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Aviation History
1964
1964 - 0027.PDF
22 FLIGHT International, 2 January 1964 Letters Letters for these columns are welcomed, though "Flight Inter- national" does not necessarily endorse the views expressed. Name and address should be given, not necessarily for publication in full. Brief letters will have a better chance of early publication. Press Sensationalism SIR,—At a time when the airlines of this country are trying to attract more passenger traffic, and the aircraft industry to sell their "bus stop" jets, why must they fight against the outdated sensational attitude of the popular press, and for that matter, the high rate of mental instability found in the ranks of "television aircrew?" The particular front page item that triggered this little outburst was headed:— Accident Prevention SIR,—Much has been written lately about the causes and prevention of aircraft hitting the ground. Here are a few points concerning the prevention and detection of human and other errors which cause many of these accidents. The incidence of human error in navigation may depend on the method of presentation of the current navigational information on the instrument panels on the flight deck. For instance, ILS cross needles with small failure-warning flags may (or may not) be more liable to misinterpretation than a full integrated flight system with situation display and demand indicator and with conspicuous warning flags; but the latter may be more liable to human faults in setting up the equipment, since it may need as many as seven actions to prepare it for use. The incidence of human error in navigation may also depend on the allocation of tasks to the crew members and on the degree of mutual monitoring. The following questions may be important: (a) What is the relative rank, status and degree of training of the crew members and under what conditions may they exchange duties? (b) Does one pilot do both the instrument and visual part of an approach and landing? c) Has the co-pilot explicit instructions to monitor the flight instruments after take-off and on descent and approach ? (d) Has the navigator (if any) explicit responsibility for terrain clearance from take-off to touchdown? These human factors might be examined by a body such as the Institute of Aviation Medicine, Farnborough. Several accidents have occurred with either (i) a very inexperienced first officer or (ii) co-pilot in left-hand seat, or (iii) both pilots captains. Statistics might show whether these circumstances are coincidental or causal. Once a dangerous mistake has been made, a reliable direct warning of the proximity of ground ahead, given at the time, would seem the best method of combating the human or other error. If the TSR.2 can fly at supersonic speeds very close to the ground and avoid it safely by means of its terrain-clearance radar, perhaps a cheap "box of magic." similar but simpler, could be developed for civil aircraft. J. D. PROCTOR, (Captain) [Although relative crew status is very probably taken into account during individual accident inquiries, a statistical analysis of this factor would indeed be interesting. As for the terrain avoidance radar, it seems highly unlikely that the airlines would accept the cost and maintenance burden of even the relatively lightweight but untried systems available.— Ed] ...... 27 FLEE FROM BLUING AIRLINER It continued by giving the impression that these fortunate persons managed to escape from the aircraft just before it was enveloped in flames. However, the final paragraph told us that ". . . Five of the passengers refused to reboard the airliner two hours later after the fault had been repaired." Confronted with what must have been a charred wreck, the other 22 passengers must have been mad! BoscomeDown, Wilts B. DAVTES, LIEUTENANT RN Ten-channel D.H.9 SIR,—In the issue of Flight International dated June 15, 1961, you published a photograph of my radio-controlled flying scale model of the Sopwith 1 ^-Strutter. Having noted your interest, I now enclose a photograph of my recently completed D.H.9. The model is built to l/6th scale, giving a span of 6ft. Weight is 71b and power supplied by a glow-plug ignition engine of 7c.c. capacity. The ten-channel radio gear, having a range of approxi- mately one mile, provides selective and simultaneous control of rudder, ailerons, elevator, trim elevator, and progressive throttle settings. Sutton Coldfield, Warwicks D. E. THUMPSTON Slow Comfort v Fast Danger? SIR,—As a customer of the aircraft industry (I fly many thousands of miles a year in the way of business), I naturally do not feel elated to discover that the very latest in transport aircraft is just as vulnerable as any of its predecessors. Arising out of this, I am compelled to wonder whether designers and operators should not be constrained by suitable Ministry instructions to devote their efforts to making aircraft safer rather than quicker. With regard to modern jet aircraft being quicker, it is of course true enough that flight times are considerably reduced. It is only this factor that makes the journeys bearable, for I can imagine nothing more uncomfortable than the seating arrangements in the tourist cabin of a jet liner. This so-called high-density seating is almost an insult to the passengers, the majority of whom board the plane with apprehension and leave it with a sigh of relief. In contrast to this I can remember actually enjoying my flights in DC-6s and similar aircraft. Plenty of room to stretch one's legs, a leisurely service of meals (instead of a tray thrust under one's nose) and even an opportunity to see the ground and enjoy the scenery. And best of all perhaps, no feeling of inferiority on being herded into a tourist compartment after watching others having VIP pretensions (or more ample expense accounts) marching with lordly gait to the first-class entrance. The penalty one paid for all this was that it took, say, six hours to fly from Sao Paulo to Buenos Aires as against two hours now. One must also admit that at times one had rather too good a view of the Andes when flying from Not quite what it seems to be. This D.H.9, apparently in full rirst World War fighting trim, is actually a radio-controlled model, described in a letter on th/j page
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