Letters

How the airlines can continue this ludicrous policy and just as importantly, the airline passengers, suffer such indignity is quite beyond me. In the case of the Gold Coast, the present planned expenditure for terminal extensions would be unnecessary if common sense prevailed.

Surely the airlines cannot justify being engaged in such a jealous, petty fight with each other to the detriment of those whose travel underwrites their existence.

N. Atkins Balgownie, 2579.

Dear Sir,

I was heartened to read your Comment on parallel scheduling in your September edition.

It is about time somebody in Australia’s aviation press had a go at the airlines for what is a policy aimed precisely at eliminating any form of open competition between carriers.

Australia’s two-airline agreement certainly was valid in the late forties and throughout the fifties, today however, it is nothing more than an obstacle to free market competition and marketing ingenuity.

Each time I visit Tullamarine I see just one domestic carrier – it just happens that some of the planes are painted blue and some are painted red – and that is where the difference ends.

Mike Semple Caulfield, 3162.

AADR is pleased to note that Ansell has at least taken an initial step in attempting to break parallel scheduling with their new Sydney and Melbourne to Canberra timetable. TAA is awaiting the outcome of two DOT committees before making a move. TAA feel that any move should be on a national basis and embrace all routes, not just one or two as at present. The results for Australia can only be positive.

Ed.

Aerobat stress

Dear Sir,

Congratulations on AADR’s article on the Cessna 152 and Piper Tomahawk comparisons in the September issue.

However, there is a modest but important correction to the comparative table on Page 27 concerning the A 152 Aerobat.

The Aerobat is stressed to +6. 0G and minus 3. 0G flaps up, and not at +4. 4 as shown. These lower figures are in fact the standard Model C152 figures normal category.

The reason for the higher figures for the Aerobat is that there are significant structural changes to permit the aerobatic role. These include heavier wing struts, and engine mount, together with heavier skins and stronger structure in key areas.

The 150/152 series have been great aircraft and we are now well past 500 total sales in the Australian market.

David Irons General Manager, Rex Aviation Bankstown, 2200.

Was he seeing things?

Dear Sir,

I read with interest the article on the Hercules, however, I was stunned to learn that somebody had flown the whale-like Herc from the deck of an aircraft carrier. Was this for real and what was the purpose of such a one-up manship?

Graham Withen Sylvania, 2224.

Yes, it certainly was for real. The US Navy used, the Navy/Marine Corps KC-130F for the tests in 1963 to establish the feasibility of using the C-130 in the carrier replenishment role. Gross weights for the tests ranged as high as 121,000/b while landin81 distance at that weight was only 460 feet and takeoff roll was a mere 745 feet. Altogether the crew successfully negotiated 29 touch-and-go landings, l 21 unarrested full-stop landings and 21 unassisted take-offs. High wind and heavy sea conditions with rain squalls prevailed for many of the tests without greatly affecting the performance of the Hercules.

The concept of the exercise was to be able to deliver 25,000/b of cargo, 2500mls out to a carrier, however, the entire concept though tested successfully was dropped in favour of more traditional I replenishment methods.

Ed.

Defence interest

Dear Sir,

I read with interest the article in your Dear Sir, I September issue by Michael O’Connor of the Australian Defence Association.

I am interested in becoming involved with this organisation and thus would appreciate an address at which the organisation may be contacted. I would like to add that you deserve 10 points for a timely and informative article by Roy Braybrook on the situation in Iran in regard to the run-down of such a wealth of high-technology equipment.

How about a similar “retrospect” style article on the American equipment abandoned with the fall of Saigon in 1975 and now largely employed with the NVAF?

Ian Chenerry Como, 6152.

The address for the Victorian branch of the Australian Defence Association is PO Box 329, North Melbourne 3051. Indeed an article on the use of ex-US equipment by the Vietnamese would be of interest and we plan to run such an article in a future edition of AADR.

Ed