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Aviation History
1964
1964 - 0657.PDF
382 FLIGHT International, 12 March 191,4 AIR COMMERCE... AER LINGUS-PIA BOEING TALKS FOR some time Irish International Airlines' three Boeing 720s have been up for sale or lease and last week it was announced that the airline has been negotiating with Pakistan International Airlines who are thinking of leasing a 720 to augment their hard pressed fleet of three 72OBs. It is understood that the agreement would involve the leased 720, probably repainted in PIA colours, operating four flights per week between London and Karachi beginning in October. The Boeing 7O7-32OC which Aer Lingus have on order is due to be delivered in June this year, and it is the airline's plan to standard- ize its long-range fleet with this mixed-traffic model. One Aer Lingus 720 has already been sold to Braniff for delivery in June. AUTOPILOTS IN TURBULENCE ALL FAA-approved Boeing 707, 720, and 727 flight manuals are being amended to state that the autopilot should not be used under conditions of severe turbulence. However, in response to the desires of some operators, the recommendation is qualified thus:— "If the autopilot is used in conditions of turbulence, do not use the altitude hold mode and monitor changes of pitch trim, and be prepared to disengage the autopilot if sustained trimming occurs; do not aid or resist control movement when the autopilot is engaged." Boeing state that significant out-of-trim conditions leading to subsequent control difficulties can result if autopilots are used in turbulence. Excessive trim, control and attitude changes are aggravated by use of the autopilot altitude. Autopilot trim activity is reduced and is less critical in the manual and attitude hold mode. Improper and excessive trimming can result from pilot forces applied to the control column with the autopilot engaged. Under conditions of turbulence, the yaw damper will tend to operate to maintain stable control and reduce structural loads. BOARD DECISION OVERTURNED THE Minister of Aviation has accepted the recommendation of his appeal commissioner, Sir Ralph Hone, and allowed the appeal by British United Air Ferries against the ATLB's refusal of a charter service for horses and attendants between Dublin and five points in England. The appeal against the Board's decision to impose a tariff on the carriage of horses on international routes was not upheld, but an initial three-month period of grace has been permitted during which time that tariff will not be operative. Whilst approving BUAF's application for horse charter services run on behalf of Mr J. A. Peden from five points in England— Gatwick, Southend, Cambridge, Southampton, Leeds/Bradford— to Paris, Caen, Deauville, and Cologne, the Board had refused the application in respect of Dublin on the ground that "a special service operated to carry the comparatively small amount of traffic generated in the past by Mr Peden would wastefully duplicate the services already licensed to BKS, which should be able to cater adequately for all the traffic available." In addition, the Board had stated that it regarded this as an application for two distinct services—from the UK to the Continent and from the UK to Ireland; and it had therefore judged them separately as directed by the Civil Aviation (Licensing) Regulations. In support of their appeal, BUAF amplified the statistics given to the Board in three ways; first they showed that since July 1,1963, they hadgbeen granted a considerable number of C licences for the carriage of "Peden" horses to and from Dublin. Secondly, they brought up to date the analysis of "Peden" horse traffic in the whole area of his operations which had been before the Board at the first hearing. Thirdly, they recorded the number of C licences granted to others for the carriage of horses to and from Dublin. In presenting his reasons for reversing the Board's decision, Sir Ralph considered that the Board had "under<stimated the weight of evidence led before them by BUAF." Although BKS opposed the appeal, as they had done the original application, Sir Ralph stated that they had "failed conspicuously to adduce any evidence in support of their contention that they were able adequately to cater for the available horse traffic." On the question of the tariff, Sir Ralph adopted the reasons given by the Board, saying: "There is no doubt that the services applied for are charter services within the meaning of the regulations in that a single hirer—Mr Peden—is given the exclusive right to use the carrying capacity of the aircraft. On the other hand it is obvious that, within this arrangement, Mr Peden will act in precisely the same way and in direct competition with any holder of a Class A licence for the carriage of horses on the same route." On this assumption the Board had concluded that "it is our duty in the circumstances to impose on the licence our standard tariff provisions relating to international carriage which will set minimum rates to be charged but not maximum." Although both BUAF and BKS had argued that it was not practicable to devise a tariff for the type of traffic because the basic criterion applied in fixing fares is the value of the horse to be transported, Sir Ralph felt there was an analogy in principle with the inclusive tour business and that although the horse business was perhaps even more complicated, a tariff could be devised. Horses are now big business for the airlines, and for BUAF, Aer Lingus and BKS in particular. This first attempt at regulation raises once more the old question of whether it is the ATLB or the Minister who is regulating the airlines. This was in fact a rehear- ing of the case by a commissioner who, however distinguished and learned, cannot know more about air transport licensing than the ATLB. SWISSAIR EQUIPMENT POLICY IN a recent interview reported in American Aviation, the president of Swissair, Dr Walter Berchtold, says that until SSTs come along his airline's long and medium range routes will be quite adequately flown by fan-engined DC-8 series 50s and Convair 990As respec- tively. One of the airline's three DC-8 series 30s has already had its Pratt & Whitney JT4As replaced by JT3D fan engines. Swissair's next biggest re-equipment problem is for its short-haul routes. Dr Berchtold says that the Caravelle 3s will be outdated when the BAC One-Eleven, DC-9, and Caravelle 10s become available. A decision to order one of these three types will betaken this year because the equipment-exchange agreement with SAS expires in the spring of 1966 and it is important for both sides to know soon whether the Caravelle 3s will be returned to SAS. Asked about Swissair's interest in SSTs, De Berchtold said no decision to place an order would be made until the airline had a reasonable knowledge of the products being offered. Swissair, he said, would not order the Concord yet "because it will not fly from Geneva or Zurich to New York." Footnote A BAC One-Eleven, 4-ASJA, flew from Wisley to Zurich on March 2 for inspection by Swissair executives. Swissair have leased—from Air France—an eighth Caravelle until 1966. Father and son on the some Vanguard flight deck are Capt Derek Yapp and his 20-year-old son Peter Yapp. Capt Yapp has U.OOOhr and is converting to Tridents; his son has 500hr and is a) second officer on Viscounts
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