When the future brings 1954 into perspective it may come to be regarded as less of a black year for British aviation than it appears today. Its passing, unlamented, seven days ago, left memories of disaster and destruction, of delay and disappointment. Unfortunately, it is not just the careless or complacent who have had to learn the hard and bitter way; almost all progress, and certainly all the real pioneering work, is achieved in the face of great trials and difficulties. Of one thing there is no doubt: that technical experience and knowledge has been accumulated to an unprecedented degree during the past year. In particular the Comet investigation, taken together with considerable previous airline experience with the type of aircraft, has provided deeper and wider knowledge of jet transports, their construction and their operation than could have possibly have been acquired in any other way. This at least guarantees a firm new foundation upon which to build. The price paid in life and material has nevertheless been too great.
One Man Sleigh
The U.S.A.F. says that Lt.-Col. Stapp, who recently made a 632 m.p.h. dash aboard a 2,000 lb rocket-propelled rail sled at Alamagordo, New Mexico, suffered no lasting ill-effects from the subsequent one-and-a-half-second full stop; he did, however, receive a few blood-blisters from dust particles in the air, and two black eyes, the later caused when his eyeballs were thrown forward into his eyelids during deceleration. He was subjected to 35 g, which brought his effective weight up to the three-ton mark. Although initially blind after the run, he soon recovered his sight. His only protective equipment, apart from a harness, was a plastic helmet.
Coast to Coast Coach
Eyebrows were raised in U.S. circles last month when an enterprising "non-sked," North American Airlines, inaugurated daily air-coach services between Los Angeles and New York. The company began operations with the first of two DC-6Bs bought from Douglas. The aircraft carries 102 passengers at a one-way fare of $88, compared with the $99 charged by the big certificated carriers.
Hot Secret
It is reported by American Aviation that British fighters are to be armed with a de Havilland air-to-air missile which homes on to sources of infra-red (i.e. heat) radiation.
Source: Flight International
