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Aviation History
1964
1964 - 2236.PDF
FLIGHT International, 13 August 1964 LETTERS . . . level to allow off-scheduled maintenance to be executed under his supervision; or 2. Two pilots and an engineer as at present, with the engineer's licence being extended to include an R/T licence plus basic route navigation. Either of these two combinations is a theoretically accept- able fail-safe crew, and this is where the economics of the operation will decide which one is going to man the SST. Training all pilots to be operationally capable on the systems panel is a relatively easy and inexpensive operation. Training a pilot to the engineering level of a restricted approval is possible but would be very expensive due to the lack of basic engineering experience. Training a flight engineer for an R/T licence takes three days and is in fact already included in the conversion course for engineers on the VC10. Training a flight engineer for route navigation is relatively easy, as the mathematics for navigation and engineering are very much on a par. From this it can be seen that the two-pilot, one-engineer crew is by the far most economical solution for the SST, providing the regulations covering the flight engineer's licence are brought up to date to make him a fail-safe crew member. Some will still feel that the engineering requirements I have advocated are too exacting; but let it be remembered that for international operations, off-scheduled charters are becoming an increasing percentage of the total revenue, and that the combination of a fully self-contained crew plus increased pool partnership for spares makes the prospects even better. Finally, let us hope that the MoA and ARB will cease to act as arbitrators as they have in the past and bring forward their views and intentions at an early date, not when it comes to compiling the C of A of the first SST. High Wycombe, Bucks ROBIN TAYLOR Bucket Orbit SIR,—Helicopters are at present the only means of lowering and raising men or material in many rescue cases. Since helicopters are so expensive to produce and operate any means of doing their job with fixed-wing aircraft might bear investigation. Some months ago BBC TV showed a programme in which American missionaries were contacting South American Indians in jungle clearings, using light aircraft of Piper or Cessna type. A bucket containing assorted goods was lowered on a long line from the aircraft, which then did fairly steep turns over the clearing. Due to the drag of the line, or the harmonics of the system, or something, the bucket did not swing wildly about but took up a stationary position beneath the centre of the aircraft's circular path. It was then lowered and raised, apparently under complete control, by losing or gaining height in the turns. I saw the programme and there was no sign of faking. My suggestion is that experiments be made with a view to adapting this method for use by larger aircraft in trans- ferring men and perhaps materials such as lifeboats or small cabins. It could also have advantages over parachuting in intelligence work, owing to greater accuracy and the two-way traffic possibility. London E17 L. E. SHARP No Purging After Petrol SIR,—In your March 19 issue there appeared a commend- able article by Capt M. P. Sutton entitled "Behind the Brochure." In the portion covering the Beech King Air it was stated that the Pratt & Whitney PT6A-6 engine was "cleared for 25hr continuous operation on aviation gasoline before the system has to be purged." In fact, the engine is cleared for 25 per cent of its overhaul life (currently 600hr) 247 on aviation gasoline, and the system does not require purging of any type. In any event, it is agreed that capability to burn this fuel is truly an attribute for many operators. Quebec UNITED AIRCRAFT OF CANADA LTD, R. H. MCLACHLAN, Sales Engineer Qantas History SIR,—Having read with great interest your air transport editor's excellent article on Qantas (July 9), I hope he will not object if I correct his statement that this carrier "has never lost a passenger except through enemy action." Without in any way disparaging Qantas' unique 43-year record, I must point out that in March 1946 Avro Lancastrian G-AGLX disappeared without trace over the Indian Ocean. It was en route from Karachi to Sydney, flown by a Qantas crew. Nairobi, Kenya DENNIS M. POWELL Spread-eagled, or Cat-like? Sm,—I recently saw a Walt Disney film called The Three Lives of Thomasina which concerns the adventures of a female cat. The film contains a sequence in which the cat, while making the "transition" from one life to the other, is filmed in slow-motion free fall against a background of the Universe. The cat must have been dropped from a considerable height because the free-fall sequence lasts for several seconds. The interesting point is that the cat, after some initial contor- tions, stabilizes itself by spread-eagling its four limbs in the manner of skydivers and continues its free fall under perfect control. I understand that several parachutists lost their lives by uncontrollable spinning in high-altitude descents before the technique of stabilized free fall by spread-eagling the body was discovered. Perhaps Mother Nature could have given a lead? One wonders to how many other unsolved problems she could supply the solution. Hove, Sussex JEREMY C BRIGHT IN BRIEF Mr Geoffrey Taylor, of 21 Anne Crescent, Brighton S.5, Melbourne, Australia, is writing a documented account of Bomber Command's raid on Nuremberg on the night of March 30,1944, during which the Command lost nearly 100 aircraft. He wishes to contact any readers who, on the ground or in the air, took part in the planning, preparation and execution of this operation and requests that they write to him. FORTHCOMING EVENTS Ang 16 Tiger Club: Flying display, Shoreham. Aug 16 Shuttleworth Trust: Open day and flying of veteran aircraft, Old Warden Aerodrome, Biggieswade, Beds. Ang 19 Kronfeld Club: "The History of Aeroplane Aero- batics" by Peter Phillips. Ang 20-23 PFA: International rally, Rochester. Aug 23 Aosta Aero Club: International rally, Aosta. Aug 26 Kronfeld Club: "Light Helicopters," by It. B. Stratton. Aug 26-29 AGARD AvionicsPanel: Ionospheric Research Com- mittee Symposium on " Spread-Fand its Effects upon Radiowave Propagation and Communication," Copenhagen. Ang 27- FAI: World Aerobatic Championships, Bilbao, Sept 8 Spain. Aug 29-30 Cerrina Air School: 3rd international tour of Pied- mont, Turin/Orbessano-Bruino. Aug 30 Ravenna Aero Club: International rally, Ravennm.
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