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Aviation History
1964
1964 - 1452.PDF
"."light International" photograph FLIGHT International, 799 14 May 1964 The first Super VCIO made its maiden flight at Wey- bridge on May 7, landing at BACs nearby Wisley fight test centre after a 3min flight in the hands of Jock Bryce. BOAC will put Super VCIOs into North Atlantic service early next year A Peep Into China Part 1 WHEN it came to power 15 years ago the communist regime in the People's Republic of China was faced with one problem above all others: how to get the huge population producing for itself the very basic necessities of life. In recent years foreign observers have perhaps been apt to treat with cynicism the torrent of propaganda comparing the nation's situation now with that before the "libera- tion." But, for the visitor, who will find a lot of the country well on the way to a complete recovery from the setbacks of 20 years of invasion, war, and revolution that left her starving and destitute, the statistics serve to emphasize the immensity of the original task. These facts also partly explain China's past inscrutable foreign policy. The facts of Chinese life also explain why, until now at least, civil aviation has been only a minor tool in the Government's reconstruction programme. Like every human activity in China, civil aviation is strictly directed by the policies of the central government and, like other communist countries, everything from aerial crop dusting to international passenger services are grouped in one organization—the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC). On the international front, the five-year-old Sino-Soviet split has brought complete independence for China, and with growing national prosperity, aviation is beginning to play an increasingly important part in the policies of Chou-en-Lai's Government. The first manifestation of China's new chink-in-the-curtain foreign policy is the Sino-Pakistan air agreement. An indication of her willingness is that the agreement was concluded after only eight hours negotiation, and that runways have been lengthened, ter- minal buildings erected and navigation beacons installed all within the space of eight months. Pakistan International Airlines are full of praise for the co-operation they have received and for the quality of the service to their operations. This was cheerfully apparent on April 29 when the inaugural Dacca - Shanghai Boeing 72OB was greeted in perfect English by the Kunming area air traffic controller. The two main difficulties facing the start of long-range inter- national services by CAAC are lack of suitable aircraft and India's refusal to allow Chinese aircraft to cross her country. Apart from the early expansion of her international services in the Far East area, China's long-range hopes were expressed by Marshal Chen-Yi, the Vice-Premier and Foreign Minister, when he said at a press conference in Peking: "Our plans are to establish air connections with all countries that are friendly with China. But, in view of the limited facilities in China for air services, our international plans will have to proceed step-by-step. In establishing these connections we must be satisfied that foreign airlines can fly to China safely and profitably with full loads." Although it was not stated in so many words, Chinese thoughts clearly lie towards establishing services to Africa, Cuba, and certain European countries. There were many people from these "friendly nations" in Peking for the non-military May Day celebrations. Mainstay of CAAC's front-rank equipment are the six Viscount 843s which went into service in March and an undisclosed small number of II-18s, though utilization of the latter appears to be severely restricted because of the Soviet cut-back in the supply to China of advanced technological equipment including aircraft spares. Pending the build-up of a Chinese aircraft manufacturing industry, which was hinted at to the Western journalists visiting China on the inaugural PIA service, CAAC is now in the position of being forced to turn to countries other than the United States or Russia for the supply of new equipment. Mr Shen-Tu, deputy director of CAAC, confirmed the airline's interest in the VCIO but declined to comment on how the negotiations were going. CAAC's satisfaction with the Viscount and the presence in Peking of Air Marshal Sir Geoffrey Tuttle, BAC (Weybridge) director and general manager, gave rise to speculation of a repeat order for the type. The second part of this look at Chinese civil aviation appearing next week will contain a first-hand account of flying in a CAAC Viscount, as well as an account of CAAC routes and operations. JAL's Profit in 1963-64 was a record £l|m net. Business on both international and domestic routes increased by more than30 per cent. Heathrow's Runway 23 is .to have ILS, Mr Neil Marten told the Commons on May 6. He was answering questions about confusion by pilots of this runway with that at Northolt. Lockheed 300s for Slick? Slick Airways are reported to have taken out an option on three Lockheed 300s, civil version of the C-141. If confirmed this would be the first commercial order for a Pure jet-freighter aircraft. Short-haul Jet Needs UAL has told Aviation Daily of its need for as many as 10-20 more Boeing 727s, and a requirementfor up to 50 DC-9s or BAC One-Elevens, depending on the out- come of current short-range jet equipment studies. UAA's DC-6Bs UAA has taken delivery of three DC-6Bs f°ught from PAA. According to Interavia three more have been "ought from Northwest. The aircraft will be used on the fast- gring Nile tourist routes at present served by Viscounts. Malaysian Airways' requirement for four Comet 4s is still the subject of negotiations with BOAC, contrary to a report that a firm order has been placed. Independent Pilots' Ballot was, say BALPA, "overwhelmingly" in favour of "industrial action" in support of salaries on a par with those of BOAC and BEA pilots. The Association hopes that "the matter may be resolved before Whitsuntide." A BOAC-PIA Pool on London - Karachi has been agreed, presum- ably as a result of PIA's new London - Moscow - Karachi service. Air Cdre Nur Khan says that the pool was not a condition of the new routeing. PIA have London - Moscow rights though, unlike BEA, they will stop en route at Frankfurt. F-27 Sabotage? Voice-recorder evidence suggests that a passenger may have shot the two pilots of the Pacific Airlines F-27 which crashed, with the loss of all 40 passengers and four crew (including an FAA official), at Concord, near San Francisco, California, on May 7. The aircraft was on a scheduled flight from Reno to San Francisco.
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