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Aviation History
1968
1968 - 0062.PDF
64 FLIGHT International, II January For /eft, FFA's ?.n ground-attack aircraft with typical warloafa An up-dated version is under consideration Left, the control room of Sulzer's engine test- bed at Winterthur SWITZERLAND'S AIRCRAFT INDUSTRY . . . adapted to take either the Snecma Atar 9C engine (as in the Mirage), the General Electric J79-11A or the Rolls-Royce Spey-25, have now been selected, along with eight foreign types, for closer study by the commission responsible for recommending the new combat aircraft to take over ground attack duties from the Venom. What the chances of success are is still anybody's guess. Thus the general picture which emerges from a visit to the Swiss aircraft companies is that of yet another industry waiting for its government to make up its mind about future require- ments. At the present time it is not even certain whether the new combat aircraft, when ultimately selected, will be built in Switzerland at all. Naturally, all those who believe that a healthy national aircraft industry is essential to any country s technological progress are in favour of licence production. So are many in the Swiss Air Force, who quote the latest Middle East war as proving once again that any country which buys its aircraft from abroad is entirely at the mercy of its foreiga suppliers in an emergency. On the other hand, to make licence production a really economic proposition, the decision should probably have been made over a year ago; as it is, a good part of tile knowledge and skills acquired in building the Mirage may well have been dispersed by the time work could start on any new type, so that learning costs could again be high. Until all these problems have been sorted out, and a final pronouncement has been made by the Swiss parliament—i.e., until the Swiss people as a whole have been convinced of the right course to take—the industry must possess its soul in patience, perhaps working discreetly behind the scenes, and look for other ways to keep its skilled workers together. IN THE NEW YEAR HONOURS Last week we made brief reference to aviation names in the New Year Honours list. Below, in more detail, are extracts from the civil categories of the various Orders. Abbreviations (familiar, but not widely understood): KBE, CBE, OBE, MBE—respectively Knight, Commander, Officer and Member of the Order of the British Empire. Privy Councillors Lord Beswick (Govern- ment aviation spokesman in the House of Lords); Roy Mason, MP, Minister of Defence (Equipment). Knights Bachelor Rowland Baker, Tech- nical Director, MoD (Navy); David Brown, chairman, the David Brown Corporation (for services to export); O. W. Humphreys, chairman, GEC (Electronics) (for services to the electronics industry). KBE A. R. M. Geddes, chairman, Dunlop Co (for services to export). CBE H. R. Bamberg, chairman, British Eagle International Airlines; Wg Cdr E. L. T. Barton, Chief of Telecommuni- cations (Civil Aviation), BoT; J. Morley, vice-chairman and managing director, Lucas Gas Turbine Equipment: C. H. Offord, director and general factory manager, Scottish factories, Honeywell Controls (for services to export). OBE R. F. Creasey, director of advanced systems and technology, BAC (Operating), Preston Division; A. F. Davis, Customs and Excise, London Airports; F. S. Fidlan, principal scientific officer, MoD; K. J. Hawkins, lately BEA representative in Moscow; N. R. Norfolk, Chief Superin- tendent, London Air Traffic Control Centre; E. R. T. Ponsford, chairman and managing director, Solartron Electronic Group (for services to export). Miss Sheila Scott, solo long-distance record pilot; W. I. Scott-Hill, regional director (UK and Ireland), BEA; G. F. T. Trubridge, joint deputy manager, Summer- field Research Station, IMI; Obs Capt E. C. D. Tyrrell, Commandant, Midland Area, ROC; S. E. Virgo, senior principal scientific officer, HQ, Bomber Command, RAF; Capt A. Wharton (for services to civil aviation in Australia). MBE W. A. Bradbury, factory superin- tendent, Lucas Gas Turbine Equipment; F. G. Bunnan, allowances superintendent, BEA; Fit Lt J. A. B, Cairns, financial secretary, RAF Benevolent Fund; Obs Cdr F. A. Davey, Group Commandant, No. 12 Group, ROC; W. G. Geddes, superinten- dent. Guided Weapons Division, Stevenage, BAC; A. J. Hills, chairman, No 350 (Car- shalton and Wallington) Sqn, Air Training Corps; Miss B. J. Humble-Crofts, special facilities officer, Heathrow, BEA; R. Hutchinson, lately aircraft interior designer, Hawker Siddeley Aviation. J. C. Kewley, lately senior fire service officer, MoD (RAF); J. Losano, in-flight and overseas catering manager, BO AC; J. C. McFarlane, warning officer, Warning and Monitoring Organisation, ROC; M. McG. Malloch, chief pharmacist, No. 248 Mil, RAF Chessington; A. M. McMenamin. finance officer, central staff, Australian Department of Civil Aviation; R. T. Mounsey (for services to civil aviation, especially as senior captain in NZNAC). G. A. Parry, manager of movements, supply and transport division, Shell-Mex and BP; H. R. Pitman, senior warning officer, Yeovil Group, Warning and Monitoring Organisation, ROC; Miss A. Reid, welfare officer Grade 1, Northern Scotland, MoD (RAF); A. C. Thorne, managing director, Spembly Technical Products (for services to export); N. H. F. Unwin, secretarial officer II, RAE Farnborough. Imperial Service Order L. Pearson, chemist I, Aircraft Production Division, Mintech. Queen's Commendation for Valuable Ser- vice in the Air G. P. Aird, chief military- aircraft test pilot, Hawker Siddeley Avia- tion ; W. B. Cairns, assistant chief test pilot- VC10 Flight, Weybridge Division, BAC (Operating); F. D. Everest, senior engineer officer instructor, VC10 Flight, BOACj J. Pollitt, deputy chief test pilot, Bristol Siddeley Engines; Captain V. B. ShaW, training manager, Service contracts, Bristo* Helicopters (associate of BUA).
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