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Aviation History
1962
1962 - 0121.PDF
FLIGHT International, 25 January 1962 121 AIR COMMERCE . . . or ILS, because 'he appropriate ground equipment is not used there; and other Communist countries have already bought both airborne and ground equipment of this type from the west. The Chinese requirement would probably be similar to that employed in Russian internal airliners, namely, VHF communica tions, ADF, search radar and radio altimeter. Such equipment could be easily bought either in Britain or from other countries without running foul of any American regulations. Although \ ickers are not allowed to comment on this Viscount order at all, they had apparently already forestalled any difficulties arising from the ITT parentage of STC. Total value of the radio equipment accounts for about 1 per cent of the total of £3.5m. FRIENDSHIPS FOR THE SUDAN THE first Friendship intended for service in Africa was delivered to representatives of Sudan Airways at Schiphol on January 15. It is a 40-seater Series 200, and will be followed on its delivery flight to Khartoum within a few days by the other two Friendship 200s on order for Sudan Airways. Mr Abdel Bagi Mohammed, general manager of the airline, signed the acceptance papers for the first aircraft and in a short speech said that Sudan Airways was proud to be the first airline to introduce modern turboprop airliners on short and medium range routes throughout Africa. Representatives of the ARB and British United Airways also attended the delivery ceremony; the ARB handled certification tests and inspections on behalf of the Sudanese authorities. British United operates the Sudan Airways "Blue Nile" Viscount service between Khartoum and London. UP TO DATE WITH CALEDONIAN WHEN so many British independents have been falling by the way side it is good to hear of new companies being formed and holding their own. One such is Caledonian Airways, the Scottish independ ent, which is leasing DC-7Cs from Sabena and in which Mr Max Wilson, chairman of the Overseas Visitors' Club, recently acquired a majority shareholding. A note about the proposed group charter flights to the Union of South Africa by Rooibok, possibly using Caledonian Airways, appeared in Flight International for January 11 —though reports from South Africa that Caledonian have been granted the necessary licences are premature. The full name of the company is Caledonian Airways (Prestwick) Ltd. It was incorporated in April 1961 and started operations with an inaugural flight from Gatwick to Barbados on November 29. At the moment Caledonian has one DC-7C, having taken delivery of it from Sabena on long-term lease-purchase on November 15. The second aircraft is due to be delivered on May 14. The company employs ten pilots, two navigating officers, four engineering officers and nine stewardesses (who wear attractive Ancient Black Watch tartan uniforms). The main operating base is at Gatwick, where the company has two offices in the old terminal (colloquially known as the Beehive), and another office in the south ern finger at the main terminal. Main offices are in nearby Horley, at the address previously occupied by Overseas Aviation (CI). The total staff numbers about 40. There is no hangar accommodation at Gatwick, all DC-7C maintenance being done in Brussels by Sabena. Before taking delivery of the first DC-7C last November Cale donian's pilots spent a month in Brussels converting to the aircraft and flying with Sabena crews on the Belgian airline's routes. For a time after delivery Sabena crews flew with Caledonian. The first aircraft is at present flying at a rate of about 250hr a month, mostly on group charter work. Caledonian has applied to the ATLB for a D licence to continue a series of three flights done on behalf of the Overseas Visitors' Club from Gatwick to Lourenco Marques under a C licence; and it has also applied for a D licence for a monthly flight on behalf of the OVC from Gatwick to Auckland via New York, San Francisco and Fiji. This application will be heard by the ATLB on January 22. Also applied for is a B licence for the continued operation of emigrant flights, hitherto done under a C licence, from Barbados to London. The company also holds a number of B licences for inclusive tours next summer from Manchester and Gatwick to popular European resorts. Members of the board of Caledonian are: Mr John de la Haye, managing director; Capt Adam Thomson, deputy managing direc tor; Mr Frank Hope, commercial director; Sqn Ldr Dennis Standen, financial director; Capt A. H. J. Williams, chief pilot; Mr D. H. Walter, technical director. It is expected that Mr Max Wilson will become a director. The sales manager of the company is Mr Bernard C. Fisher and the operations manager is Mr David M. Parlane. The business address is Imperial Buildings, Victoria Street, Horley, Surrey, telephone Avenue 8711, extension 6735. SLUSH CAN FREEZE THE latest issue of Flight Safety Focus contains a warning on the possibility of slush striking the underside of a fuselage and freezing; a letter from a manufacturer quotes such an experience. "In 1939," he writes, "I was carrying out trials on a small low- wing pusher aircraft with tricycle. Conditions were fine, but one or two inches of fresh snow had fallen during the night. I took off with a not unduly long run considering the conditions but once air borne found that the aircraft would not accelerate and had difficulty in clearing surrounding obstacles. "After a labouring circuit I was able to complete a smooth run- on landing and found that the whole underside area of the aircraft in way of the nosewheel slush bow-wave had frozen solid. There was several inches of ridged ice all over the underside of the wing and fuselage, and it was judged by witnesses that the aircraft was probably carrying 100 per cent overload of ice. "The point I wish to make is that if temperature conditions are critical there will not only be a retardation from the bow-wave striking the aircraft, but this may freeze with weight effect, and the ridged effect of the ice can have aerodynamic problems." The current issue of Flight Safety Focus also discusses loose instrument panels, Boeing 720 landings with two engines out on one side, and the use of shoulder harnesses by Australian airline pilots. On their way back to talks in Paris with M Jules Moch, former French Premier, who is now chairman of the French society for the study of a Channel bridge, are (/eft) Cdr L. A. Sweny, managing director of Hovercraft Development Ltd, and (right) Mr Christopher Cockerell, inventor of the Hovercraft and a director of Hovercraft Developments
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