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Aviation History
1910
1910 - 0094.PDF
pGfffj desired flexibility to the trailing edge that projects behind the stretched cable. For the front planes, the ribs lie about i ft. apart, while at the rear they are situated about 18 ins. apart. The camber of the planes is in the neighbourhood of 4 ins. Our scale drawings show the position of the engine and of the two 8 ft. wood propellers that lie about 9 ft. 6 ins. apart and almost centrally between the planes. As will be observed, fhe engine lies just forward of the spars, where it rests on a channel steel frame, and is therefore right in front of the pilot's seat and of the seats which may be provided for passengers. A framing of steel tube is employed for carrying the propellers, which are driven by a pair of chains, one of which is crossed, and are geared in the ratio of about 3 to 1, giving a normal speed of some 600 revs, per min. FEBRUARY 5, 1913. Concerning the control, the exact position of the rudder or rudders is not fully determined, provision having been made whereby it can either be fixed at the back as seen in our drawings, or in front immediately behind the fore pair of uprights. It and the elevator form the sole means of control, and both are to be operated by a single universally jointed lever. The idea is to move this lever in one direction for elevating and in the other direction for lateral steering. Finally it will be observed that the machine is provided with five supporting wheels, all of which are spring suspended ; and with this we may leave the subject of an unusually interest ing machine for the moment, until the next stage in development has been completed. Needless to say, everybody in this country, at any rate, will wish its inventor the success which he deserves, if only because of his originality and obvious inventive ability. FRENCH GOVERNING BODIES. THE MEANINGLESSNESS OF "SPORT" IN FRANCE. By Geo. THE recent action of the International Aeronautical Federation and the Commission Aerienne Mixte came possibly with less surprise to me than the majority of your readers. Up till quite recently I spent a con siderable amount of my time in the French capital, and had on several occasions reasons to have dealings with French federations, and the result of my meetings with them has convinced me that fair play from them is the last thing in the world one is likely to get, if English, and little doubt exists in my mind that the Aero Club would be well advised to cut aloof from them altogether until they are prepared to meet them on absolute equal terms in every particular. To my way of thinking, England holds far too much respect for the word " sport." Sport, we know by our national instinct, is one of the obvious characteristics of an Englishman in whichever part of the world he is found, but in our extreme regard for the word the business aspect of matters gets somewhat obscured, and after all is said and done the pure financial side of the whole question is the one thing that interests the French, whatever outward appearances they may endeavour to show to the contrary. When one is dealing with a body such as this it naturally follows that to meet them in our natural sporting spirit is abject folly, and it is a position abso lutely untenable to give way to them and continually whelp from their repeated lashings. Far better is it to play them at their own game, and refuse to allow their aviators to compete at our meetings until equality in either country reigns supreme. The case of the flyers who were suspended at the Doncaster meeting is one that particularly struck me, as I had a somewhat similar case two or three years ago. I firmly believe that had not the Aero Club reduced the suspension of the French aviators who competed, on the receipt of their sagacious appeal, the French Federation would immediately have given an example of the attitude they intend maintaining. I remember once signing a contract with Guippone, the famous motor cycle and car driver, who is now entering the list of aviators, to compete in some motor cycle races at Turin. At the time in Italy there existed a dispute between two governing bodies, and the races in which we competed were run under the auspices of the body not affiliated to the International Federation. The result N. Barnes. was Guippone and I were immediately suspended and fined. The Italian body interceded on behalf of Guippone in the same way as the French body interceded on behalf of their aviators, and Guippone was pardoned. I there fore asked my Union in England—namely, the Auto- Cycle Union—to appeal on my behalf, but the result was I had to suffer, although we had both committed the same offence. This, I think, clearly shows the attitude of the French Unions towards the English, and actions like these have led me to conclude that it is no good looking to France for sportsmanship. From personal knowledge of several machines that are under construction in England, unless all of these are followed by extreme ill-luck, we shall have, by the opening of the season proper, a sufficient number of English aviators capable of assuring the success of any meeting promoted within the limit of our shores, and I believe that from a financial side of the case—which must not be overlooked, for this year, at any rate— England will be as happy a hunting ground as any where, and so make the foreigner regard us with envious eyes. Therefore, I submit it to the Aero Club that it is questionable as to whether it would not be even advantageous to the English industry to be aloot altogether from the International body. Whilst the Continental crowd who have obtained a large start from us (there is no denying this) are barred from our meetings the prizes that are being in this way reserved for Englishmen would encourage the home manufac turers, and give them a chance to pick up lost ground. The closing of the majority of events to foreign machines would also help the home manufacturer to recover his position. It is as much the duty of the Aero Club to foster the industry as well as look after the sport, and I suggest the opinion that these matters are worthy of consideration on that score alone, especially as we have not " protection " to aid us in any way. To my mind the International Federation has done this country all the good it is likely to do, it has established firmly the position of the Aero Club as the sole governing body ot the sport and guardian of the industry, and from the way in which the English interests were looked after at the International meeting, I do not think we are in bad hands.
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