December 18, 1961

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AIR TRANSPORT

El Al Tests Group Fares as Traffic Builder

Tel Aviv—El Al Israel Airlines is taking a lead in the drive for lower fares as the only long-range answer to the problem faced by an expanding industry with an increasing number of seats to fill. In the interim El Al is using a group fare system, permitted it under a special International Air Transport Assn, resolution, as a short-term approach.

By Cecil Brownlow9 min

AIR TRANSPORT

New Zealand Seeks Big Pacific Air Role

Auckland—Full development of South Pacific air routes with Tahiti as a key point and Australia, U. S. and Canada as prime markets is the basis of New Zealand’s future civil aviation policy. Unlike Australia’s civil air policy, which is global in concept (AW Dec. 11, p. 43), New Zealand considers its air transport role as essentially regional.

By L. L. Doty8 min

AIR TRANSPORT

Austrian Airline Continues Growth Pattern

Vienna—Austria’s national carrier, AUA Austrian Airlines, expects to close the year with significant increases in all sections of its operations, continuing the high growth rate maintained since its post-war revival in April, 1958. Seats sold during the first nine months of 1961, for example, totaled 115,000 and reflect an increase of 53.7 % over the 74,817 passengers carried during the same period of the previous year.

By Edith Walford8 min

BUSINESS FLYING

Beech Aims at Widening Market Potential

Wichita, Kan.—Refinements in the 1962 line of Beech Aircraft Corp. business airplanes, planned at minimizing price increases, will be a major factor in the company’s marketing program in the year ahead. Beech estimates that commercial business in Fiscal 1962 probably will be 15% higher than Fiscal 1961 when company business reached approximately $43 million, including spares and accessories.

By Erwin J. Bulban7 min

106

SAFETY

Cab Investigates Imperial’s Maintenance

Miami Beach—Civil Aeronautics Board investigation of Imperial Airlines has uncovered a history of discrepancies in the carrier’s maintenance, record-keeping and flight crew coordination procedures that may throw light on why an Imperial aircraft crashed last month, killing 77.

By David H. Hoffman7 min

114

Letters

1. Congratulations to AVIATION WEEK on two very timely and informative articles on the X-15 in the Nov. 20 issue. 2. I think, however, that further clarification should be given regarding the 100% increase of the design limit on altitude and the new adaptive flight control system installed in the number three X-15.

SPACE TECHNOLOGY

Usaf Sees Need for 3-man Lunar Rover

Three-man, multi-purpose lunar roving vehicle capable of performing such logistic functions as towing, bulldozing, maintenance and repair at a military base on the moon may evolve by 1966 from a study contract the Air Force’s Aeronautical Systems Division intends to award early next year.

By Barry Miller6 min

MID-DECEMBER1961

December 251961

December 18, 1961

December 18, 1961