Yester year

•The RAN is reported to be seeking a small number of second hand A-4 Skyhawks to make up for the loss of half of its fleet through attrition. Of 16 A-4Gs and 4 TA-4Gs acquired in two batches in 1967 and 1971, 8 A-4Gs and 2 TA-4GS remain. It is believed that the RAN would like sufficient A-4s to permit the operation of three flights of four single seat aircraft from HMAS ‘Melbourne’ until it is retired in 1985.

The third and final Panavia Tomado prototype commenced test flights at Warton on 18 November. The first production aircraft is expected to fly in 1983.

• The largest ever single airliner purchase was placed by Delta on 12 November when it ordered 60 Boeing 757s. Apart from being the fifth airline to order the 757, Delta is now the first airline to have acquired both the 757 and 767.

British Airways terminated Concorde flights to Bahrain and Singapore on 1 November. Load factors on the Concorde service had declined to about 40%.

The first USN F-18 Homet squadron, VFA-125, has been commissioned at Lemoore Naval Air Station in California.

• A new woman’s solo flight record was established between England and Australia on 18-21 November when British pilot Judith Chisholm covered the distance in her Cessna Turbo Centurion in 3 days 13 hours.

20 Years Ago

• The USAF has awarded Boeing a contract to develop an AWACS aircraft. They will initially convert two 707-320s to carry 30ft diameter radomes above the fuselage. The eventual production version of the definitive AWACS aircraft may number 42.

• The Directors of Jetairlines (Australia) Ltd announced on 27 November that the airline was suspending operations. Their five serviceable DC-3s were at Mascot the following day while an unserviceable one was at Bankstown. The two Jetair Bristol 170 Freighters were used to transport other airline items from Melbourne and Brisbane.

The keel of the USN’s newest nuclear powered aircraft carrier CVAN-69 ‘Dwight D Eisenhower’ has been laid at Newport News, Virginia and the ship will be launched in 1973.

Both Concorde prototypes have now attained their Mach2 design cruising speed. Concorde 001 F-WTSS flown by Andre Turcat achieved that speed on 4 November fol lowed by Concorde 002 G-BSST piloted by Brian Trubshaw on 13 November. During the latter flight over north west Scotland, Mach 2 was maintained for 40 minutes during the 1hr 51min flight from Fairford.

The prototype Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, registered N1011, had its maiden flight at Palmdale on 16 November. Orders and options for the TriStar have now reached 178. • East-West Airlines has reported an 11. 9% increase in passengers carried to 282,725 in the year ended 30 June while net profit was up by 13% to $123,622.

• BKS Air Transport Ltd, formed by Messrs Barnby, Keegan and Stevens in February 1952, has changed its name to Northeast Air- Fines Ltd. Northeast is based at Heathrow and operates two Trident 1Es and six Viscount 806s on domestic and international routes.

The oldest aircraft in Argentine Navy service, a Martin B-10, was handed over to US officials in Buenos Aires. It will be shipped to the US and ultimately preserved at Wright-Patterson AFB. The B-10 was one of 35 purchased by Argentina shortly before World War II.

• Ansatt and TAA will order the stretched Boeing 727-200 with deliveries to commence in 1972. Each airline will initially order four 727-200s to be followed with a further order for two.

30 Years Ago

• The last KLM Lockheed Super Constellation to operate the Amsterdam/Sydney service arrived at Sydney on 14 November and KLM introduced DC-88 onto the route on 20 November.

• Victa Consolidated Industries’ aircraft division has so far received £102,250 worth of orders for 23 Victa Airtourers and four Victa R-28. Victa has quoted a price for the Airtourer of £3,750 and £8,500 for the R-2. The latter aircraft is soon to commence certification testing.

• The maiden flight of the prototype Cana- dair Forty Four (CL-44) civil/military freighter, which is the first production swingtail transport in the world, took place on 16 November.

Sixty Avro 748 transports are now to be built, twice the previous production program.

Final designs of a fourteen passenger jet aircraft with engines fitted to the rear fuselage, intended for executive use, have been submitted to the Ministry of Aviation by de Havilland Aircraft.

Ansett-ANA has recently uprated the power of the engines of its Consolidated Catalina VH-BRI and it was launched at Rose Bay on 3 November. The Catalina will operate services four times a week from Mackay to Hayman Island.

• A contingent of US military aircraft is currently based at East Sale RAAF base engaged in high altitude air sampling research work between latitudes 40 degrees and 50 degrees south. The aircraft consist of three Strategic Air Command Lockheed U-28, four Martin JB-578, two MATS search and rescue C-548 and C-124 transports. The aircraft will depart later this month and will retum in May to continue their work. An RAF Avro Vulcan arrived at Edinburgh on 16 November and will be used to air test the Avro Blue Steel stand-off missile which was transported separately to Woomera by an RAAF Hercules.

The Fairchild Airplane Corporation will build the Helio Super Courier STOL aircraft at its Hagerstown plant if it can obtain sufficient civil and military orders. The Strategic Air Command is interested in the Super Courier for support work between missile emplacements.

• Convair has developed a new two component pod, to replace the original single pod, for the B-58 Hustler. The new pod comprises a lower fuel tank which is dropped when fuel is used, and a smaller nuclear pod.