classic flight schedules & flight speeds

[thomas]

HI

I have found and downloaded a copy of SAA's 1958 timetable, both international and local flights, and I have just completed Flight SA 214, FAJS to EGLL (5 legs) in the original Douglas DC-7B. In most instances I had to fly the aircraft at substantially less than normal cruising speed just so that I could more or less land on schedule.

For instance, if I had flown the final leg (Rome to Heathrow) at the normal 210 kts IAS, (at 16 000 ft) I would have arrived a good hour too early. Is this correct? Did the airlines build some 'fat' into their schedules, just in case? Or am I doing something wrong?

If anybody wants to try this flight, the leg from Rome to London left the gate at 0750 local and was scheduled to land at 1030.


cheers
Thomas

[Tom/CalClassic]

Hi,

Long distance flights typically had quite a bit of slack programmed in, especially if the route was subject to potential headwinds. The final leg often had the most slack, to allow for easy connections from your flight. I would assume many would have been connecting to another flight in London.

The other thing is that the schedule you followed might have had a different mix of standard and daylight saving time in various locations vs FS, leading to you being one hour early or late. That kind of thing has changed over the years.

Short distance "string of pearls" or "bus stop" routes typically were tightly scheduled, and you have to hustle your fanny to keep up with those.

Hope this helps,

[Col7777]

Not sure if this is relevant but there is an hour difference in Rome time and London time, Rome is one hour in front.

I may be wrong if so ignore my remark.

[Wolfgang]

Hi,

Rome is normally GMT +1 and in summer GMT +2
In the past, they also experimented in summertime
with GMT +3


Wolfgang

[ashaman]

Feb 12, 2009 12:27:59 GMT -5 Wolfgang said:

Rome is normally GMT +1 and in summer GMT +2
In the past, they also experimented in summertime
with GMT +3

Hi,

Sorry to correct you but, yes, Rome is GMT+1, but in the summer (like a lot of other countries worldwide), to maximize light hours and economize on electricity expense, the clock is brought 1 hour forward, so it's a "unofficial" GMT+2, but never in the almost 40 years of my life I was made part it's been experimented a 2 hours summer clock time difference.

How do I know? I live 200Km south of Rome. ;D

More so, nowhere on the net I can find notes on Italy having tried a 2 hour summer clock time ever since 1916.

No offense implied.


PS
Of course I could be wrong (no one is perfectly foul proof). Feel free to correct me if you have sources on the matter.

[Tom/CalClassic]

Hi,

But back then, different countries used different dates to begin and end DST than we do today, so there might have been a schedule where Rome was in DST but London was not (or visa versa), and this could cause the hour error.

[thomas]

Thanks everyone for your replies.

To summarise, some slack was built into long-distance flights, and I should take DST into account. That sorts that out, and I'm glad that I'm not doing anything wrong.

Keep the shiny side up!
Thomas

PS if anybody wants this timetable, I've transcribed it to a spreadsheet format and I can send it to you. Just ask. I also have one for Lufthansa from the same era (late 1950's).

[emfrat]

Hi Thomas -

Another point is that published schedules are usually 'gate-to-gate' rather than 'takeoff-to-touchdown'. Taxying, and engine run-ups, could easily account for 20 mins or so, and there was no two-minute separation in those days either, so allowance would have been made for possible holding, especially near busier airports where poor weather conditions were likely.

Cheers
MikeW

[Wolfgang]

Hi ashaman,

you are right, it is a mix-up
from me , it wasn't in Italy.

Wolfgang

[ashaman]

Feb 12, 2009 20:55:32 GMT -5 Wolfgang said:

Hi ashaman,

you are right, it is a mix-up
from me , it wasn't in Italy.

Wolfgang

No sweat.

If you need an insight onto Italian matters, ask freely. I am, after all, an inhabitant of this boot-shaped peninsula.