAC One-Eleven, according to Mr Atallah, is offered at "a wonderful price," and UAA hope that this will not increase. (Unlike nearly all other British manufacturers, the British Aircraft Corporation quote, for publication, prices for their aircraft. This in the case of the One-Eleven is fixed until the end of 1965 at £875,000 excluding seats.) There are at present no plans for disposing of Viscounts, and DC-3s will be kept indefinitely for freighting and training. Though loads on Far Eastern routes have been falling short of budget, business is picking up, and UAA are confident that the route will do good business despite what Mr Atallah describes as "very tough competition." The Tokyo Olympic games in 1964 are likely to provide a useful stimulus. Good loads are being carried on the routes to Lagos and Accra at a frequency of one flight per week. UAA want to increase frequency to Lagos to two per week, but so far the Nigerian Government has not approved, though it would permit two nights a week to Kano. A team of UAA experts is at present assisting in the develop ment of Algeria's civil aviation, under the aegis of the wider Arab League movement towards the unification of Arab air transport. But as with Air Union in Europe, it does not seem likely that indi vidual airline identities will be surrendered to a pan-Arab airline union. More likely, it is believed, will there be a move towards the pooling of traffic rights among the various Arab countries.
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