New British Jetliner Studied By B.O.A.C.

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28019, 13 July 1956, Page 13

New British Jetliner Studied By B.O.A.C.

(Rec. 11 p.m.) LONDON, July 12. The British Overseas Airways Corporation is studying plans for a 100seat de Havilland jetliner which could become a world-wide winner, the “Daily Mail” said today.

8.0.A.C. believed it would be ideal for Empire routes, the paper said. The delivery date would be 1962. Powered by Rolls-Royce Conway engines, the plane would be an entirely new design, but would have the experience of the Comets behind it. The “Daily Mail” said the airliner would be far nearer what most world airlines wanted than either of the giant American jets, the Douglas DC-8 or Boeing 707. It would be able to fly the Atl antic non-stop, it would be able to land at most airfields without expensive extensions to runways, it would be cheaper than either American machine and it would be economical for routes where traffic was not dense enough to justify the 140-seat American jets. In the House of Commons, the Minister of Civil Aviation (Mr Harold Wilkinson) said no decision would be taken on the type of airliners 8.0.A.C. would order until technical examinations of both British and American aircraft were completed. He had been questioned about reports that 8.0.A.C. had asked the Government to allow it to buy American jet airliners costing mi Lions of pounds.

Mr Watkinson said 200 of the American Jets had been ordered by

foreign airline competitors of 8.0.A.C. In the light of this, technical assessments were being made of the American airliners and what planes the British aircraft industry could offer. Until these studies were finished, 8.0.A.C. could not place any orders. Mr Watkinson deprecated suggestions that time was being wasted by the examinations. “The whole future of the corporation depends on them.” he added. A Seattle message says the Boeing 707 prototype jet airliner flew the nearly 2000 miles round trip from Seattle to Los Angeles in 3 hours and 56 minutes yesterday. The Boeing Company Said the sweptwing, four-engine jet made the flight to Los Angeles in 1 hour and 59 minutes and returned in 1 hour and 57 minutes. The flights were the fastest ever made by a commercial-type plane on the 959-mile route between the two cities The average soeed on the return flight was 507 miles an hour.