People, Bottom Line, Book & Video Reviews

Bottom Line

Lufthansa has posted a DM506m ($A501m) profit before tax and special items for the first nine months of 1995, a DM4m improvement over the corresponding period in 1994 despite high currency losses, which cost the airline DM440m ($A435m). Revenue increased by 4.7% to DM14.2bn ($A14.1bn).

United Airlines has recorded its best ever quarter result for the three months to September 30 with net income of $US242m ($A327m) up from $US82m, on revenue of $US4.13bn ($A5.6m) (up 8%).

Books

International Directory of Military Aircraft 1996/95: Gerard Frawley & Jim Thorn

This full colour reference work is the first time to our knowledge that almost every single military aircraft currently in service has been detailed under the one cover. The 200 page International Directory of Military Aircraft details 308 separate military aircraft of every mission and type from the F-86 Sabre and MiG-15 to the Su-35 and F-22, with everything in between ranging from the CT-4 Airtrainer, to the C-130 Hercules, Tu-160 ‘Blackjack’, UH-1 Iroquois, Boeing 707, Cessna Bird Dog, Hawker Hunter, K-8 Karakorum, E-8 J-STARS, Soko Orao and Atlas Cheetah, and so on. Fighters, bombers, tankers, transports are all detailed. Each aircraft entry features a colour photograph, specifications including powerplant, performance, weights, dimensions, accommodation and armament, a listing of operators and a concise but comprehensive description of the aircraft’s history and development and different variants. In addition, important aircraft families are broken down into multiple entries to give significant model developments the coverage they deserve. An example of this are separate entries on the F-15C and F-15E Eagles. As well as the 308 aircraft listed, the International Directory of Military Aircraft features a current listing of the inventories of the world’s air forces and naval and army air arms, as well as a glossary of military aviation terms and acronyms and a review of the status, recent past and future of the military aircraft industry worldwide. The Directory of Military Aircraft is the sistership to the very successful Directory of Civil Aircraft and like the civil book Military Aircraft will be updated and thoroughly revised every two years, with the second edition due for release in early 1998. The International Directory of Military Aircraft is due to go on sale in mid-February. It will be available in softcover from major newsagencies or direct from Aerospace Publications, PO Box 3105, Weston Creek ACT 2611, ph (06) 288 1677, fax (06) 288 2021 for $26.90 for softcover inc postage or $36.90 for hardcover inc postage. Advance orders are welcome.

Jane’s All the World’s Aircraft 1995/96: Edited by Paul Jackson

This edition of the recognised definitive aircraft reference work is the first under the leadership of Paul Jackson and features a number of worthwhile minor revisions to the format. JAWA continues to follow its tried and true format of listing aircraft by their nation of manufacture and then alphabetically with all aircraft featured currently under development or in production, except for some Russian types. The Russian section is particularly comprehensive and is probably the best available reference source on the plethora of emerging aircraft projects from that nation. The growing use of production tables, cutaways and diagrams is welcome, while again JAWA features a fleet listing of the world’s airlines. Jane’s All the World’s Aircraft 1995/96 is available in Australia from most major aviation bookshops for around $434.

Videos

The Story of the Spitfire: Network Entertainment

Spitfire fans have been well catered for over the years on video, this one adding to the previous efforts and contributing some interesting footage and a slightly different approach. Although it covers the bulk of the Spitfire story, most of the video’s 55 minutes deal with the period until the end of 1940 and therefore covers the type’s development, the political and military background of the times and the early war, with emphasis on the Battle of Britain. This in itself is very interesting, although it does leave the sections dealing with later Spitfire marks less detailed. Unlike many aviation videos, there are few errors of fact in the script and the one or two which do appear could have been easily eliminated with just a touch more care by the script editor. Statements like “only two types of engine were fitted to the Spitfire” are meaningless and should also not get past the first edit. One sequence which did prove annoying was that on the Mark IX. While the narrator (British actor Patrick Allen) was talking about this model, the pictures were mainly of vastly different Mark XIVs taking off and landing. The problem with Spitfire videos (and books) is that the vast majority of people who might buy them already know an awful lot about the subject. This one will teach them little that is new but it does have some footage which is of interest. For a young person starting out on the road to Spitfire knowledge, The Story of the Spitfire is a good introduction. The Story of the Spitfire costs $24.95 and is available from SkySupply, 7/44 The Grande Parade, Sutherland 2220. Phone 1800 636 707, fax (02) 521 2451.

25 Years in Kiwi Service – Boeing 737: Media Forcements

As its title implies, this excellent video is an in-depth analysis of the career of the 737 in New Zealand airline service with NAC, Air New Zealand and Ansett New Zealand. 25 Years in Kiwi Service – Boeing 737 is the end result of three years research and filming almost singlehandedly by director/producer Paul Brennan, and the results reflect this. The video is a first class production and quite interesting despite its fairly narrow subject area. Features of the video include interviews with several key National Airways Corporation/Air New Zealand personnel involved with the selection and operation of the 737, and some excellent air to air footage of Air New Zealand 737s. The video features details of the background to New Zealand’s National Airways Corporation’s hunt for a new jet airliner to augment Viscounts, the selection of the new type, early crew training and delivery and subsequent service use with NAC and Air New Zealand through to 1995, and then later Ansett New Zealand’s operations of 737-100s and -200s in the late 1980s. Further, the video also features a ‘from the cockpit’ view of an ANZ 737 sector between Christchurch and Queenstown narrated by the flight’s captain. This in itself is very interesting and is a great look at what happens on the flight deck through the various stages of a typical flight. Available from Aviation Collectables Downunder, PO Box 444, Mundaring 6073, ph 1800 623 044 or (09) 295 6026, fax (09) 295 1105 for $44.90 inc postage within Australia, or overseas airmail $A45.90 inc postage.