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Aviation History
1913
1913 - 0060.PDF
buzzards were soaring well up in the air the small machine would fly and the two-seater carry a passenger. If these birds were flying low and had to do much flapping, the air was only good enough for the two- seater to fly with the pilot alone. This point was soon to be brought home both to poor Capt. Hamilton and myself rather forcibly. We had been invited to pay a visit to the Country Club, some 16 miles from Mexico City. I suggested that we both go over on the two- seater, then, if we were detained till sunset I could fly back alone. Hamilton was rather anxious to put the little machine through its paces, and he decided to make the attempt on that, while I flew over alone on the two- seater. We set out at 2.30 p.m., the liltle Deperdussin climbing easily and well, and we both arrived safely. After a game of tennis, and some tea, it began to cloud over, and it was 5 before Hamilton started back. I rather urged him not to make the attempt, but he thought he could manage it, so off he went, disappearing over some high trees with 80 ft. or so to spare. He thought he could not clear them, and was trying to force the machine up, when a side gust caught him, turned the monoplane completely over, and it described a vol plane on its back, Hamilton with his knees under the control bridge, still hanging on inside. It landed, breaking everything but the wheels and Hamilton, who then dropped out unhurt—a marvellous escape. It was an expensive break, but it served to confirm absolutely what we had already supposed, and we were obliged to chalk it up to experience, our fund of which was increasing much more rapidly than our banking account. While speaking of heat eddies, I might mention an incident at Santa Rita, where I flew over a forest fire of considerable magnitude. Above the smoke region the hot air rose very rapidly, and as soon as the machine entered it, it would rise almost vertically. The first experience came so suddenly and with such alarming force that I felt sure something must have gone wrong, and I was not long in getting back to earth to think the matier over, a habit of mine. It was some time before I could persuade myself to try it again ; however, when I did, the effect was the same, and once the cause of it was definitely determined it was rather a source of amusement to me and spectacular for the onlookers. At this same place I had the disagreeable experience of being lost for an hour and a half. Outside of a few QUESTIONS IN ON the 8thinst, in the House of Commons, Lord C. Bereiford asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he was aware that the Admiralty circular letter of July 15th, 1912, stated that officers and men of the Royal Flying Corps would be paid at certain rates, with additional flying pav of Ss. a day for officers and 2s. a day for men, and that in the circular letter it was laid down that these allowances would be paid continuously as in the submarine service, and that officers and men would receive only half the flying pay whilst under instruction and full allowance when qualified ; whether the Admiralty have lately ordered that officers and men will only receive flying pay on days on which they actually make an ascent, half- rate whilst under instruction, and, presumably, though this point is not confirmed, the full rate when qualified ; whether he is aware that it was under the former conditions that officers and men were induced to volunteer for the airship service, since no distinction was made between the airship section and the aeroplane section ; and if he will state why the regulations in regard to the payment of flying pay to these officers and men were altered. Mr. Churchill, in a written answer, stated : The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative ; but the flying pay for men is 4?. or 2s. a day, according to their flying proficiency. As regards the second part of the question, the answer is in the affirmative so far as the naval airship section is concerned. With regard to the remainder of the question I have nothing to add to the Indian huts and their occupants there was not a single soul within a radius of 30 miles. My mechanics and I ran the machines off two flat railway cars early that morning, and we spent a hard day erecting them in the hot sun. They were ready for action at four o'clock in the afternoon, and the machines were run out on to our improvised aerodrome, a patch some 900 ft. by 500 ft. which we had had burnt off and which was as black as a cinder. To be sure I could see it very plainly from above, so I took no particular care to take any bearings, but here I was mistaken as it turned out afterwards. I started off for the mountains and 15 minutes later by my clock swerved round and headed back again, but where was that little black patch of ground ? Nowhere to be seen. Look as I would there was absolutely no trace of it. Imagine my feelings flying over a wild uninhabited country, tropical forests, jungles and swamps, everything but a good landing ground. The next thing I knew was the sight of the ocean looming up ahead of me, and as I knew I had started from a point about 50 miles inland, I turned back again and headed for Mount Orizaba. Back I went, making repeated vol planes to get a better look at the country below, my anxiety increasing at every revolution of the propeller. At last, in the gathering darkness, I caught sight of the flicker of a flame, and, making a beeline for it, found to my great satis faction that it was our encampment. That night, as I lay awake under the wings of the good old Dep., I wondered what might have happened had I not caught sight of that flame. Once more I mentally chalked up a few figures to my fund of experience, reflecting that things as viewed from above do not necessarily appear as they do from the ground. On one ground in Yucatan I could not fly unless at least 10 miles an hour of wind were blowing, as the field was too small to lift from without a head wind. Returning to earth was still more ticklish an operation, and I conceived the idea of spreading sand along the far end. It worked excellently, and pulled the two-seater up almost at once. Flying out there late on in the day a curious feeling of drowsiness very often came over me. The peaceful surroundings, the dim light, the steady hum of the motor, and the uniform rush of the air seemed to induce a semi-hypnotic state which it was difficult to shake off". For this reason I never flew unless I was in good physical condition and had had plenty of rest. ® ® PARLIAMENT. reply given by Mr. Macnamara to Earl Winterton on the 1st inst. On the following day Mr. Joynson-Hicks asked the Secretaiy for War how many aeroplanes have been ordered of the eighteen for which tenders had been invited on December 19th, and why orders for further aeroplanes have been so much delayed. Colonel Seely replied that tenders have been received, the last on January 1st, and are under consideration. Mr. Joynson-Hicks further asked the Secretary for War whether he is aware that over 400 aeroplanes were bought by the French Army during the past year in addition to the 218 possessed by the French Army at the end of 1911 ; how many aeroplanes the Royal Flying Corps possesses belonging to the Military Wing, and how many at the Central Flying School; how many of these are actually in flying order ; and how many of them are capable of exceeding a speed of 65 miles an hour in calm air, i.e., without the assistance of the wind. Colonel Seely in a written answer stated : There is no information at the War Office to show the number of aeroplanes bought by the French Army during the past year. The Royal Flying Corps, Military Wing, possesses 29 aeroplanes, and the Central Flying School 26. Of these, 26 and 19 respectively are in flying order. With regard to the last part of the question, I do not think it is desirable to make public the qualities in speed or otherwise of our aeroplanes for use in war.
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