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Aviation History
1914
1914 - 0489.PDF
MAY 9, 1914 of a starting handle, thus doing away with the usual swinging of the propeller. [fOGHT) " Flight" Nacelle and chassis of Sanchez-Besa biplane. The main planes, which have a comparatively small gap in relation to the chord, are built up of wooden ribs over steel tube spars. Inter-connected ailerons are fitted to both upper and lower planes, and the chord of the ailerons is greater at the tip than at their inner ends in order to render them more efficient. The tail planes are carried on an outrigger formed by four steel tubes, and are unusual in that the two divided rudders are mounted on and move with the elevator, so that when the latter is moved up or down the rudders move back wards and forwards with it. This arrangement necessitates a rather unusual control gear, which consists of the usual central universally pivoted hand lever which operates the elevators through a series of quadrants underneath the nacelle. By means of these quadrants the movement of the elevator is geared up so that for a small movement of the hand lever the elevator is rotated through a compara tively large arc. The whole control gear seems unneces sarily complicated, and it is a question whether a different type tail, which would do away with the use of the quad rants, would not be an improvement. However, the present system appears to work quite satisfactorily, and the machine certainly answers the controls very well, doing right angle turns in apparently less than her own length. When doing a turn with the rudders only these do not seem to be any too large, but by using the ailerons in con junction with the rudders exceedingly sharp turns can be effected. The machine appears to be perfectly stable spirally, in spite of the comparatively large side area of the nacelle in front of the centre of gravity, and last Sunday, at Hendon, the pilot—Delaporte—flew the machine in a high wind with both hands off the controls. A refinement worth noticing in the machine, and one illustrated by the accompanying sketches, are the wheel brakes fitted on the rear wheels. By means of these brakes, which are operated from the pilot's seat, the machine can be held back by the pilot whilst running the engine all out, so that it is possible, by the aid of these brakes, and the starting handle behind the passengers' seat, to start the machine without any outside assistance whatever, a feature which should prove useful for cross-country work where, after having made a forced landing en route, experienced assistants are not always available, and where Copyright. " Flight " Copyright. Rear portion of the Sanchez-Besa chassis. the help of inexperienced, though willing, assistants may easily cause considerable damage to the machine. Another advantage of the wheel brakes is that on making a landing "Flight" Copyright. Lefts Inter-plane strut attachment and control-cable pulleys on Sanchez-Besa biplane. On the right: Detail sketch of wheel brake. 489
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