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Aviation History
1963
1963 - 0634.PDF
608 FLIGHT International, 25 April 1963 (Left) Not as alarming as it looks: an Auster at work on crops in Nigeria (Below) Britten-Norman make good use of the Snow S-2C, for which they are also distributors International "Aerial Work" THE FAR.RANGING ACTIVITIES OF BRITTEN-NORMAN ALMOST by accident, the Britten-Norman empire has grown until it now has ramifications extending far beyond the modest hangar at Bembridge Airport, Isle of Wight, where it has its headquarters. Like all the best commercial developments, it was formed and expanded because there was a real need for it; and most of its present operations are of inestimable benefit to mankind. As might be expected, the organization came into being as the result of two personalities, John Biitten and Desmond Norman, the son of Sir Nigel Norman who founded Airwork in 1930. They met as premium apprentices at the de Havilland Technical School in 1947, and subsequently designed and built an experimental ultra-light aeroplane known as the BN-1F. This machine crashed on an early flight, when the petrol supply to the JAP engine faded out. It was rebuilt, flown for a while, and now hangs in a boat store. Subsequently, and still purely as a hobby, Tiger Moths were converted for agricultural work in New Zealand, following a meet ing between the partners and James McMahon, who had been top-dressing in that part of the world. The "factory" was a small garage at Bembridge, in the Isle of Wight. At this time Norman was working as export assistant at the Society of British Aircraft Constructors, and Britten was employed in the family theatre business. These Tiger Moth conversions were popular in New Zealand, and provided a steady but profitable pastime. At the same time, work was started on developing a spraying gear capable of delivering a controlled droplet size, as it had been conclusively shown that in aerial-applicating work the ability to maintain an optimum droplet size is rewarded by great operating economy. The resulting equipment was christened the Micronair. Since the first atomizers were produced in 1955, steady development has taken place. To date, over 400 aircraft sets have been sold to all parts of the world. In 1955, the partners met Frank Mann, a fruit importer, who had offices in Exeter. He had a spraying contract in the Sudan, and Britten-Norman undertook to work with him and supply the air craft and equipment. They proceeded to carry out the first spraying operation ever undertaken using rotary-atomizer equipment. This Sudan season also did a lot towards proving the Micronair spraying gear, both from an economical and technical point of view. At this time, the partnership was increased to four with the addition of James McMahon and Frank Mann, both of whom had contributed very greatly to its success. In 1956 Crop Culture, as the operating company was called, obtained a major contract in the Sudan Gezira, using five Tiger Moths equipped with Micronair spraying gear. The next year [Concluded on page 611 This "family tree" shows graphically the worldwide distribution of the various Britten-Norman companies and their relation to the parent organization Air Stock West Africa Ltd Representative! of Piper. Dornler. Ly coming and equipment manufacturers throughout West Africa / Gemini 1 Co/t 2 Auster BRITTEN - NORMAN LTD (Bembridge. Isle of Wight) Development and production of Micronair rotary atomizers (over 1.000 sold, sufficient for some 400 aircraft); research, design and development of Cushioncraft and manufacture of prototypes; distribution of Snow agricultural aircraft outside USA Crop Culture (Aerial) Ltd, Crop Culture (Overseas) Ltd (Bembridge) Complete ownership or major holdings of overseas companies; crop spraying in W. Cameroon!, Jamaica and other territories prior to formation of a subsidiary company Cameroons Jamaica 4 Workmaster I Workmaster I Apache 5 Snow I Cessna I Super Cub Cushioncraft Ltd (Bembridge) Production and marketing of Cushioncraft Part or wholly owned subsidiary and associate companies AGAV Agricultural Aviation (Fty) Ltd (Brisbane) Grass seeding; spraying sugar and other crops 2 Pownee / Auster i Tiger Australian Aeronautics (Pty) Ltd (Brisbane) Aircraft maintenance and ».-••• Skyways (Queensland) Pty Ltd (Brisbane) Charter flying; aircraft sates / Maoncy 2\ AGROPAN Aero Agricola Panamena, 5A (Panama City) Spraying bananas ; other crops. 9 Snow I Caribbean I Stearman APACA: Aviaclon Para Agricultura CA (Ecuador) Holding company ATOMEC Aeroatomizaciones Ecuatorianas, CA (Guayaquil, Ecuador) Spraying bananas and other crops 12 Super Cub 5 Snow Crop Culture (Sudan) Ltd (Khartoum) Spraying cotton 5 Snow I Super Cub Cameroons Air Transport (Tike) Scheduled and chat operations Do28 Aztec 3 -, MICROFUMAB Microfu m igacion • s Aereas Ltda (Santa Mart*. Colombia) Spraying bananas and cot ton 7 Super Cub 4 Saow 2 Stearman
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