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Aviation History
1971
1971 - 0326.PDF
fUGHT International 4 March 1971 by reference to any other factor or to any combination of factors whatsoever; (b) that the powers as to which an order under section 3(5) of the Air Corporations Act 1967 may provide that they shall not be exercisable except as there mentioned include any power of either of the corporations within the meaning of that Act to provide air transport services within the meaning of that Act between particular points; (c) that an order under the said section 3(5) may be made with respect to any power of either of the said corporations to provide such services as aforesaid between particular points whether or not the corporation is providing or authorised to provide such services between those points in pursuance of an air service licence within the meaning of the said Act of 1960. NOISE IN NEW YORK WHILE expressing awareness of the poor prospects for the passage of the Noise Bill promoted before the New York state legislature, which is Republican-dominated, by Democrat Mr Andrew Stein, the three-man British dele gation led by Mr Anthony Wedgwood Benn said in New York last week that they were anxious to state the case for the aircraft anyway. The former Minister of Technology in the Labour administration, together with Mr Robert Adley, Conservative MP for Bristol North-east, and the editor of the Bristol Evening Post, Mr Gordon Farnsworth, thought they must have had an impact with their lobbying but were too close to the problem to make a reasonable assessment of their success before they returned on Friday. This is believed to be the first time that members of one nation's legislative body have discussed a proposed Bill before members of another country's national or pro vincial legislature. The Bill promoted by Mr Stein, who is 27, called for a ban at New York airports on aircraft producing more than 108PNdB from July this year, and 98PNdB from 1977. Concorde, he said, would produce 112 decibels. BAC claims that Concorde will be no noisier than current types and will be better than many of them in certain respects. Evidence presented before the legislature by airlines suggested that the Stein Bill would virtually close all four New York airports, because current aircraft could not meet the requirements. During their first day in New York, Mr Benn and his companions held a packed press conference, appeared on three television programmes, paid a call on UN Secretary General, U Thant, met Mr William Magruder, head of the US supersonic transport programme, conferred with an official of the Port of New York Authority which operates New York's major airports, and attended a lunch of the British-American Chamber of Commerce. At all the meet ings they hammered out the same theme: from a noise standpoint Concorde would be "just another [present- generation] aircraft." They suggested that forced cancellation of the Concorde programme at this stage of its development because of badly founded information would deal a severe blow to British and French economies and the 250,000 people in the countries who depended on the aircraft for their 301 livelihood. To take action that might lead to its cancellation would strike directly at a vital British and French interest and would have far-reaching consequences. It would reduce Britain's dollar earnings and her ability to buy American goods. It would also, said Mr Benn, provoke demands for retaliation against American goods; "the tariff battles of the past could be as nothing to the battles of the future if environmental problems were handled unwisely." The repercussions in the field of international relations within the western world were among points put to U Thant. Mr Benn made no secret of his belief that an attempt was being made with the noise Bill to use Concorde as the sacrificial instrument through which the anti-US SST lobby was hoping to kill that aircraft. Mr Najeeb Halaby, president of Pan American, says he thinks action by a State group would probably be uncon stitutional, and there is reported to be precedent of a Supreme Court ruling that Federal legislation takes priority over local regulations, in which case the Bill would probably never be implemented. Last Friday Mr Benn visited Mr John Volpe, Transporta tion Secretary, and that vehement opponent of the SST, Senator William Proxmire of Wisconsin. Britons Mr Richard Wiggs, convenor of the Anti-Concorde Project, and Mr John Connel, president of the Noise Abatement Society, put their case against Concorde at the hearings before the New York Legislature's Health Committee. The Concorde manufacturers have been reluctant of late to put figures to Concorde noise predictions, but official estimates current last year indicated that "spade" silencers would reduce noise levels by some 4-5PNdB at full take-off power. As an example of the kind of benefits expected to be obtained from spade silencers, theoretical studies of a Concorde operating at maximum take-off and landing weights in ISA conditions (and with 60 per cent relative humidity) have shown that maximum lateral noise measured at 0-35 n.m. to the side of the runway would be 114PNdB. Fly-over noise, measured 3-5 n.m. from the start of roll and with the aircraft throttled to a 3 per cent gradient, would be cut to 112-5PNdB. Approach noise, measured at 370ft, 113m, with the aircraft on a standard three-degree glideslope, would be reduced by only 0-3PNdB, from an unsilenced value of 121-8PNdB, but this is, in any event, no noisier than several present-day types on approach and is quieter than some. Recent applications to the ATLB include one from Midland Air Cargo, the Coventry-based Bristol Freighter operator, for a scheduled car-carrying service between Coventry and Brussels. No passengers would be carried. Sagittair has applied to the Air Transport Licensing Board for a scheduled cargo licence on the route East Midlands (opt)-London (Heathrow)-Beauvais. The company has asked for 21 return flights a week, and has specified Beech 18s, DC-3s or DC-6s. Sagittair has three Beech 18s at present. ;'/.;<•.: T;: ;••-, .•)*••• :g; ..:v;:r, fyr;: M/-i^:JM^ 4£..
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