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Aviation History
1963
1963 - 0449.PDF
——————• ——— FLIGHT International, 28 March 1963 427 "ONE-STOP" COMPETITION ON further study it can be seen that there is more significance than was at first apparent in the Minister's decision in the Channel Airways Southend - Paris (Portsmouth restriction) appeal case <March 7 issue). This was a case where the ATLB had imposed an intermediate stop as a method of controlling competition, in this case with the BEA Heathrow - Paris service. The Minister's com missioner, on appeal, rejected the Board's contention that their predecessors had not meant to licence a direct Southend - Paris service, as there was no evidence in the record to support their view. The Board's second reason for making an optional stop into a mandatory one was that they wished "to bring the benefit of an air service" to the intermediate points. This concern for the public interest contrasts, incidentally, with the Board's decisions in the recent general fare increase proceeding, where the Board virtually disavowed concern for anybody except the airlines. But if Channel Airways' commercial judgment is that they will make more profit by serving Portsmouth separately, and the Board says that it has no mechanism for challenging the airlines' expertise, how can they act as they did, and still claim to be building up a case law? This could only be founded on consistent decisions. Signs of incipient schizophrenia, with occasional (unlawful?) concern for the public interest, can be noted in the reasons for decisions on fare increases, with differences between the Channel Islands case and the other domestic routes. But the Board should not be discouraged from trying again. In countries where frequency restrictions are illegal, the regulatory authority has to exploit this device. The CAB in its early years developed it extensively, a classic example being Chicago - Washing ton. In 1946 only American Airlines had non-stop authority; but at one stage Capital Airlines carried more passengers, because of the more frequent service it operated via the strong traffic point at Detroit. Railways, because of the high capacity of their trains, have always exploited the principle of intermediate stops. In the CAB's recent Baltimore - Washington "adequacy of service" investigation, initiated by the Greater Baltimore committee of citizens and corporations, it emerged that the average number of passengers boarding each flight from Friendship airport was 10. Yet Birmingham was deprived of service to Amsterdam because only 20 passengers used each service. VASI IN AMERICA CAPT Robert Buck of TWA was last year invited by the FAA to study bad weather operations around busy US terminals. The FAA gave Capt Buck a completely free hand and every facility to enable him to write the fullest possible report. A copy of this has now been issued by the FAA and the following is an extract:— "Another lighting development which has added greatly to safety is the Visual Approach Slope Indicator, VASI. We must thank the Royal Aircraft Establishment of Great Britain for its development. The quicker VASI can be installed on all runways the better and this would include the ILS runway. There is a general feeling that on ILS equipped runways VASI is not needed because glide slope can be obtained by the pilot from his cockpit instruments. This is not valid. Very simply stated, how can a pilot get glide slope indi cation from inside the cockpit when he is looking outside trying to land? A study of accidents and incidents shows an impressive number of undershoots. They do not generally occur in weather at low, low minimums of 200ft ceiling, but more often with ceilings 400ft or above. It is obvious that the pilot breaks out of the clouds, sees the approach lights and prepares to land visually, but our long history of accidents from sensory illusions tells us that at certain angles, under certain visibilities, lights and eyes do tricks. It is again an area where suddenly we go from the highly scientific to the primitive. VASI, on ILS runways, will aid in continuing a modern aid to the pilot when he is visual. In England and France VASI is found on instrument runways." FAA AND THE AMERICAN SST MAY 1 is the date set by the FAA for the Stanford Research In stitute and The Rand Corporation to report on the supersonic trans port economic studies for which they received contracts amounting to £120,000 in the latter part of 1962. The contracts were part of the FAA's programme to determine "(1) whether a supersonic transport is technically and economically feasible, and (2) whether the Government should assist industry in its development." The Rand Corporation is assessing the economics of the Mach 2-Mach 2.5 speed ranges. Meanwhile President Kennedy has appointed Vice-President Lyndon Johnson to assume top level control of the American SST programme, which is headed by FAA administrator, Mr Najeeb Halaby. Mr Johnson is to report to the President on progress by June. In a recent Voice of America radio interview Mr Halaby is reported to have said that the USA could have collaborated with Britain and France on a supersonic airliner two or three years ago. The Eisenhower government had been approached by the British with a view to such collaboration but had not been "very hospit able." He predicted that the Concorde might be used to carry cargo at first and he said that a US supersonic transport would operate cargo services at first "to shake down some of the bugs." The FAA and NASA are, it is announced, completing plans for "a joint study of supersonic transport operation within existing and future air traffic control environments." The study will bring in the flight simulation facilities of NASA's Langley Research Center and the similar installations at the FAA's National Aviation Facilities Experiment Center, NAFEC. BEA One-Class Travel? According to Mr E. P. Whitfield, BEA's traffic director, first-class services in Europe may be "out" fairly soon. He forecasts a one-class passenger service on European routes. Riddle DC-8Fs Lease of DC-8Fs to Riddle Airlines is provided for in a refinancing programme reported to have been arranged by the airline, the terms of which provide for the repayments of DC-7C debts owed to General Dynamics ($5.8m) and Douglas ($4.45m). More Eagle Britannias Cunard Eagle have not yet signed a contract for the two more Britannia 300/310 which they definitely intend to acquire, but delivery of the first is planned for mid-May. The two aircraft will bring the Eagle Britannia fleet to four, and will be used on domestic services. Plans are in hand for inaugurating the independent's new domestic routes on the basis of the daily round trip frequency-limitation authorized. Meanwhile an applica tion to the ATLB for increased frequency is due to be lodged very shortly. USSR - USA Services Commenting on the recent remarks of Mr Najeeb Halaby, administrator of the FAA, that the present international situation is "not appropriate" for the inauguration of Moscow - New York services, Aeroflot's Mr Victor Danily- chev says: "We are informed that the US still does not have the airliner capable, like the Tu-114, of flying New York- Moscow non-stop." [Moscow-New York is 4,650 st.m.; Boeing 707-320B max. payload-range (with SR427 reserves) is 4.980 st.m.] Captain G. P. Watson We regret to record the death of Capt Guy Parkes Watson, the BOAC and sporting pilot, on March 19. Capt Watson was piloting his Proctor 3 on a flight from Denham Aerodrome; shortly after take-off the aircraft was seen to crash in a backwater near the USAF base at Denham. A post-mortem revealed that death was due to natural causes (coronary thrombosis). Mr C. C. Head retired earlier this month as an assistant secretary of the ICAO Air Navigation Commission. He intends to practise in England as a consultant on international aviation regulations
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