FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1967
1967 - 2209.PDF
804 LETTERS.. with a ram wing; not that I am tied to that solution. One must start with a completely open mind, a clean sheet of paper, and a knowledge of the new techniques which could be used. Is anyone doing a design or feasibility study along these lines? I cannot forecast what would come out of such a study, and at this stage I am not running off to the Patent Office. It is true that we are about to be landed with the airbus and the Concorde for years ahead. This will give us "study time" to develop our thoughts, and perhaps build prototypes. Then there is the enormous investment in existing air- ports, land and buildings. This could be equated to their sell-off value for housing and industrial growth. Many old aerodromes are now covered with houses, and many old hangars have become factories, to the capital benefit of their original owners. The same thing could happen again whilst the cost of land and buildings rise. The capital cost of marine airports would be a fraction of that of land airports. There would be no runways to lay. The surface exists and is self-restoring. There are adequate sheltered waterways near almost every big city in the world; in historical fact that is why the cities are there. Offices and warehouses could be taken over from the shipping companies and derelict shipyards turned into maintenance bases. Tugs and passenger tenders exist, or could be gradually replaced by hovercraft. All that is needed is someone who can do a deep and creative study, someone with a wide knowledge of tech- nology and an open mind. We could then break through the concrete curtain into a safer and quieter world. Reigate, Surrey MARCUS LANGLEY The Third Man SIR,—The Merchant Navy and Airline Officers' Associa- tion, representing flight engineer officers, noted with interest and some satisfaction your news item headed "ITF Discusses Crew Complements" (November 2, page 718), referring to the International Transport Workers' Federation civil aviation conference held at Amersfoort, Holland, from November 1 to 3. However, we are a little concerned over the statement that "the ITF flight engineers' affiliates feel strongly about the suggestion that the engineer's work can be done equally well by a specially trained pilot as the third crew member." We, in fact, would state the case in far more emphatic terms, for the MNAOA has long estab- lished the position of the flight engineer as an integral part of the flight-deck crew—this point is not at issue. Should it become an issue, then this association will do everything within its power to resist such a move. It is certainly a fact that there should be a minimum of three flight-deck crew members on all future high- capacity and supersonic aircraft. To ensure operations of maximum safety and efficiency it is vital that the third crew-member is a fully qualified flight engineer officer, provided with a separate station on the flight deck. London El D. S. TENNANT, General Secretary, Merchant Navy and Airline Officers' Association Elmdon Transatlantic Flights SIR,—Mr Gates (Letters, October 26) has, in reply to my letter (October 5), mentioned several factors which in his view make Elmdon an unsuitable transatlantic terminal. I would like to reply. With or without transatlantic services the terminal will have to be enlarged or replaced to handle the rising passenger totals. (It is estimated that two million pas- sengers will be using Elmdon in 1980.) I do not agree that a refuelling stop at Prestwick or Shannon would make a Birmingham - New York service economically impracticable. BOAC use a similar formula (Manchester-Prestwick-New York), as do Irish Inter- FLICHTI international, Ib November 1967 national (Dublin - Shannon - New York). In fact a service such as Birmingham - Prestwick - New York is much more likely to attract viable loads in the early stages of operation. A runway extension to 9,000ft or 10,000ft would present difficulties. However, Councillor Blumenthal's suggestion of a new 10,000ft runway north of the Birmingham - London railway line, coupled with a new terminal and rail station (serving the new runway and the old airport) is an exciting possibility. Presumably the granting of licences for transatlantic services from Birmingham would encourage the City Council to go ahead, with such an investment. The noise problem would be minimal. A transatlantic service would presumably be timed to give "reasonable" arrival and departure times both sides of the Atlantic, i.e., departing Birmingham between lOOOhrand 1500hrand returning between 0800hr and lOOOhr. Either way, night operations at Birmingham would be avoided. No doubt BOAC would endorse the view that Elmdon is "not yet ready for regular Atlantic operations" because, as Captain Fry has indicated, they have precious little capacity available to mount such a service. BOAC indeed have been operating a truck service for Birmingham area exports/imports, connecting with their services into and out of Manchester. There has, I believe, been at least one other BOAC 707 cargo service into Birmingham since Mr Gates wrote his letter. There is a market to be served in Birmingham—I hope Caledonian will be allowed to serve it. Leicester M. S. GRAY IN BRIEF Fit Lt J. A. A. Dobbie is writing a history of No 16 Sqn and would be interested to hear from those who served in it at any period from its formation in 1915 until 1957. His address is: No 16 Sqn, Royal Air Force, Laarbruch, BFPO 43. Mr Robert A. McKnight, of the Link Group, Systems Division, General Precision Inc, Binghampton, New York 13902, USA, would be grateful for information on, and illustrations of, very early types of flight trainers (i.e., ground trainers). Mr E. G. Hayward, "Woodend," Bookhurst Hill. Cranleigh, Surrey, is preparing a history of Dunsfold in wartime days, and would like to hear from members of units which were based there. Squadrons known to have used this Surrey airfield, he says, included Nos 414, 430, 400, 231, 98, 180 and 320, and many repatriated PoWs returned to their country via Dunsfold in 1945. DIARY Nov 16 RAeS Birmingham and Wolverhampton Branch: "Latest Developments in Combating Fire Risks," by R. Humphrey; Boulton Paul Aircraft Ltd., Pendeford, Wolverhampton, 7 p.m. Nov It RAeS Yeovil Branch: "Jet Transport Flying Qualities," by D. P. Davies; Yeovil Technical College, 6 p.m. Nov 20 RAeS Air Law Group: First Beaumont Memorial Lecture, by Sir William Hildred; Lecture Theatre, 4 Hamilton Place, London Wl, 6 p.m. Nov 21 RAeS: Discussion: "The Problems of Digital Data Techniques in Aircraft Systems;" Joint meeting with IEE at Savoy Place, 6 p.m. Nov 21 RAeS Graduates' and Students* Sub-section: "Engineering Objectives and Achievements in British European Airways," by K. G. Wilkinson; The City University, St John Street. London EC I, 1.30 to 2.30 p.m. Nov 21 Aviation Society of London: "Some Lesser-known Aspects of the Lancaster and Spitfire," by Bruce Robertson; and film of the 15 th Netherlands Recognition Test; Kronfeld Club, 74 Eccleston Square, London SWI, 7 p.m. Nov 22 RAeS Rotorcraft Section: Half-day symposium: (i) "The Future City Centre Heliport," by N. J. Payne; (ii) "Experiences of City Heliport Operation," by R. Meyersburg; Lecture Theatre, 4 Hamilton Place, London Wl, 2.15 p.m. Nov 22 RAeS Southampton Branch: "Materials for Aircraft Gas Turbine Application," by J. E. Restall; Engineering Lecture Theatre, Southampton University, 8 p.m. Nov 23 RAeS Southend Branch: "Communications Satellites and Their Role In Project Apollo," by J. M. Brown; Queen's Hotel, Westcliff, 7.45 p.m. Nov 24 PFA Vintage Aircraft Group: Annual general meeting; Kron- feld Club, 74 Eccleston Square, London SWI.
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
