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Aviation History
1968
1968 - 0042.PDF
44 FLIGHT International, II January AIR TRANSPORT . . . Representatives of 13 airlines met ,-. Arlington, Virginia, last month to discus Concorde training, spares support cm service needs with the Concorde suppor division (CSD) of BAC and Sud-Aviatio: and with BAC (USA). From left to righ are Mr 8. Torrell, chief engineer, A-,' Canada; Mr M. P. White, president, BAC (USA); Mr D. Marshall, Air Canada; one Mr P. £. Martin, manager CSD Sue Aviation. The engineering cutaway on the wall behind is a reproduction of a "Flight" drawing that he doubted whether, for procedural reasons, "it would have been open to me to have recommended that the appeal should be allowed. The case as presented differed a great deal in emphasis from that presented to the Board. . . ." The feature of the application and later appeal by Eagle around which the real questions revolved was not simply a relatively minor increase in frequency from 12 to 15 return flights a week, but the deletion of two Saturday services and the introduction of additional services on Mondays and Fridays at peak hours. This raised the question not only of capacity and traffic, but also the particular one of facilities for business travel between Glasgow and London. The commissioner said that he was impressed by the evidence given for Eagle and thought it reasonable to claim that there was a particular case for good air services at times which meet business needs. "It would be ironical if, because of some lack of coherence in policy, official efforts to stimulate industrial activity in the Glasgow area were hampered by official restrictions on air transport. The evidence ... is that the existing morning services leave something to be desired." However, the commission quoted figures to "show the diffi- culty of approving extra services." In 1965 the passengers on the route increased by 42,500 (8 per cent on 1964); in 1966 by 38,200 (6 per cent); and in the first three months of 1967 by 12,000 1\ per cent); According to BEA estimates the extra frequencies by British United out of London Gatwick from November 1 (after a long delay which provided one reason for the ATLB's refusal of Eagle's original application) would, in a full year, increase BUA's carryings by some 25,000 passengers. Approval of the Eagle application would account for another 25,000 passengers. However, the commissioner said, these figures did "not entirely rule out improving the services available to businessmen if the need is sufficiently pressing, as it may well be." McALPINE EXPANSION AN entirely separate division of the Sir Robert McAlpine and Sons group, McAlpine Aviation, was set up last year with the principal object of expanding into the fixed-base maintenance and air-taxi business beyond the immediate needs of the parent engineering organisation which had used business aircraft for nearly 20 years. Charter flying has developed satisfactorily over the last year according to Captain Ray Young, McAlpine Aviation general manager, who told Flight last week that revenue-earning flying hours had risen 40 per cent. The fleet now comprises (with the hourly hire charge in parentheses) two 9-seat Piaggio P. 166 (£45), two 5-seat Piper Aztec C (£35) and one 4-seat STOL Helio Courier (£20). All aircraft in the fleet are fully equipped to IFR standard and operated in accordance with the company's Air Operator's Certificate. Whereas many air-taxi companies operate aircraft of less than 5,0001b gross weight to avoid the rigours of AOC compliance, McAlpine has deliberately taken the opposing view in the quest of reliability. This attitude may now promise potential gain as the company is considering an entry into the realm of third-level scheduled services on UK internal and cross-Channel routes. As a Luton-based company McAlpine is well placed to serve several large industrial enterprises. Regular customers for inter- factory services are BAC (Luton and Filton), Ford (Southend- Liverpool) and Vauxhall (Luton-Liverpool, Luton-Cologne). The Piper Twinair operation in association with TWA has not proved particularly lucrative, but the occurrence of a number of flights from South Wales to connect with transatlantic services from Heathrow is being interpreted as indicating a potential need for a scheduled third-level service between South Wales and London. Many members of the Association of British Travel Agents operating in the London area have been contacted by McAlpine with the offer of a 7-J per cent commis- sion payable on charters. Of the many existing and projected aircraft, Captain Young considers the 14-passenger Piper PA-35 (to fly this spring) as the most promising for third-level scheduled services. McAlpine find that charters are either for groups of two or three people with a high proportion as high as a dozen people. The PA-35 promises to be competitively fast, have a good short-field performance and have low seat-mile costs because of a low price. Fifth Caravelle for Morocco An order for a fifth SA Cara- velle has been signed by Royal Air Maroc. FH-227 Grounded On December 4 the FAA temporarily grounded the 40 Fadrchild Hiller FH-227s which are being operated by Ozark, Northeast and Piedmont. Reports had been received of tbuffeting and even of failure of the elevator trim tabs, though no accidents had been involved, and immediate inspection was required. Runway for Lympne Following approval from the County Planning Authority, a permanent hard runway (and taxi track from the terminal area) is to be laid down at Lympne, the base of Skyways Coach Air. It will be 4,500ft long and work will start immediately for completion, it is hoped, in time for the Easter holiday services. Papuan Buys Garrett Skyvans Two Garrett-powered Sky- vans have been ordered by Papuan Airlines as a reconfirmation of the order placed in September 1965 for the Astazou- powered version, the performance of which did not meet the requirements for hot and hi,gh conditions. The aircraft will complete tests in Papua for an Australian C of A before delivery to the airline in September. Zambia's One-Elevens The two BAC One-Elevens originally ordered by Central African Airways, taken over by the Zam- bian Government and then leased to British Eagle until last November, are now in service with Zambia Airways. Based at N'dola, they have been operating since January 1 on services to Dar-es-Salaam, Nairobi and Lubumbashi (Congo). The air- line has plans to extend the services later to Mauritius. Management of the airline is provided by Alitalia under contract.
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