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Aviation History
1964
1964 - 0183.PDF
^•^••••^•^^^^•I^B^"^"""™"^^^^^"^^^^^^^^^^^^^^"' •'•'•' I in mill Hawker Siddeley's first Series 200 Argosy, scheduled to fly in March, has been moved from final assembly at Bittesweli to the flight shed for resonance tests followed by engine runs AIR COM M ERCE . . . doubtless because at that time it became cheaper. No one could complain of a shortage of kerosine at London from where the world's first jet service started in 1952. "As for TWA, you imply that they, too, are widespread users of JP.4. If this is so, then they have gone back on their word, for in April 1961, in order to counter the adverse publicity they were getting in this regard, they issued a statement from their London office saying that their uptake of JP.4 was no more than 2 per cent of their total jet fuelling. At around the same time they were claiming that at only three of their overseas stations was it necessary to pick up JP.4 at all. "If neat kerosine had been used in the Elkton 707, then at 5,000ft altitude a fuel temperature of at least 95°F (35°C) would have been required to form an explosive mixture. Clearly impossible. "Contrary to what you say, kerosine produces more heat per gallon (about 4 per cent) than JP.4, but less heat per pound (half a per cent). Kerosine actually holds slightly less water in solution than does JP.4, not more as your article implies. In practice there is no difference between the two from the standpoint of fuel system icing hazards. Precautions must be taken with both. "In conclusion I would reiterate that the standard civil jet fuel is, as it always has been, kerosine, and it is reassuring to read that the US domestic carriers still prefer this fuel. One hopes that this preference will continue, even when a Federal tax is eventually levied on kerosine. Apart from the US flag carriers, the JP.4 users are, or have been, Sabena, TCA, Pakistan International Airlines, and possibly SAS and KLM. "The principal advantage of kerosine lies in its slower rate of flamespread following fuel spillage in take-off and landing accidents, and I believe that for this reason the spectacle of large plane loads of people being burnt to death has been very considerably reduced in the jet era. Attention at the moment, however, is naturally focused on the lightning strike aspect... If, as a result of this [Elkton] tragedy, FAA bans the use of JP.4 in civil aircraft, then these deaths will not have been completely in vain." UP TO THE PEAK TRAFFIC results for 12 months ending in the peak month of August have now been published by the MoA, and they provide the most up-to-date available guide to the British air transport industry's progress. There seems no real reason why the Ministry's statistical reporting could not be a little less than four months behind the times, but until results for the calendar year become available (they are usually out at the end of May) these August results are the best available measure of progress. In the year ending August 1963, total British scheduled air traffic (in l.t.m.) went up 8.5 per cent, or three to four points less than the ICAO world average for calendar 1963. The sales failure, if this was the cause, could not be laid at the door of Bealine House; BEA's traffic growth was 15.9 per cent. But BOAC's growth, unhappily, was only 3.9 per cent. BOAC held back their c.t.m. growth quite well; overall load factor went up fractionally to 45.8 per cent. BEA's overall load factor was still one of the highest and healthiest in the world at 62.6, two points higher than in the year ending August 1962. There was no sign that BEA were making more seats avail- able for domestic services. During the year, domestic seat-mile production was increased 6.9 per cent compared with 10.9 per cent internationally. But in the month of August domestic load factor was 74.7, more than three points higher than in August 1962; and the full year's domestic load factor up to August 1963 was a fraction short of 70 per cent, three points up on the previous year. These figures come out as BEA and the independents are applying to the ATLB for another round of domestic fare increases. BEA's utilization went up 7 per cent in the period, and both freight and mail ton-mileage grew by encouraging amounts—19 and 12 per cent respectively. The most depressing minus sign was the decrease of 7.9 per cent in BOAC's high-yield mail business. All this decrease was on Commonwealth routes, where more and more independent countries are evidently sending the post by their own carriers. SIR GILES SAMPLES THE VC10 THERE were three BOAC VClOs at Shannon last Sunday morning —two on routine pilot-conversion flying (250hr, 600 landings and 26 pilots checked out since December), and one in which Sir Giles Guthrie, BOAC's new chairman, was being given his first taste of VC10 flight. Asked how he liked the aircraft, he said: " Well, of course I'm supposed to say it's marvellous, but I can truthfully say I think it is magnificent—quieter than I had ever expected." Sir Giles handled the aircraft and was up front for much of the flight to and from London. A Flight International representative was on board, and a fuller report will appear next week. "DC-3 REPLACEMENT" COMPETITION LAST October the Federal Aviation Agency submitted to the US industry a draft of the regulations for its local service airliner design competition Flight International, November 14, 1963). More than 40 replies were received and the final request for design pro- posals has now been issued, with the following characteristics called for:— (1) A passenger capacity from 14 to 30. Manufacturers may submit proposals on more than one size aircraft within this range, but each must be filed separately. The competitive advantage of each design will be judged, in part, by its direct operating cost per air- craft mile. (2) A permanent revenue cargo capacity of 5001b will be provided. Easy and rapid conversion of approximately half of the passenger space to permit transport of additional revenue cargo also is required. (3) Design features must permit the pilot and co-pilot to perform all the necessary passenger safety functions now handled by the cabin attendant. (4) Range to "be at least 600 miles with provision for optional extra tankage. (5) Aircraft to be capable of operating from 3,000ft runways. (6) A stall speed of 60kt and a cruising speed of 200kt are desirable. The proposals, due by May 15, must outline the preliminary design of the aircraft with enough technical and economic detail to permit a full evaluation by the FAA, other Government agencies, and the local service airlines. The three most promising submissions will each be awarded a $100,000 contract for the preparation of detail design specifications within four months.
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