FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1914
1914 - 0137.PDF
FEBRUARY 7, 1914. The method of operation is as follows :—On the induction stroke of the cycle, the piston moves for some distance down the cylinder before uncovering the ports communicating with the gas chambers, but when the top of the piston reaches the edges of these ports, they are fully open and the gas rushes in at a high velocity owing to the high suction pressure existing in the cylinder. The exhaust valve closes the exhaust ports early in this stroke, and is still descending when the piston commences to return. On the return stroke, the piston first closes the inlet ports and then compresses the charge, which, when the dead centre is reached, is fired, and the piston moves foward on the power stroke of the engine. While the compression stroke is being made, the valve system commences to ® ® ^JJGHT move towards the head of the cylinder, and by the time the piston again reaches the edge of the inlet ports on the power stroke, they are closed by the sleeve-valve. During the exhaust period, the valves continue to move outwards until the limit of their travel is reached, when they return and finally close the exhaust ports ihortlj after the piston has commenced the induction stroke. The sequence of operations is then repeated. Hy means of the construction employed, the inlet valve is not subjected to the full pressure and temperature in the cylinder, and it is claimed that the troubles which are so frequently experienced in poppet valve engines are entirely eliminated. (To be continued.) ® ® ARMCHAIR REFLECTIONS. By THE The Pilot-Instructor. As a type, surely the pilot-instructor stands out peculiarly and splendidly alone. I can recall no other business or profession in which those called upon to instruct pupils have to work so long, who have more need of patience and less need of nerves, who take greater risks with less thought of them, than the pilot-instructor. At his best he is a splendid type of man, and worthy of every consideration by his employers. One has but to visit the aerodrome during lesson time, to realise that instructing pupils in aviation is work that calls for a man as instructor who must be no laggard. An early- riser, in the summer-time he must be at the aerodrome soon after four to take charge of his pupils during their early morning practice. First, he must thoroughly and personally test the machines and the air to see that everything is right; then he and his assistants—generally old pupils who have obtained their brevets and remain at the school—proceed to instruct the beginner. In most things it is but the commencement that is difficult, the rest following on by easy stages. But in learning to fly this is not so; the commencement is comparatively easy, the lessons not only getting more difficult as they progress, but the danger increasing. Quite new hands have the various parts of the machine and controls explained to them ; others more advanced are taking their first experience of a run over the ground, or making a short flight as a passenger. Some still more advanced are making straight flights a few feet above the ground, landing at the far side of the aerodrome to taxi the machine round and fly back. These are generally under the supervision of the assistant-instructors, the chief or pilot-instructor having more arduous and responsible work on hand ; he is up in the air as a passenger, sitting behind or alongside an advanced pupil who lias sole control of the machine, possibly for the first time. This soundsarisky thing to do, but it hastobedone some time with all the pupils, and at some of the larger schools, having always a great number of pupils on hand, has to be done a dozen times a day. If passengers at Hendon or Brooklands ever have any qualms about going up behind a fully-qualified pilot, what must that pilot feel like when he goes up, as he does many times every day, year in and year out, behind novices ? It is true that some machines have dual control, but many have not; and even where such is fitted it is by no means certain that a pilot will be able to correct the mistake of a pupil. In cases of urgent decision as to what to do, when seconds are precious, it is almost impossible that any two people, even when they are both pilots, will do the same thing at the exact moment; how very much more so is this unlikely when one is an unskilled pupil, likely to lose his head just at the time when he most needs to keep it ? In this many-sided business, flying as a passenger on a machine under the control of a pupil calls for more pluck than is DREAMER. generally possessed by the average man. At breakfast- time, when the wind begins to gain strength, the pupils have finished till evening, unless it happens to be a very still and favourable day, when practice may go on throughout the entire day. For the pilot-instructor, how ever, there is no rest. In addition to instructing, he generally has also the management of the teaching side of the business, and must keep a log of all lessons and flights made by his pupils, which have to be entered up and progress noted every day. Machines have to be overhauled and inspected to locate minor defects, and it is surprising what a lot of small damage a machine sustains when used for tuition purposes—damage which is sometimes very hard to detect, but which may lead to a very effective smash during landing later on, if not discovered and rectified. Instructions have to be given to the mechanic to " put this right," or " strengthen that," and quite a lot of time and care is expended over this part of the business. During the afternoon, on several days in the week, the pilot-instructor at some aerodromes must become an exhibition flyer, and provide interest and amusement for the paying public ; taking part in races and doing his best to win prizes for his employers. On these days he must also be ready with his machine to take up passengers, passenger-flights continuing in the summer-time right up to dark. On other days evening school is held, and again he has not finished till long after most other people have returned home to dinner and rest. New machines, often of a type never tried before, have to be tested, and if they will fly at all, have to be flown in order to demonstrate the success or failure of some new idea; and at such work the pilot-instructor becomes hardened to minor smashes, such as a machine falling a few feet and breaking a wheel or strut, often pitching the pilot out with more speed than ceremony. Nowadays it is also not at all an uncommon thing for a pilot to have to travel to the Continent to take charge of, and deliver by way of the air, a new machine of a type on which he has never flown before. Cross-Channel flying, once so wonderful, is now taken as part of the day's work. Again, personality plays a great part in the making of a successful instructor. Pupils will learn rapidly under a man of charming personality, who would perhaps be slow under another man. An instructor who can make his pupils feel that he has a genuine interest in their progress, and can smile good-naturedly at their feeble attempts, meanwhile fostering them with words of encouragement, not only makes learning a pleasure, but benefits both the pupil and the school by obtaining the precious brevet in the shortest possible time without sacrificing thoroughness. In. after years it must be a source of great pleasure to him when one or other of his old pupils does something of note in the world of aviation ; as he can then say with all justifiable pride, " I taught him to fly." 137 C 2
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
