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Aviation History
1970
1970 - 0019.PDF
The lower part of fuselage frame 34 for the Dassault Mercure being machined at Dassault, The frame is one of two which bear stresses exerted by rear-bay pressure; here stiffeners are being cut by a Boeh- ringer milling machine ALIGHT International. I January 1970 7 TRISTAR ON SCHEDULE WITH roll-out set for September I this year, and with the programme on time, the assembly of major sections of the Lockheed TriStar is now imminent. Fuselage mating is to begin on January 7 and attachment of the wing will be started on May 20. Final assembly of the TriStar begins on June 10. By September 14 the aircraft should be undergoing ground checks, ready for a first flight on November 16. A provisional type certificate, Lockheed hopes, will be obtained on September 1. 1971. Eastern and TWA should take delivery of aircraft numbers seven and eight in September and October respectively, the first six remaining in the test programme. FAA type certifica tion is scheduled for November 15, 1971. Later that month Eastern is due to receive two further aircraft, and Delta one. Ten aircraft should have been delivered by the end of 1971 and 100 by the end of the following year. Production rate is planned for 8.4 a month, but capacity exists for increasing this to 10.5. Britain three years ago when a minimum RVR of 600m for approach was advised to British operators. This is supposed to safeguard against the making of approaches in patchy fog con ditions in those places where RVR reporting is available. The risk of very dense and drifting patches of fog is naturally increased as RVR for approach is reduced. Have we on occasions allowed operators to carry British passengers in conditions in which British operators were for bidden to fly? Yes—although this situation is now covered in Britain, where all foreign operators must comply with BoT minima policy. When we look abroad we do not see such a happy picture. Can we put aside a little more money for better visual aids, good RVR reporting equipment, and convince all public- transport carriers that the faults lie not only in pilot technique, but also in the fields of training, equipment and policy? MAINLINER Fourth CL-44 for London Airline Trans Meridian, the British all-cargo airline, will soon take delivery of a fourth Canadair CL-44. TWA's 747 Simulator TWA recently unveiled what it claims to be the first 747 simulator in airline use. The carrier says that the Link machine, which is installed at J. F. Kennedy Airport, New York, has been found suitable for training pilots to type-rating proficiency. No Miami Service—Yet National Airlines' London-Miami inaugural—originally planned for tomorrow, January 2—is not now expected until February at the earliest. British union threats to boycott National aircraft in support of a striking American union are the cause of the trouble. A National proving flight for the route was hit by similar union action at Heathrow recently. BOAC is not expected to be affected by the dispute, and was due to inaugurate new direct Miami services today. January 1. Are life-rafts out-dated ? EACH STAGE IN THE DESIGN of any transport aircraft calls for decisions on the degree of safety to be built into the end product. Incorporation of further safety devices in the finished aircraft is a matter of weight, economics and practicability. A constant difficulty is the fact that all safety devices are not of equal effectiveness—otherwise the aircraft with the most would be the safest. If, then, we are to make aircraft as safe as possible there must be a continued and continuous assessment of the equip ment carried, and because weight is the most important factor we must ensure that the weight penalty of safety devices it applied to the best possible advantage. Not very long ago flight over water was considered to be hazardous because of the possibility of engine failure. Today, forced landings resulting from power failure are almost un known. However, because of rapid technological advances in aircraft engineering, coupled with the increase in air traffic and other factors, the area of maximum hazard has moved towards the final stages of flight and it is now the holding pattern, the approach and landing which give the greatest cause for concern. A study of ICAO accident reports from 1961 to 1967 show* that the three main flight-stage categories of accident occurred in the following proportions: Take-off. 22 per cent of the total: en route, 38 per cent: and landing. 40 per cent. In 1962 there were two ditchings in deep water, both involv ing piston-engined aircraft. More recently a JAL DC-8 landed on a mud-bank in San Francisco Bay while approaching the airport in conditions of low visibility. An SAS DC-8 landed in shallow water on the approach to Los Angeles. In each case shore-based rescue facilities were at hand. In examining the figures given above it should be remem bered that a considerable number of en route accidents were the result of flying into high ground and that the majority of landing accidents occurred under conditions of reduced visibility either because the aircraft descended below the glide-path or deviated from it. Without doubt, therefore, the greatest hazard in aviation today arises because the pilot does not accurately know his position. If he knows his position he neither flies into high ground nor collides with obstructions when approach ing to land. In spite of this, valuable weight and cost are being expended in the areas of least hazard by the continued carriage of life- rafts. The weight and cost of these items could be far better applied elsewhere. Let us take for a moment a valid though perhaps slightly facetious illustration. A small Arctic expedition is about to set out with sledge and dog team. Weight is an important consideration, but by careful planning adequate supplies of food are carried, together with radio, navigational instruments and so on. A final check shows that, although nothing has been forgotten, there remains a small margin of unused capacity. One member suggests they duplicate some of the navigational instruments; a second suggests loading extra rations: but the
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