Viscount Aircraft Popular

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27370, 8 June 1954, Page 9

Viscount Aircraft Popular

LONDON. Three leading European airlihes will operate nearly 40 of their routes this summer with British aircraft—the Vickers Viscount. They are British European Airways, Air France and Aer Lingui. Thirty of these planes are now in airlines service and this will be increased to 36 soon when Air France receives a second consignment of their fleet of 12, Aer Lingui received three aircraft in March and the fourth at the beginning of April Reporting this to the company’s annual meeting ‘recently, LieutenantGeneral Sir Roland Weeks, chairman of Vickers Limited, said: “We can look back on a good beginning to the Viscount airline’s operations since the first scheduled service by B.E.A. On April 1, 1953.” The company’s aircraft -division had completed successfully the transfer to Hurn of the Viscount production line and production rate was being expanded to this year’s target of four aircraft a month. Facilities existed at Hurn to increase this as the order book required though the policy of “tailor making” the aircraft to suit individual requirements was one factor affecting delivery. The order book now contained 93 Viscounts; including 12 of the series 800 for B.E.A.