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Aviation History
1911
1911 - 0406.PDF
I/ye!"] MAY 6, 1911. CORRESPONDENCE. The name and address of the writer (not necessarily for publication) MUST in all cases accompany Utters intended for insertion, or containing queries. turned to the left and swept out over the sea, heeling Correspondents communicating with regard to letters which they have read in FLIGHT, would much facilitate ready reference by quoting; the number of each such letter. NOTE.—Owing to the great mass of valuable and interesting corre spondence which we receive, immediate publication ii impossible, but each letter will appear practically in sequence and at the earliest possible moment. The Elliott "Gyro" Compass. 11160] Some interest having been expressed in the Gyro compass which we are fitting into numerous ships in the British Navy, a good many questions have reached us as to the suitability of the apparatus in its present form for aeroplanes. We should like to point out that the Gyro compass as at present constructed is far too bulky and of too complex a nature to be used practically on any aeroplane, and, indeed, its employment would not be of any particular advantage to the aerial navigator as compared with a magnetic compass. A magnetic compass properly adjusted and compensated so as to be unaffected by the iron and steel portions of the aeroplane, is a perfectly serviceable instrument, but in order that the compass may point in the direction of the magnetic pole and not at the engine, compensations are necessary which require the aeroplane to be "swung" in a manner similar to that employed in adjusting magnetic compasses on board ship. We understand that facilities for this process are in existence at Brooklands. Precaution has also to be taken to prevent rapid vibrations set up by the engine affecting the actual compass card, and this we understand has been done in the case of a special form of magnetic compass which is being put upon the market by a well-known firm acting on some designs submitted to them by the best known experts on magnetic compasses. 36, Leicester Square, W.C. ELLIOTT BROTHERS. A First Flight Experience. 1161] I enclose herewith three photos which may be of interest to yourself and to readers of FLIGHT. Some months ago you published a letter from myself re the possibility of passenger flights for say one guinea. While still believing that these will come to pass in the near future, I find that applications are treated with indifference at anything about that figure. At the present time and state of aviation I cannot, however, blame aviators in this matter. It is easy to take one's seat behind a skilful pilot on a well-tuned aeroplane and to smoothly fly and return to earth, and then wonder why the charges are seemingly high. But the enterprise, daring and patience to make this possible, can only, I take it, be really appreciated by those strenuously engaged in "the game." This by the way, however. I should like, with your permission, to give a brief account of how I took these photos. Through the courtesy of C. Compton Paterson, Esq., the Liverpool aviator, I got my long- tried-for flight, and it exceeded my expectations in many ways. I arrived at the Freshfield Aerodrome just after 2 p.m. on Saturday, 8th ult., and met the racing Farman just returning from a spin. The wind was rising and blowing strongly, but Mr. Paterson decided to take me up, and I was in the seat, the engine throbbed, and away we went along the broad smooth sands towards Southport, and took the air without knowing it. Now began the experiences of which I had no conception. The sands below and sandhills on our right, the sea away directly on our left, all sank below and we stood still seemingly, although the exhilarating rush of air said 50 m. p.h." For some miles we kept this course at about 300 feet up, then we Uuw ^ . -».- over as gracefully as a yacht. Here I took No. 1 photo, right over the pilot's head and beyond the elevator. You will notice the ribbed and coursed sands and the incoming tide. A long undulating course back beyond our starting point towards Liverpool found us at a height of 400 ft. We swept round again and passed directly over the line of the five large hangars. Here I took photo No. 2. This is a good gauge of our height. The blur, at the junction of the road and the beach, is a small crowd of spectators. We circled out to sea and dropped to about 200 ft. over the hangars again, to get photo No. 3 at closer range. Then up to 300 ft. and—silence and a steep dive, with the beach rushing up to us, as with the Gnome stopped we volplaned to earth, landing, as we started, imperceptibly. Although there is nothing striking about these photos at first sight, yet when it is borne in mind that it was a misty, windy day, that I had never been aloft before, and yet was able to work the camera with both hands and yet feel quite secure, and that, travelling at this great speed over an exposed coast line, the well-defined image of the frame and elevator, and even the wires, makes the photos a striking testimony to the wonderful balance of the machine and the absolute control and skill of the aviator. I admired the ease and confidence with which Mr. Paterson fought the gusts and wind waves, and kept the aeroplane running smoothly. To my surprise, he was able to call out a running comment upon his moves for my benefit. The flight convinced me of the vast strides which aviation has made in little more than a year, and even if I cannot get aloft again the experience has added greatly to my already keen interest in aviation. Flixton, near Manchester. PERCY A. AMOS. Suggested Propeller Competition. [1162] There are now a number of propeller manufacturers who all claim to obtain the best results. Some are alike, and some differ very much in size, shape, and thickness. The time is now ripe to wipe out many wild notions, and this can be best done by having one or more competitions, not only stationary tests but in actual flight. Let a certain machine with a certain engine be chosen, let the makers send up their best efforts for this combination, and see which propellers give the best results stationary and in the air. To thrash the subject out thoroughly one would have to have different classes or sections, namely, the geared-down double propeller type, single ditto. But there are limitations to each of these, since most present day aero engines have not geared-down propeller-shafts. We shall be very pleased to lend one of our Avro biplanes fitted with a 30-h.p. Green. It is usually driven at 1,100 r.p.m., and is 30-h.p. at that speed. No doubt the Aeronautical Society, or representatives of the Royal Aero Club, could observe the trials, the results to be- published in the aviation Press. Brooklands. A. V. ROE. "Is the Helicopter Possible?" [1163] In answer to Mr. Weaver's letter (1140 in your issue of April 15th), I would ask Mr. Weaver to re-read my letter (1006 in your issue of January 7th) and also the extremely interesting one (1005 in the same issue) from Mr. J. JR. Porter, when I think he will be led to modify his views. Mr. Weaver takes me to task for supposing that any factor or safety at all should be considered in the construction of a flying machine ; but the necessity of some factor of safety is evident unless the machines are to be death-traps, and this is admitted by Mr. ' I ' ' - :— -I • ^^ No. 1. No. 2. Mr. Amos' flight with Mr. Compton Paterson. 408 No. 3.
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