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Aviation History
1965
1965 - 0073.PDF
.LIGHT International, 14 ./armory (965 43 AIR TRANSPORT CONCORDE GREEN LIGHT? AFTER weeks of inspired (and uninspired) guesses about British Government policy on the BAC-Sud Concorde, more positive news_which was undoubtedly inspired—became known last week.Reduced to essentials the news was not much more than a statement on the Government's intentions on the Concorde might be made •soonmfter Parliament re-assembles on January 19. The fact is that various Ministers were called to attend a meeting at No 10 on January 6. These included the Ministers of Aviation, Defence and Technology—so it was assumed (probably correctly) that the meeting was about the British aircraft industry and the Government's plans for it. It is now believed that the Government will continue with the Concorde project, but will propose a plan to stretch out the period of its development and production. It re- mains to be seen whether France will agree to this compromise. The last communication between Britain and France on the subject of the Concorde project was an aide memoire delivered by the French Ambassador to the Permanent Under Secretary at the Foreign Office on December 18. This was in reply to the British memorandum of December 4, which set out the form and extent of the review which the British Government thought to be essential before proceeding with the project. miles, in an elapsed time of about 14hr—will be based on a 60min turnround at the destinations to simulate the type of high-intensity operation for which the One-Eleven was designed. Other points to be included in the programme are Barcelona, Gibraltar, Las Palmas, Tenerife, Amsterdam and Rotterdam in Europe, and Bathurst, Freetown and Accra in West Africa—all BUA destin- ations to be served by One-Elevens. BUA's preparations for the new aircraft are well in hand—even coming so hard, as the One-Eleven does, on the heels of the newly acquired VC10 fleet. Regular commercial services should have settled down very well by the beginning of the summer rush (including that of Easter); 34 crews (68 pilots) should be operational by the end of May and a full fleet personnel strength of 40 crews (80 pilots) should be available soon after. All ten of BUA's One- Elevens should be delivered by May. The Hurn production line has already turned out 12 One-Elevens which have accumulated around l,400hr on 950 flights involving some 1,650 test and training touch-downs. Fourteen more aircraft are in an advanced stage of assembly including the first for Aer Lingus and Mohawk. Components are in production for 80 aircraft; the number of aircraft ordered stands at 74 with another 16 on option; 50 are to be delivered this year. First deliveries, to BUA and Braniff, are scheduled for next month. ONE-ELEVEN ON THE ROUTES BY the time this issue appears BAC One-Eleven G-ASJI, the ninth destined for British United Airways, may have left Gatwick for Genoa at the start of an intensive 200hr four-week route-proving programme. To be conducted jointly by BAC and BUA crews, this proof-of-the-pudding programme should be the short-haul airliner's final hurdle before full certification. On a typical day's operations the route-proving One-Eleven will make four return flights—to Genoa, Jersey, Malaga and Majorca. All these trips—giving a total daily mileage of approximately 7,500 IS BOAC'S RUBBER AXE WORKING? INITIAL results of Sir Giles Guthrie's plan for voluntary early retirement within BO AC Flight, October 8, 1964, page 619) are expected to be available within a few weeks. No figures are yet to be obtained from the corporation, but a BOAC spokesman says, nevertheless, that the management is "most satisfied" with the results of the scheme so far. This scheme has now been in action for the first three months of a preliminary period of about two years. The target for this first three months has, the spokesman said, been "quite considerably" This picture of a section of one of the two final assembly lines at BAC's Hurn, Bournemouth, plant shows the first One-Eleven for Mohawk Airlines and another for Braniff Airways. The bright-finish aircraft in the centre is one of two 400 Series development prototypes. This series has been ordered by American Airlines and Philippine Air Lines
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