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Aviation History
1963
1963 - 1687.PDF
FLIGHT International, 19 September 1963 497 to cool off if for any reason they have been overheated prior to take-off. The drill—probably most relevant in respect of training circuits and bumps—is that whenever there is the slightest suspicion of overheated brakes, BOAC pilots keep the u/c fully extended for at least five minutes after take-off, except in heavy icing conditions or in the event of an engine failure. Taxying for long distances, mainly because it causes tyre-wall heating, is not generally con sidered to be good practice. BEA, in the case of an abandoned take-off causing overheated brakes, call for the aircraft to wait for up to half an hour, with brakes fans on, for the brakes to cool off. A question also arises concerning take-off visibility minima, and here of course each company has its own rules and regulations. The standards do vary considerably. For the record, BEA visibility take-off minima for jets and turboprops are 150yd RVR in day light and 200yd at night. BOAC minima for the Comet 4 and Boeing 707 are, typically, as follows: Zurich: ceiling zero, Runway Visual Range, 500yd; London: ceiling zero, RVR 200yd; Rome: ceiling 300ft, RVR 500yd; Khartoum: ceiling 300ft, RVR 800yd, -AND BIRD STRIKES VERY little publicity was given to the BEA Vanguard G-APAT incident at Edinburgh Airport on September 11, 1962, when, during take-off at night, the aircraft flew through a flock of gulls. The circumstances of this serious incident are related for the first time in the Survey of Accidents for 1962 just published by the Ministry (see page 496). There was low cloud and heavy rain and large numbers of birds struck the aircraft and forward vision was obliterated. No 4 engine failed almost immediately and the other three engines were also affected. The climb was continued on the-power available in order to position the aircraft for an ILS approach. At 3,800ft No 2 engine failed and the propeller was feathered. The No 3 engine also became critical and prepaations were made for an emergency landing, but after an ILS approach a successful landing was made back on runway 13. When the aircraft returned to the apron 30 minutes after departure it was found to be severely damaged and oil coolers and engine cowlings were seen to be almost blocked with dead birds. There were no injuries among the 68 passengers and eight crew, w-lndia and East African Airways recently signed a pool agreement in wmbay. Photographed on the occasion (sitting from I to r), Capt P. A. Iravers, general manager, EAA; Mr 8. R. Patel, vice-chairman and general manager, Air-India; (standing from I to r), Mr K. K. Unni, assistant general manager, Air-India; Mr P. S. Rajaratnam, manager, Nairobi, Air-India; Mr A. F. Dubash, director of planning and inter- nat,Wfl/ relations, Air-India; Mr £, F. Bates, deputy commercial manager, tfl/\: Mr R. N, Kou/. commercial manager-sales. Air-India; and Mr G. N. iaraiya, s<j/es representative, India, EAA The tenth of twelve 748s for Aerolineas Argentines was recently handed over at Woodford to Ing J. Arregui y Olaechea, chief engineer (left). On the right Mr M. J. Brennan, chief designer, Manchester, of HSA's Avro Whitworth Division, bids bon voyage to Capt Arturo Miceli, pilot of every delivery flight to date. The 11,300 mile flight takes eight days and each one, it is claimed, has been completed on schedule though obviously this could have been a disaster as grievous as that which befell the Eastern Electra which struck and ingested birds after taking off from Boston on October 4, 1960. Needless to say the question of bird strikes has become of paramount concern; and on September 4 a pink [safety] Civil Aviation Information Circular was issued by the Ministry of Avia tion. Entitled Bird Hazard to Aircraft, it reads as follows:— "Although there has always been a danger to aircraft from collision with birds the increasing number of jet and prop-jet aircraft now in use has caused this danger to become more acute. The two main reasons for this are the considerably increased operating speeds which allow less time for the birds to see and avoid the aircraft together with the type of engines used which are more vulnerable to serious damage from bird strikes. "Collision with birds can occur at any time of the day or night and during any phase of the flight, but the danger is especially present during take-offs and landings when large concentrations of birds are more likely to be met. The problem of keeping landing and take-off areas clear of birds is extremely difficult and civil aerodrome authorities in the United Kingdom have been advised to take all practical measures with the techniques that are available. Research continues into this problem and the latest bird dispersal methods are being used at those Government aerodromes that are most affected by birds. Aerodrome authorities cannot, however, guarantee that aircraft are safeguarded from collision with birds on or in the vicinity of an aerodrome because of the unpredictable nature of bird movements. "Pilots are requested to report to Air Traffic Control any concen tration of birds which are considered to be a potential hazard to aircraft. They should also report to Air Traffic Control any bird strikes which occur whether they result in serious damage or not." AIR-INDIA ON LOWER FARES IF the masses are to become airborne and use made of stupidly excessive airline capacity, fares will have to be slashed in a manner that makes sense. This appeal for lower fares is made by Mr S. Kooka, commercial director of Air-India, as reported in Travel Trade Gazette. There is no point, says Mr Kooka, in the finest rates and tariffs experts in the world producing group fares with provisos on solici tation, affinity, re-routings, restrictions and exceptions, the inter pretations of which can only be deciphered "by a counter clerk conceived by an IBM computer and sired by a joker." Reduced fares should be available to the individual, so that they "do not have to be policed by plain-clothes detectives on the payroll of the International Air Transport Association." Mr Kooka says that a realistic individual fare may be introduced next summer on the North Atlantic—"and what you wear on the Atlantic today the rest of the world will wear tomorrow." Commenting on the conclusion of certain governments that they must "muscle in" on IATA's fare-fixing, he says he would be interested to know if the same governments have been equally agitated about shipping conference fares. The concern of these governments seems a little unnecessary, says Mr Kooka, as every IATA carrier is supposed already to clear its brief with its own government prior to sitting down at the IATA conference table. And governments can approve or disapprove any resolution. For this reason, he says, "there is no justification or excuse for any crisis or chaos."
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