Changes In Aviation Shown At Farnborough

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29008, 24 September 1959, Page 11

Changes In Aviation Shown At Farnborough

(from tne London Correspondent of -The Press”]

LONDON, September 17.

This year's Farnborough flying display and exhibition was a revealing representation of the condition of the aircraft industry in Britain, now in a state of adjustment. adventurous experiment and not a little uncertainty. Spectacle, a wealth of new equipment and the promise of things to come were all at Farnborough airfield where the Society of British Aircraft Constructors had pitched its tents on the slopes bordering the runways. A record 8000 overseas visitors arrived to inspect the wares.

A brilliant flying display was put on by the R.A.F. and the Royal Navy. The “Black Arrows” of 111 Squadron, R.A.F., produced a breathtaking display of formation aerobatics in 16 black Hawker Hunter jet fighters. Aviation enthusiasts, grown blase after even a few years of flashing. precise jet showmanship, gasped in appreciation and surprise at the climax to the Navy’s performance: after rolling and diving through the air like whitebellied fish two Navy Scimitars landed side by side, then while still taxi-ing. folded their wings for a third Scimitar to land between them from the other end of the runway. More than 30 senior New Zealand service officers, including the Chief of Air Staff, Air ViceMarshal M. F. Calder, and Dominion businessmen visiting Britain went to Farnborough as guests of the society.

Shift In Emphasis

The display of planes and parts shifted the emphasis of the show from military aircraft to civil aircraft and guided weapons, and to the latest electronic devices. Nor did the society’s brochure and manufacturers’ announcements fail to point to the adjustments that are going on in the industry. The shift is the result of the Government’s defence policy to reduce military orders for manned aircraft, and the experimental efforts of the makers to hit on new and revolutionary aircraft capable of capturing world markets. British Government orders havC diminished to 50 per cent, of orders placed with the industry compared with a figure of 80 per cent, in the United States The outcome has been 13 mergers, amalgamations or “tie-ups” in the last 18 months and appeals from the manufacturers for combined efforts by the industry and the Government to get a coherent policy for the industry. Many firms are shrinking in size and diversifying. Most now have other interests —cars, boats, computers, plastic products, machinery and nuclear plant.

A concerted effort to build a supersonic airliner is one thing which the Ministry of Supply and the industry is working for. Several consortiums have already been suggested for the project, which would cost £lOO million.

Nevertheless, civil aviation is still growing and exports by the industry generally have ' never been higher.

Yet the show produced only two new conventional airliners, neither of them yet in service. These were the Vickers Vanguard, an extraordinarily economical airliner for up to 139 passengers, and the Dart Herald medium-range, 47-seat transport. B.E.A. has ordered 20 Vanguards. Another 20 will go to Canada. Handley Page has an order for three Heralds from B.E.A. and the first machine has already made the equivalent of three trips round the world on a series of long sales flights. The new Comet, for 8.E.A., the 48, with clipped wings and a longer body also flew at Farnborough. Of,the 30 types of aircraft in the flying display only three, including the helicopters, had piston engines. The rest were pure jets or turbo-props. The other new civil aircraft all had special or unusual features and there were ample promises of new aircraft coming up.

Hawker Siddeley showed a body section of the Avro 748 which is designed as a DC-3

replacement. The Avro is a lowwing airliner, which the makers claim is the result of market surveys in the United States showing that 70 per cent, of people questioned preferred lowwing aircraft.

One of Britain’s independent airlines has ordered two 748’s and another has declared its intention to buy. The 748 is a 44seater which will cruise at 265 m.p.h. It will make its first flight next February. In July, India signed a £2O million contract for making the 748 under licence in India. India has also ordered two squadrons (24) of Sea Hawk jet fighters which are now being made by Armstrong Whitworth. The Saunders-Roe Hovercraft, 5.R.N.1., captured a lot of interest and produced hundreds of inquiries about its possibilities. Since it was first publicly demonstrated several adjustments have been made and it appeared to nandle more easily as it glided briskly up and down the runway carrying 20 armed soldiers. Development has temporarily stopped on the S.R.N.I. until a study has been made of progress in the United States on this type of air-riding machine.

Rolls-Royce was showing its light-weight turbo jet, the R 8.145, a remarkably compact engine for fighter and trainer aircraft and, in a civil version, for executive aircraft. The firm, which is more famous for its powerful pure jets and turbo-prop engines is now interested in the “executive” market. The interest may not be confined to pure jets. Handley Page is promoting a small jetliner for business executives, the H.P.113, with a a 6000mile range. The pressurised cabin can be fitted out for up to 12 passengers and a crew of two. It can cruise at 530 m.p.h. nonstop from London to New York.

The front and rear-loading Argosy freighter, the Rotodyne vertical take-off airliner and the. ponderous, kite-like Twin Pioneer were flown.

About 70 of these slow-flying, short landing and take-off Pioneers have been sold. These planes can fly safely at 70 m.p.h. with a full load of 19 passengers or freight.