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Aviation History
1969
1969 - 2477.PDF
121 FLIGHT Imernatio nal, 24 July 1969 ., three out of 115 weekly flights each way between Miami and Nassau, eight out of 36 each way between Nassau and New York, and none to Canada. The only link with Canada is a daily Nassau-Toronto flight by Air Canada. One of the strongest desires in a newly independent country is to have a substantial proportion of international air services flown fey a national carrier, and the Bahamas is no exception. Bahamas Airways is admittedly a national airline, and it runs 35 of the 115 weekly flights to Miami, but it uses One-Elevens, against the larger 707s, 727s and DC-9s operated by its competitors, Pan American and Eastern. Moreover, Bahamas Airways has for long been known locally as a BOAC sub sidiary—a financially unstable one at that—and the corpora tion retains a 15 per cent holding in the airline, the other 85 per cent having been acquired last October by John Swire & Sons, a British company which controls Cathay Pacific. Thus Bahamas Airways, however much its fortunes may be improving following its reconstruction by Swires (with assist ance from Cathay Pacific), does not automatically command sympathy in Nassau as a Bahamian flag carrier. Bahamas World, however, seems already to have gained for itself this sympathy, and although details of its structure have not yet been announced it is understood that it will be at least 51 per cent controlled by Bahamas interests. Once its licences are confirmed, there will be very strong pressure on the British Government to designate it on the three routes concerned. Neither the USA nor Canada could offer much objection, since there are already two US carriers (Pan American and North east) on the New York route, and no British designation has yet ibeen made under the bilateral with Canada. The leading light in the formation of Bahamas World has been Mr Murray Vidockler. who is also a director of Caledonian Airways (on whose board he represents Cale donian's United States shareholder, Scottish Air International). There is no intention that Caledonian should have any direct or indirect financial interest in Bahamas World, although some operational link on a purely commercial basis is not ruled out. In recent months Caledonian has advertised on both sides of the Atlantic for Boeing 727 crews, but the airline states that this has no connection with Bahamas World, and that it has no plans to add the 727 to its own fleet either. The ghost of British Eagle still haunts the Caribbean and Bermuda areas in the form of Mr Harold Bamberg, former chairman of the airline, who continues to hold licences which include one for a Jamaica-Nassau/Freeport-Bermuda-London/ Luxembourg route. No plans for the operation of such a service have been announced, and unless Mr Bamberg enters an objection to the Bahamas World licences it is on the cards that, so far as the Bahamas is concerned, these plans may never be announced. Following the STOL operating and navigation-aid trials in the USA, the Breguet 94IS has, this week and last, been flying on a similar programme in the Paris region. The trials, made with the support of the French Air Force and the Ministries concerned, have involved local flights at and between Villacoublay, Orly, Le Bourget, the site of Paris-Nord and Issy-les-Moulineaux, with navigation flights also taking in Dijon and Moulins. Equipment being tested includes Decca Omnitrac, Butler computer and ascent/descent director and the Litton inertial system. A 941S is seen here taking off from Issy, near the centre of Paris A New Cargo Carrier, Uganda Air, is being formed by a Uganda Government agency. Operational assistance is likely to be provided on a contractual basis by the all-cargo airline Trans Meridian (London), which has two CL-44s and a DC-7CF. and is obtaining a third CL-44 later this year. More Charter Rights for Lloyd President Nixon has approved the US Civil Aeronautical Board's grant of authority to Lloyd International Airways to perform inclusive-tour charters originating in the USA and flying to Britain. The airline already holds a US foreign air carrier permit and group charter authority. The Ayes Have It A recent Gallup poll conducted in Britain concludes that the continuation of the development of Concorde is favoured by 63 per cent of men and 51 per cent of women. The "Don't-knows" amount to 11 and 28 per cent respectively, and those who consider it wrong amount to 26 and 21 per cent, says Gallup. Catch Them Young An air transport study kit for schools has been produced by Educational Productions. East Ardsley, Wakefield, Yorkshire, on behalf of BOAC. Route maps, time tables', currency-conversion tables, blank tickets and boarding passes (the last two unfortunately only specimens) are included, together with a film strip jn colour showing scenes of airline activity. This young persons' guide to airline operation is priced at 15s. New Terminal for Auckland The New Zealand Cabinet has approved plans for the construction of a two-storey terminal building at Auckland International Airport, Mangere, at a revised cost of about £5.4 million. Work is to begin "as soon as possible" for completion in late 1972 or early 1973. It will be capable of handling 500 international passengers within 30min in addition to domestic traffic. The present terminal will then be used for its original purpose—as a cargo depot.
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