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Aviation History
1964
1964 - 1282.PDF
International, 30 April 1964 717 some excellent aircraft. The Convair airframe was the best ever built. I will say that the Viscount and the F.27, which is about 60 per cent British equipped, have given us good service, and we are very impressed, subject to the economics being right, with the DH.136, and we are interested in the Sky van, which we think can do a job for us in New Guinea. Why did you buy the Boeing 727 in preference to the Trident ? There was the fundamental problem of Essendon [Melbourne airport]. We were not satisfied that the Trident could satisfactorily use Essendon, which we have to use for another three years more before Tullamarine is ready. We were also worried about the number of Tridents that were going to be built. We wanted an air- craft of which hundreds would be flying around the world, not an aircraft that was going to be a repetition of the Ambassador, of which only 20 were built. That sort of thing horrifies the small operator. Also, I think the de Havilland people misjudged the situation. I believe it was the case that TAA, or at least certain people in TAA, had decided on the Trident, and I think the Trident people thought I would fall in with TAA's order. You wouldn't find an American company so misjudging the situation. After we had ordered Boeing 727s DH came to us with terms which, quite frankly, if they had offered them before might well have meant that we would have ordered Tridents, but by then the damage had been done. Why did you order the DC-9 instead of the One-Eleven? I believe the DC-9 will be the best aircraft ever built as a work- horse. Another type of engine would be enormously costly and this was one of the reasons—the DC-9 will have the same engines as our Mr R. M. Ansett, founder and chairman of Ansett Transport Industries, which includes Australia's largest group of air transport operators 727s. Douglas have met every single one of our requirements, and we are very impressed with the DC-9's performance. Is the DC-9's performance superior to that of the One-Eleven ? Yes, it has a considerable advantage over the One-Eleven in hot weather. We have 14,0001b thrust engines derated to 12,0001b, a reserve of power important in this country, with its tropical con- ditions. You must be taking this aircraft largely on trust, because the DC-9 is not yet even flying, and is some way behind the One-Eleven ? We take pretty well everything on trust. At no cost to us Lock- heed changed the wings of our Electras at a cost of something like 525m. I like BAC, and particularly Sir George Edwards, and I hope he sells the One-Eleven to TAA. bo you think that TAA will order the One-Eleven? I'll take a gamble with you that they buy the DC-9, though I hope they buy the One-Eleven. This will prove that the better air- craft is the DC-9! You have said that you are interested in the DH.136. What is your requirement for this aircraft? We want an aircraft of about a 6,0001b payload, with twice the speed of a DC-3, having 28-30 seats. We have 40 DC-3s to replace. We like the DH.136 and we hope they will make it work. What about the Mystire 30 ? Do you regard this as a competitor for the DH.136? The Mystere 30 is about the same size, but it needs a 6,000ft run- way. They have been here telling us about it. DH also have beenne re telling us about the 136, and they went away to improve the economics. Will you order the DH.136 ? Yes, I'd buy it today. Our requirement is for about 20 aircraft, costing about £A600,000 each. We've got to have a range of about 500 miles with reserves, and I think that the DH design is very close to our requirements. Who do you think are the better salesmen, the British or the French ? About the worst salesmen are the British. Can you give an instance ? We were very interested two years ago in the Skyvan, but they've only just decided to build it. We had practically, after all our en- thusiasm, given it up. In aviation everything is timing, timing, timing. The Britannia was one of the best aircraft in the world by a long way, but it was too late. Although TAA bought the 727, their technical recommendation was for the Trident. Mr John Watkins, TAA's engineering director, told me: "The Trident was the slightly better aircraft, but we were interested not just in the technical aspects, but in the overall econo- mic result. The Trident would not have been equal in capacity to the 727, as is prescribed in the Airline's Equipment Act, which entitles TAA and Ansett-ANA to 50 per cent of the traffic, and the larger Trident IF would have been too late. There is no excessively patriotic feeling in TAA that makes us buy British equipment. We buy the best, and we are not yet satisfied whether the DC-9 or the One-Eleven, which are extraordinarily similar, is the better aircraft." Qantas have not bought a British aircraft for many years now, despite strong pressures. They feel vindicated in this not only by the performance of their Boeings and Electras, but also by what they have seen happening to their pool partners, BOAC. Qantas carried BOAC through the Comet and Britannia troubles and delays, and are carrying BOAC in the pool today to the extent of about £3m a year. For two or three years now the Comet 4, despite its dependability, has not been a match for the Boeings of Qantas (or of Air-India) in the vital matter of traffic appeal. The hard fact, which BOAC are recognizing by deploying more 707s over Eastern routes, is that the bigger and faster jets—including those operated by Lufthansa, Alitalia, Air France, Swissair, PAA, etc—are more favoured by passengers and freight shippers than are BOAC's Comets. Qantas hope that the VC10 will not suffer from introductory delays, and even though the VClO's passenger appeal may prove "Flight International" photograph Sydney airport terminal of the State-owned domestic airline TAA, which in accordance with Government policy operates in keen com- petition with Ansett
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