In this issue our readers are introduced to the Bristol Olympus, a new turbojet which commands attention not only by the excellence of its performance in terms of thrust and economy (even on the basis of the conservative figures officially disclosed) but by reason of its unusual technical characteristics. It consists essentially of a low-pressure and a high-pressure unit, each having an entirely independent axial compressor and turbine, the low-pressure unit acting as a supercharger to the high-pressure compressor.

Saucer Research

The U.S.A.F has started a search to track down the origin of "flying saucers", discloses General Vandenberg, U.S.A.F Chief of Staff, quoted by Look, the New York magazine. The Air Force, it seems, is now experimenting to verify a theory of Dr. Donald Menzel, of Harvard University, that the "saucers" are an optical illusion caused by temperature, which projects images of earthly lights into the sky. General Vandenberg was quoted as saying: "The Air Force is interested in anything that takes place in the air." The article said that the Air Force has collected details of more than 800 incidents in which "flying saucers" were seen, of which 38 per cent were classified as astronomical bodies, 13 per cent as balloons, 10 per cent as too nebulous to be of value, 22 per cent as birds and aircraft, 2 per cent as hoaxes and 15 per cent as "unexplained".

Shopping Trips?

American Airlines have found that 61 per cent of the passengers on its low-fare tourist flights are women; only 25 per cent of the travellers on full-fare services are of the fair sex. Only 32 per cent of tourist travellers fly on business, as against 75 per cent on full-fare services. One in six of the low-fare passengers is making his or her first flight, as against only one in ten of the full-fare travellers.

Fast-revving Rubber

The B. F. Goodrich Company have developed a new tyre for high-speed fighters which, it is claimed, has completed a U.S.A.F test programme involving simulated landings at 250 m.p.h. The company states that, while normal fighter tyres "have difficulty in surviving five or six landings," this new tyre remains good after fifty.

Source: Flight International