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Aviation History
1963
1963 - 1829.PDF
636 AIR COMMERCE . . . fact that the airline now sought increased frequencies with Britannias was a development for which they were themselves responsible. Regarding the £1.5m commitment for the lease purchase of five Britannias, the Board felt that the granting of traffic licences could have been made a condition of the contract, which in any case had a break clause. Perhaps the hardest and most surprising of all the decisions is the refusal to grant British Eagle a London - Manchester licence. In view of the traffic density and the high load factor on the BEA services, it is even more surprising viewed against the decision to licence two operators on the London - Liverpool route. The Board granted Starways' application for increased frequency and allowed Cambrian Airways on to the route by making Liverpool an intermediate stop on their unlimited-frequency licence to the Isle of Man. This, it is hoped, will impose its own limitation on Cambrian's London - Liverpool frequency. THE BATTLE OVER MALTA LAST week the Malta Air Transport Licensing Authority heard an application by Malta Metropolitan Airlines to operate daily scheduled services from the island to London, to Palermo and to Catania in Sicily. Objecting to the application were Eagle Aviation (British Eagle), BEA, Malta Airways and Skyways. Owned by a consortium of businessmen with interests in Malta, Malta Metropolitan Airlines operate a DC-4 on charter flights from London Gatwick to various Continental destinations, in cluding Malta. If the application is granted, say MMA, they will operate the services with Britannias purchased from BO AC. Representing British Eagle, Mr Norman Ashton Hill put forward the objection that since June 1959 the company had held a permit from the Maltese authority to operate a service between London and the island at a return fare of £19. Because the British Govern ment did not grant its approval, the service was never implemented. BEA and Malta Airways also objected to the application because, they said, it would divert traffic from their joint operation, which had been carefully built up to the stage where it now offered an excellent service at very low rates. Mr Maurice Finer, representing MMA, said that the service would be timed to meet the peak demand, which already exceeded BEA's capacity. The return fare would be £33 13s. IN THE CASE OF FOG THE Ministry of Aviation has published its report* on the accident involving G-AMJU, a British United (CI) Airways DC-3 at Black pool Airport on January 25 this year. The aircraft was on a flight from Newcastle with a crew of three—two pilots and a stewardess— and six passengers. During the night landing at Blackpool the DC-3 swung off the runway and its port outer wing was torn off in a collision with a brick hut. There was ground fog at the time, and delay occurred before the emergency services arrived at the scene. None of the passengers or crew was injured. About ten minutes from the Blackpool circuit, the commander, Capt P. R. Dunt, was told that visibility was 80yd in thick freezing fog about 30ft deep. From the circuit the crew were able to see all the runway lights; the visibility was queried with the air traffic controller, who reported that he had just sent a vehicle to the thres hold to check, and that it was still less than 100yd. After completing two more circuits the captain decided that the visibility on the first part of the runway was sufficient for an approach and landing. The approach was made with half flap and 5kt in excess of the recommended speed in case an overshoot was necessary. At 700ft and two miles from touchdown, all the runway lights were visible, and at 400ft at least half of them could be seen. After the aircraft crossed the threshold lights it entered a layer of shallow fog; according to the co-pilot, the number of lights visible was reduced to four. During the flare-out there was more float than anticipated and the captain switched on the landing lights, thinking there was no longer any risk of mistaking the fog layer for the runway surface; but both pilots were dazzled by the reflection of the light in the fog and lost visual reference. Under the observations heading, it is remarked that the airline's operations manual included no specific minima for landing at * CAP 196, Her Majestfs Stationery Office, price Is 9d. FLIGHT International, 17 October 1963 Blackpool. It was assumed that, instead, the circling minima would apply, and if necessary provide an effective approach ban. The report continues: "Since circling minima as defined in paragraph 8.2.4 of the operations manual appear to apply a visibility limitation only in the case of a break-cloud procedure, they would seem ipso facto not to apply in this case." Recommendations of the report are that steps should be taken to ensure that when circling minima are included in operations manuals provision is made for the conditions associated with radiation fog; and that operators of airfields at which transport operations take place in low visibility should be encouraged to take measurement of runway visual range. UNION DE TRANSPORTS AERIENS AFTER a commercial relationship dating back to the early fifties. and following a decision to merge taken two years ago, the privately owned French airlines TAI and UAT finally became one company on October 1 under the name Union de Transports Aeriens. The formation of UTA with a capital of £2.6m completes the process of integration which began with the decision in September 1961. The combined fleet consists of six DC-8s, two DC-7Cs, 15 DC-6s, six DC-4s, and six Herons, and the aircraft are being pro gressively repainted in the company's new colour-scheme, made up from TAI green and UAT blue. UTA's lengthy network of routes extends to the five continents. The heaviest concentration connects Europe with West and Southern Africa; and, from November 1, Lagos, Accra, Roberts- field and Freetown will be served by DC-8 flights from Paris. Following a government decision, Air France has withdrawn from these areas, leaving UTA as the only French carrier. The African network will continue to be operated in association with Air Afrique, and the new airline will continue to give technical and commercial assistance to Air Afrique in the manner established by UAT. 4,500hr BETWEEN OVERHAULS A ROLLS-ROYCE DART 510 has been removed from a BEA Viscount after more than 4,500hr of continuous service since its last overhaul. This is believed to be the longest operating time for which any engine has been left installed in the same aircraft, un disturbed for over two years except for routine maintenance. The 510's currently approved time between overhauls is 4,250hr. A preliminary investigation of the engine has shown it to be in good condition, but other engines will have to be run to the new figure before the new time can be approved for regular operations. Me/bourne got its first look at the Boeing 727 on October I when the aircraft called at Essendon Airport during its world demonstration and proving flight. So far eight 727s are on order for Australian oir/ines-- six for Ansett-ANA and two for TAA. Both airlines will simultaneous!)/ introduce the type late in 1964
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