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Aviation History
1984
1984 - 0001.PDF
INTERNATIONAL Week ending 7 January, 1984 Number 3895, Volume 125 ISSN 0015-3710 IN THIS ISSUE World News Air Transport Defence General Aviation 2 4 7 10 HAI PREVIEW 13 The Helicopter Association International's convention takes place in Las Vegas during January 18-21. We preview the event, look at helicopter safety, and report on the European helicopter conference. Harry Hopkins flies BAH's Boeing 234 simulator, and Ian Parker goes ditching in Aberdeen. AIR LANKA—A FOUR-YEAR SUCCESS STORY 24 Alison Chambers reports from Colombo on the rapid growth and continuing expansion of Sri Lanka's national airline. V.2500: THE ORIENTAL ANGLE 29 Guy Smith visits Japan and assesses its involvement in the multinational V.2500 engine. Spaceflight 32 Avionics 33 Propulsion 34 Letters 35 Published in association with Aeroplane Monthly arid Airports Inter nationa! by Transport Press, a division of Business Press International Ltd, Quadrant House, The Quadrant, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5AS, England World's first and only complete aeronautical weekly (C) Copyright Business Press International Ltd. 1983 Founded 1909 Second-class postage paid at New York, NY, and additional entries. Editor David Mason Associate Editor Peter Middle- Assistant Editor Tom Hamill Air Transport Editor David Learmount Air Transport editorial Alison Chambers, Chris Kjelgaard BSc Defence Editor Graham Warwick BSc Defence editorial Mike Gaines Technical Editor David Velupillai BSc Technical editorial Julian Moxon BSc General Aviation Editor Cliff Barnett General Aviation editorial Ian Goold, Ian Parker BSc Production Editor Philip Jarrett Sub-editor Graham Co well Art Editor Colin Paine Layout Rita Molmeux Photography Stephen Piercey Technical Artists Frank Munger, John Marsden Paris correspondent Gilbert Sedbon 825 5261 US West coast correspondent Norman Lynn (213) 377 8485 Publishing Director John Crookshank Editor-in-Chief J M Ramsden Advertisement Manager Trevor Barratt Assistant Advertisement Manager Clive Richardson Advertisement Sales Executives Sarah Beck, Robert Hancock Advertisement Production Howard Mason Advertisement Sales—France Pierre Mussard, 18,20 Place de la Madeleine, Pans 75008, France. Telephone Paris 2655014. Telex- 215334F BISPRSF. Advertisement Sales—Italy Romano Ferrario, Eias Kompass Periodici Tecnici Sp A, Via Nuova Rivoltana, 95, 20090 Limito—Milano, Italy. Advertisement Sales—USA (East Coast) Dean Kelly, Classified Advertisement Sales—USA Joe Connors, Business Press International Ltd, 205 East 42nd Street, New York, NY 10017 Telephone: (212) 867 2080. Telex: 238327 Advertisement Sales—USA (West Coast) John Tidy, Business Press International Ltd. 2656 Vista del Oro. Newport Beach. CA 92660 Telephone: (714) 760 9438. Telex: 23:8327 Subscriptions Manager A Walden Telephone England (0444) 459188 (UK and overseas subscription rates and agents can be found in this issue) Telephone 01-661 3315 (Display Advertisement Sales) 01-661 3274 (Classified Advertisement Sales) 01-661 3267 (Advertisement Production) 01-661 3321 (Editorial) Telegram/Telex 892084 BISPRS G Facsimile (Group lll/ll) on request. Telephone 01-661 3321 EEJ Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulations Front cover: The Helicopter Association Inter national's convention always attracts the latest in helicopter developments. Among the stars of last year's gathering were the Sikorsky S-76, Bell 222, and Westland W30. EDITORIAL Deregulation—UK style? Ever since airline services were deregulated in the USA there has been argument about whether it was a good idea or not. Now the British Government is seriously looking at deregulation for the UK. Is there a lesson in the USA's experience for the UK, or for any other nation which sees some advan tage in liberalising its commercial aviation? The general verdict on deregulation in the USA is that it has been marvellous for the consumer, except ing a few people in remote spots which even the blossoming commuter indus try rejected. Even the airlines which regret deregulation admit that there is no point in turning the clock back. And those of the bigger old carriers which suffered much pain as a result of the new policy have now reor ganised their workforces, their route networks, and their marketing strate gies to fit the system. So if what is true for the USA is true for other nations, all that govern ments have to do is decide whether airlines exist for the consumer, or consumers for the airlines. The first question when looking at the USA's experience to read across to another nation is whether its geo graphy is comparable with that of the USA. The USA's size compares with that of the European Economic Community, but scarcely with Britain's. The structure of the EEC, though idealogically consisting of a group of countries with a parliament, does not make it a federal entity like America. Its member nations have never felt more separate, and if there is to be a united civil aviation policy to replace the web of traditional bilateral agree ments it will be many years coming. UK Transport Secretary Nicholas Ridley studiously avoided mentioning the word deregulation when he asked the British Civil Aviation Authority to examine the framework to which British civil aviation is nailed (see page 5). But the preparatory ques tions to which the CAA is asking the industry and its users to respond boil down to one basic question: is the framework needed? In effect, the CAA has been asked to report on full domestic deregulation, and on what it believes the effects would be. Given that the UK is about the same size as some of the States in the USA, deregulation in Britain would not mean the same thing that it means there. But several results would be repeated. There would be a surge of activity in the scheduled commuter field, with the small airlines (there are already about 20 of them) challenging the established ones. They would have major prob lems, however, in view of UK fuel prices and competition from estab lished road and rail networks. Not all would survive; and if American experience were repeated, the majors would rapidly react to the competition—as PSA has done—by setting up commuter and feeder networks of their own. But the inquiry does not stop at canvassing opinion on deregulation of airline route licensing and fares; it raises questions about whether current Government airports policy is appropriate today. And the questions are along lines mentioned earlier—are the airlines there to serve airports, or airports there to serve airlines? Note the CAA's decision on international services into Glasgow Airport rather than Prestwick (page 5). Is this going to lead to the deregulation of airports, leaving capacity and environmental restrictions as the only regulators in this field? If deregulation comes to the UK, will US-type anti-trust laws have to come also, to protect the passenger? Hence the CAA question to the indus try: "Is it still necessary to regulate domestic fares—for example to deal with anti-competitive behaviour?" In a domestically deregulated Britain, the passenger will require a watchdog to check that a new entrant is capable of keeping his side of the contract and providing the flight he promises; that maintenance and personnel qualifications are good enough to guarantee safety; and that airport capacities are not over strained. Beyond that, consumers and airlines alike will benefit from liberal isation, and should take up vigorously and positively the CAA's invitation to comment. Where the UK leads, the EEC must surely follow, and that will do nothing but good. < ''•IGHT International, 7 January 1984
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