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Aviation History
1914
1914 - 0397.PDF
APRH. II, 1914' aerodrome at Vienna-Neustadt, which was quite fiat and eight miles long and four miles wide, bordered along one side by high mountains there was an entire absense of irregular eddies in the wind. Mr. O'Gorman remarked upon the value of aneroids to pilots as there was little else to assist him in determining his position. In regard to the specialising of the study of particular machines, it was a good point for service purposes thit the combination of man and machine should be as efficient as possible and this was obtained by specialising. But for research and experimental purposes, which must cover all sorts of machines, there was always full scope for the versatile flyer. Mr. Bell's record of the effect of clouds upon the compass was astonishing, as any visible variation, by either electro static or electro-magnetic effect seems impossible, unless the aeroplane itself were discharging large quantities of electricity, which at the potential difference needed for disruptive discharges to a body of vapour means enormous sparks. What appeared more probable was that the aeroplane in question had a two-bladed air-screw, that the flyer was not aware of the fact that he was turning, that such turning with a two-bladed screw caused the well- known gyrostatic vibration, and that this vibration chanced to have such a period and direction that the needle was caused to make big deflections. It was very good hearing Mr. Bell draw attention to the value of fin distribution. For air purposes, the top fin had much to be said for it, as when properly proportioned with the other fins in the manner indicated by Mr. Bairstow recently, nothing but good could come from it in the air. But the problem of safe flight is nowadays the problem of safe landing in a wind. What is wanted is a righting moment in the air. The top fin gives a righting moment in the air, but also unfortunately introduces a serious side force with side winds which was most inconvenient when, by reason of the configuration of the ground, the aeroplane must be brought down across the wind. Experiments had been made at the R.S.F., ® ® British Army Aeroplanes. REPLYING to questions by Mr. Joynson-Hicks in the House of Commons last week, Mr. Harold Baker, Financial Secretary to the War Office, stated that sixteen B.E. aeroplanes had been built at the Royal Aircraft Factory, of which seven were issued as new machines, and the rest were reconstructions of other types. Mr. Baker denied that in the testing of the new R.E. machines the elevator flaps of several and the rudders of others bent while the machines were being flown, and that in one case the rudder broke oft owing to a gust of wind hitting it while it was standing on the ground. He also states that seriously damaged aeroplanes are strack off and replaced by new ones with new numbers. Formerly it was IpHS and in one case, the fin was so arranged that it pivoted about it* leading edges and could be oast off by the pilot on landing, but the complication was unnecessary if an adequate dihedral was used. He considered Mr. Bell's remarks on air brakes extremely sound, and should be closely attended to. This device should be all that Mr. Bell states,1 andshould be powerful enough toproduce a sensible reduction in the gliding angle. When once achieved, a notable advance would have been made towards greater speed and safer landing. Mr. Holdberg commented upon the fin effect of the propeller on model aeroplanes and said that he had to abandon one type of machine because of this. The Chairman (Col. Sykes), in proposing a vote of thanks to the lecturers, observed: confidence, skill and training were bound up together, and as efficiency increases greater confidence is obtained. A pilot must know a large number of things in order to fly well and these could only beobtained by continual practice. Pilots had increased greatly in efficiency, but machines had also improved enormously, as anyone who had visited Olympia could not have failed to note the great advance made in detail construction. For military purposes, he thought that a pilot should stick to one type of machine and become thoroughly master of it. In' France the tendency had been to develop the small fast aeroplane, in Germany to obtain greater endurance, while in this country there was a combination between the two. Mr. Hucks in his reply said that he still was of opinion that greater confidence had been the cause of the rapid progress made by pilots recently. He thought that there was probably no difference between the climbing speeds of a machine with and against the wind, and observed that the wings on his Bleriot were covered with rublxsr fabric with no dope which in wet weather became quite tight. Mr. Gordon Bell briefly replied. ® ® customary to class as reconstruction the practical rebuilding of an aeroplane if the original engine remained available. The Military Aeroplane Engine Competition. WE understand that since the list of entrants for the Military Aeroplane Engine Competition appeared in FuoHT for November 1st last, it has been increased by one, Messrs. Tips & Co. having entered a 100 h.p. rotary engine. This makes the total number of entrants 27, but some of the firms have entered more than one engine. Engines entered for the competition have to be delivered at the Royal Aircraft Factory, Farnborough, not later than Tuesday next. •JT c , J u, «,..»««<», Mr T Elder Hearn, just before their flight from Buc to Hendon last week. Mr. Salmet %^%JS^^J^£'£Z^Sff'm pilot himself in about three week,' time. 397
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