FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1964
1964 - 0811.PDF
Air-Cushion Vehicle* FLIGHT International supplement, 26 March 1964 First SR.N5 taking shape at Cowes. The craft is seen after removal from the jig, with final assembly under way. Trials of this 20-passenger, Bristol Siddeley Gnome-powered ACV are expected early in April INTERNATIONAL NEWS VA-3 to USA The following statement was issued by Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd on February 27:— "The modified Vickers VA-3 Hover- craft has just completed its trials on Southampton Water before shipment to America's Republic Aerospace Corpor- ation. "The most important changes since the craft was last seen have been the fitment of the Vickers flexible skirt system, which raises the craft's hover- height to 3£ft, and new propulsion engines—two Artouste 2Cs, each deve- loping a nominal 400 h.p. Special instrumentation to Republic's require- ments for evaluation of the craft's performance off America's Atlantic seaboard has been fitted centrally in the passenger compartment with only a small reduction in the seating capacity. "On the recent final check run from Vickers Southampton Works on the River Itchen to the foreshore at Lee-on- Solent, VA-3 was carrying the chairman of Vickers-Armstrongs (Engineers) Ltd, Mr W. D. Opher, who was asked what advantages would result from the hiring of VA-3 to Republic. He confirmed that the arrangements made with Republic Aerospace included the provision of information already obtained by Vic- kers, and the loan of VA-3, together with technical staff, to enable evaluation trials to be carried out in American waters. The information derived from these trials would also be made available to Vickers so that this exercise in co- operation could be regarded as a con- tinuation of Vickers development pro- gramme to gain more information, working on different routes and in different environments. "Asked about research by Vickers in Great Britain, he confirmed that this would definitely be continued. He foreshadowed the establishment of a regular hovercraft ferry service route in the United Kingdom with the design of a suitable craft during this year." The VA-3 arrived in New York on March 9. Hovercraft and Civil Defence An article titled as above, printed in the January-March issue of The Journal of the Institute of Civil Defence, reaches the following conclusions: "It is clear that advances in hovercraft design have reached a stage where Civil Defence should take a more active part in encouraging the develop- ment of craft for its own purposes Many situations exist, especially in built-up areas extensively damaged by nuclear attack, where hovercraft could be advantageously used in preference to conventional wheeled vehicles. Hover- craft fitted with 'flexible skirts' as ambulances, personnel carriers, recon- naissance and fire fighting vehicles would be far more efficient than their conventional counterparts. Extensive debris could be traversed and deeper penetration into damaged areas could be achieved. Time (particularly when a radiation hazard exists) and energy of life-saving forces could be saved and the net result would be increased efficiency of the Civil Defence Organization." VA-2 for the Rhine The Vickers VA-2 has been chosen as a highlight of British week in Dussel- dorf. Public demonstrations will be given on a stretch of the Rhine between the Oberkasseler and the Theodor Heuss bridges from May 24-31. Although this is the second visit of VA-2 to Germany, it will be the first time that the German public has had an opportunity of seeing this form of amphibious transport. The first demon- stration was given before an invited audience of NATO Land Force senior officers on the Danube last year. VA-2 has already carried out trials between Malmo in Sweden and Copen- hagen in Denmark, and—it is now disclosed—overland in the desert. She was seen in Amsterdam last April. 32
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
