British Overseas Airways Corporation Research Articles

Passages and rebates: Colonial officers and the shift from sea to air travel in the 1940s

Passengers seldom appear in historical accounts as having their own role in the development of civil aviation. This study identifies a particular class of air-travellers: colonial officers and their families, stationed throughout the British Empire, who in the late 1940s drove a shift to the air at a time of an acute crisis in shipping accommodations. The drive from sea to air relied on an administrative infrastructure which was created by the Crown Agents for the Colonies on the basis of their earlier agreements with shipping companies. The Crown Agents administered the passage of colonial officers and negotiated a rebate agreement with British Overseas Airways Corporation in 1949. The study concludes that the history of civil aviation and the shift from sea to air travel depended not only on technological improvements but also on passengers whose practices normalised air-travel.

‘Like aid given by a mother to her young’: The British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) and the marketing of economic development 1948–1965

This paper locates Britain’s nationalised airline, the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC), in the political discourse of colonial development. Between 1939 and 1974 BOAC connected Britain to destinations across the globe for business and leisure. However, the vast majority of people in Britain could scarcely afford the luxury of flight: BOAC had the task of convincing its shareholders, of whom were paying for a product they did not use, that it served an important national purpose. This paper explores BOAC not as an airline, but as a marketer: at the heart of BOAC’s communications was a vision of Britain and its place in the world. It sought to promote its services by using the language of economic development to encourage and justify increased business abroad. In so doing, it shows how BOAC used marketing to justify its operations using political, rather than economic, messages.

Flying to the Emirates: The end of British Overseas Airways Corporation’s service to Dubai and Sharjah in 1947

During the 1930s Dubai and Sharjah in the Trucial States (now the United Arab Emirates) were regular stops on Imperial Airways’ England – India route. But in early 1947 the successor British airline British Overseas Airways Corporation discontinued service to them. The local market for air travel connecting the Gulf shaikhdoms, which were de facto British protectorates, was undermined just as the expanding oil industry most needed reliable scheduled flights. For fear of competition following its ratification of the Chicago Convention, Britain still restricted access to the airfields at Kuwait, Bahrain and Sharjah. For four years the Trucial States had no regular air service. Its wireless facilities led to the survival of the Sharjah airfield, shared by the Royal Air Force and International Aeradio Limited, a new British telecommunications company. Britain’s control over air services and their post-war disruption arguably contributed to delaying the socio-economic development of the Emirates that oil production would make possible.

Taking Care in the Air: Jet Air Travel and Passenger Health, a Study of British Overseas Airways Corporation (1940-1974)

This paper explores an aspect of medical history that has been overlooked in existing academic studies of commercial air travel, and advances a new historiography of airline passenger health and commercial aviation medicine. The introduction of jet-powered passenger aircraft by British Overseas Airways Corporation (B.O.A.C.) in 1952 presented a new set of epidemiological, chronobiological, and physiological passenger health concerns. These resulted from the increased size, speed, range, and cruising altitude of commercial jet aircraft. Drawing on extensive archival research, this paper explores the nature of these ‘new’ aeromedical challenges. It places them within the context of much earlier concerns about healthy travel, including military interest in the influence of flight on the human body. Focusing on B.O.A.C., the paper examines the ways in which one major airline responded to the passenger health challenges jet air travel posed, and assesses the extent to which B.O.A.C.’s responses transformed practices of aviation medicine.

The Dawn of the Jet Age in Austerity Britain: David Lean's The Sound Barrier (1952)

Every self-respecting country house in the past century housed a cinema. In the early 1950s, the Prime Minister had a choice of venues in which to view his favourite films—on home territory at Char...

Fatigue failure of the de Havilland comet I

The de Havilland Comet I entered service in 1952, and became the first commercial airliner to be powered by jet engines. It was introduced as the flagship aircraft on the routes of the British Overseas Airways Corporation, and was hailed as a triumph of British engineering. However there were a number of accidents involving this aircraft, culminating, in 1954, in the loss of two aircraft in similar circumstances. These were Comet G-ALYP near Elba, and Comet G-ALYY near Naples. A Court of Inquiry was convened, and the task of discovering the cause of these accidents was given to the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough. The investigation explored a number of avenues, and finally gave structural failure of the pressure cabin brought about by fatigue as the cause of the accidents. The use of fracture mechanics methods not used in 1954 has enabled the analysis of these fatigue cracks to be made, and the initial defect size has been estimated to be approximately 100 μm in the case of G-ALYP. This is not incompatible with the manufacturing techniques of the time, and information regarding cracks in the cabin identified during manufacture.

Personalities in the news

The Board of Trade have appointed Sir Richard G. K. Way, K.C.B., C.B.E., to the Board of the British Overseas Airways Corporation as a part‐time member for a period of three years from November 1, 1967. Sir Richard Way, who retired from his position as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Aviation in March 1966, is now the Chairman of Lansing Bagnall Ltd. and a member of the Board of Lansing Bagnall Group Ltd.

Personalities in the news

The former Minister of Aviation, Mr Roy Jenkins, announced the appointment of Mr George Chetwynd as a part‐time member of the Board of the British Overseas Airways Corporation for a period of three years. Mr Chetwynd is Director of the North East Development Council and a member of the Economic Planning Council for the Northern Region.

Double‐deck for long‐haul

FOLLOWING the release, earlier this year, of information concerning the long‐fuselage versions of the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC‐8 capable of accommodating 250 passengers—the 707–820 and DC‐8 Models 61 and 63 respectively—British Overseas Airways Corporation has confirmed a requirement for five or six such airliners. The type chosen would have to be available for service in 1968–9, be capable of carrying 250 passengers and would be required to have unit (direct) operating costs at least 15 per cent lower than those currently achieved by B.O.A.C.'s fleet of Boeing 707–436 airliners.

The Super VC10

NOW operating on North Atlantic routes in service with British Overseas Airways Corporation, the Super VC10 is a ‘stretched’ version of the Standard VC10 which B.O.A.C. has been flying for the last twelve months on Middle Eastern, African and Far Eastern routes. Developed to carry higher payloads over longer ranges than the Standard VC10, the Super VC10 differs principally in having a longer fuselage (a 6 ft. extension having been introduced ahead of the wing and a 7 ft. extension aft of the wing), four Conway R.Co.43 by‐pass turbojets of 22,500 lb. static thrust each in place of the four 21,000 lb. thrust Conway R.Co.42 engines as well as increased fuel capacity in the form of an integral fuel tank in the fin. Further details of the manner in which the two versions differ are provided in this issue of AIRCRAFT ENGINEERING—which is devoted entirely to engineering aspects of Britain's latest long‐range airliner.

Paris commentary

JUST two days before the twenty‐fifth International Air and Space Show opened at Le Bourget, public attention was drawn in dramatic fashion to supersonic transports, and the British Aircraft Corporation/Sud‐Aviation Concord in particular, when Pan American World Airways announced their decision to purchase six Concord airliners. Although it has been assumed that both Air France and British Overseas Airways Corporation will adopt the Concord, and it is believed that Panair do Brasil and Finnair have similar intentions, the Pan American announcement became the first public statement of an intention to purchase supersonic transports.

Aviation Electronics

Details of Electrical and Electronic Apparatus with Applications in the Maintenance and Operation of Aircraft, Missiles and Space Vehicles. At a recent demonstration at Hatfield, de Havilland engineers provided a convincing display of the manner in which a Bendix P.B.20 autopilot can be tested automatically by means of the T.R.A.C.E. 202 system (Tape‐controlled Recording and Automatic Check‐out Equipment). The P.B.20 unit involved was a standard operational type currently in use in the Boeing 707—the unit having been loaned by British Overseas Airways Corporation for the demonstration.

Research and Testing

Equipment, Programmes, Techniques and Projects. Fuel flow indicators on British Overseas Airways Corporation's aircraft must be extremely accurate to avoid wastage of fuel during Might. To maintain the high accuracies required, the motor generators governing the fuel flow are checked during regular servicing by means of a stroboscope manufactured by EMI Electronics Ltd.

Fuel Reserves for Aircraft

In 1955, following certain discussions within the Technical Committee, arising largely from a suggestion put forward by Mr. A. J. Moline, a member of the Australian Institute of Navigation, the Institute decided to set up a Working Party to go into the philosophy underlying current practices of fuel reserve calculation for aircraft. Because it would have been inappropriate for the Institute to attempt to lay down any sort of recommended code of practice, the Council paid particular attention to the precise terms of reference of the Working Party. It was agreed that its function would be: ‘To examine the requirement for reserve fuel and the factors governing its determination; to ascertain whether common parameters obtain, and to assess their application to future aircraft operation’.The Chairman of the Working Party, and author of the following report, which has been discussed and agreed by the other members, was Mr. Jack Vivian, of British European Airways Corporation. The other members were Captain R. C. Alabaster (British Overseas Airways Corporation), Wing Commander D. Bower (Royal Air Force), Wing Commander M. C. Bunting (Royal Air Force), Mr. D. O. Fraser (English Electric Aviation Limited), Mr. J. P. Meade (Meteorological Office), Mr. J. E. D. Williams (then of El Al Airlines), and Mr. D. A. Blake (Ministry of Aviation). All members served in a personal, not an official capacity.The report has been forwarded to the Aeronautical Research Council of the Ministry of Supply.

Effects of flying on patients with cardiovascular disease.

The enormous increase in air travel during recent years has, among other results, led to the necessity of con sidering its effect upon passengers suffering frem organic disease. The physical standards insisted upon by Government services and by private air lines in the selection of pilots and air crews of all sorts are naturally very high. This attitude has perhaps led to the paral lel conclusion that none but physically fit individuals can safely be subjected, as passengers, to the strains and stresses of this form of transport. Whittingham, Barbour, and Macgown (1949) surveyed, from the point of view of air-fitness, most of the common medical diseases. They referred to cases of heart disease as follows: Those suffering from angina pectoris must have the condition adequately controlled with trinitrate, and an electrocardiogram should be done to exclude infarction: such cases can be accepted if the angina is provoked only by a brisk walk of half a mile. Cases with congenital heart lesion can be accepted for low altitude flights if there is no veno-arterial shunt as evidenced by cyanosis, or if there is no heart-block or severe hypertension resulting from coarctation of the aorta. Cases of high blood pressure are acceptable if the systolic pressure is not over 200 mm. Hg and the diastolic is less than 120, provided they have flown be fore and there is no pulsus alternans, cardiac asthma, gross albuminuria, or cellular casts in the urine: those who have not flown before may be upset by nervous tension. Whittingham (1953) states: Cardiovascular disease of marked degree is present in about three-quarters of those who are taken i1J during flight. The low oxygen tension, even at altitudes between 5,000 and 8,000 ft. (1,500 and 2,400 metres), throws a serious strain on the heart. These patients should travel in a pressurized aircraft and limit their movements to the minimum; oxygen and any special drugs prescribed by their doctors should be available; and the medical department of the air line should be made aware of their condition. Patients with angina or coronary occlusion should not fly unless they have been free from symptoms for at least three, preferably six, months. Even then the altitude should be limited to 5,000 ft. (1,500 metres). A test of fitness for anginal patients is whether they can walk briskly for about half a mile (0.8 km.) without symp toms. Patients with valvular disease should not fly while the condition is acute, nor when it is chronic if there are signs of congestive failure or pronounced 2naemia. Those with congenital heart disease can be accepted for flights up to 8,000 ft. (2,400 metres) altitude, in the absence of veno-arterial shunt, as evidenced by cyanosis, heart-block, or severe hypertension resulting from co arctation of the aorta. Those suffering from myocardial lesions are unacceptable if there is marked bradycardia or if they have had diphtheria within six months. Cases of high blood pressure can be accepted if there is no pulsus alternans, cardiac or renal asthma, frequent headache, much loss of weight, gross albuminuria, cellu lar casts in the urine, or optic fundus change. They should be given a sedative before flight to prevent ner vous tension worsening their condition, particularly if they have not flown before. Whittingham's paper is naturally written from the point of view of the Director of Medical Services, British Overseas Airways Corporation, and quite rightly is conservative in its approach to the subject. An air line is responsible for the delivery, safe and sound, of its passengers; and from the point of view of its liability it must take stringent measures concerning the safe transportation of individuals known to be suffering from cardiovascular disease. My own experience has for some time been that this view is ultra-conservative, especially regarding cases whose journey is really necessary. I was therefore led to collect a series of patients suffering from the more serious forms of cardiovascular disease who to my know ledge had safely flown considerable distances.

Terminal Delay Problems of the 130/150 Seater Jet Transport

The largest air transport at present operating on air routes is the Douglas Globemaster which is able to lift up to 130 passengers and a considerable load of mail and freight. Experience of flying Globemasters many times on the military route between Seoul City Airport (Korea) and Tashekawa Air Force Base (near Tokyo) suggests the following observations. They may be of value to those aircraft manufacturers in Great Britain now building 130/150 seater jet air liners and to British Overseas Airways Corporation and other air lines who will be concerned with operating them, possibly by 1960.

A Prince Charmingj?

THE news is extremely pleasing that movements are on foot to make some commercial use of the three Saunders‐Roe Princess flying boats. Sardonically enough there even seems to be developing some competition for the privilege of purchasing them from the Ministry of Supply with a view to putting them into operation. This sudden activity is said to be due, characteristically, to a ‘directive’ from no less a person than SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL himself that an operational future must be found for them. When a spur from such a source is supported by a statement that the chairman of British Overseas Airways Corporation, SIR MILES THOMAS, whose dreams have a habit of becoming realities, is interested we feel not unduly optimistic in saying that the future looks bright— at any rate taking a long view. Meanwhile MR E. C. MEKIE, chairman of Aquila Airways Ltd., which is we suppose the only company with recent experience of operating flying boats, has stated that on November 5 his company made a ‘firm offer’ to the Ministry of Supply to buy all three machines for ‘much more than one million pounds each’. This offer, he says, was made in response to an approach by the Ministry to all independent airlines. It is to be presumed that the B.O.A.C. interest has been aroused by a similar inquiry, which perhaps tends to confirm the rumour as to the august source of the renewed activity in regard to these boats, which had been supposed to be going to be relegated to trooping duties under the aegis of Transport Command.

A Possibly Meteoritic Dust‐Cloud

AbstractThis note contains a quoted account of an extraordinary observation made by Captain W. L. Stewart of the British Overseas Airways Corporation, on 1948 February 7, at 11h 45m U.T., while he was flying west‐bound at an elevation of 10,000 feet, over a point whose equatorial coördinate number (ECN) = +0209,550, of what was apparently a downwardly concave, cylindrical dust‐cloud with a length of nearly 60 miles, which may have been meteoritic in origin.

Long-distance Test Flight of Jet-Propelled Air Liner

A DE HAVILLAND 'Comet' jet-propelled air liner recently carried out a long-distance flight, as part of its trials, from London to Castel Benito, Tripoli, a distance of 2,980 miles in a total flying time of six hours thirty-eight minutes—an average speed of just over 450 miles an hour. This is more than 100 miles an hour faster than the authenticated speed of any established air liner at present in use. It left London at 6.30 a.m. and, after a two-hour period in Tripoli for refuelling, it arrived back in London at 4 p.m. A performance such as this suggests that this type of machine should be taken up immediately by air transport concerns everywhere. Quantity production is already in hand by Messrs. De Havilland ; but it is not expected that they will be operating on the trunk services of the British Overseas Airways Corporation until 1952-53.

Equivalent Head Winds on Air Routes

1. Introduction. A detailed paper describing the theory and calculation of equivalent head winds on air routes has been prepared by J. S. Sawyer and is being published as a Meteorological Report. The present paper is a simplified account which draws largely on Mr. Sawyer's paper.When regular air services over a route are being planned, the wind at the chosen level of flight is an important factor. From the long term point of view, aircraft require to be designed so as to operate economically against adverse winds, if not on all occasions at least on all but a small percentage of occasions; for example, British Overseas Airways Corporation usually specify an 85% regularity of operation as a minimum. Similarly, for short term planning, wind information is necessary for the computations regarding the averages and extremes of fuel consumption, payload, time of flight, and so on. The aircraft operator consequently requires to know the frequency distribution of winds on any given route at any time of the year.