FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1914
1914 - 0508.PDF
(/ycHf) MAY 15, IQIA. FLYING AT HENDON. ALTHOUGH the weather on Thursday afternoon of last week was so bad, two out of the small but enthusiastic attendance of visitors applied for passenger flights, and they were not disappointed, for L. A. Strange gave them each a flight on the 80 h.p. Bleriot. One of these passengers, it should be mentioned, was a lady, who thoroughly enjoyed her experience in spite of the unfavourable conditions. No other flights were made that afternoon. Saturday turned out very dull, with a 30-35 m.p.h. wind blowing, so that the 16-mile cross-country handicap had to be abandoned. At about 3.30 p.m. L. A. Strange ascended with a passenger on the 80 h.p. Bleriot, and put up a 15-min. flight in a slight drizzling rain. Shortly after W. Birchenough went up on the 50 h.p. G.-W. bi-rudder 'bus, R. J. Lillywhite making a flight on the same machinealittle later on. Strange then made twomorepassengerflights on the B16riot, whilst Mr. Crawshay started off on a cross country flight with Miss Trehawke Davies on the latter's 70 h.p. Bleriot, returning to the aerodrome some 45 mins. later. Pierre Verrier made the next ascent on one of the old-type Maurice Farmans. After climbing until he reached an altitude of about 3,003 ft., where he was at times lost to view behind the clouds, he descended with a beautiful glide with the engine stopped and the propeller stationary. A little after 5 o'clock Marcel Desoutter brought out Lord Edward Grosvenor's 50 h.p. Bleriot and made a very good flight of about 8 mins. duration. He started off quite in his old style, climbing very sharply, and made an excellent landing, show ing that he has not forgotten the old days. It is indeed gratifying to see this plucky young pilot in the air again, but still we sincerely hope that if he intends to continue flying he will do so with the utmost caution. Lillywhite made one more flight on the bi-rudder' bus, and Strange made two passenger flights on the Bleriot before Louis Noel brought out the new Grahame- White 100 h.p. Military biplane which was exhibited at the last Olympia Show. iNoel first made two straight flights, and then put up a circuit of the aerodrome. The machine was very fast—well in the neighbourhood of 70 m.p.h.—but seemed to be rather unsteady longitudinally, although very steady- laterally. There also appeared to be a tendency for the machine to turn to the right. It would seem, therefore, that our remarks on this machine in the Show report; viz., that the tail should be further back, are borne out in practice. On landing, Noel reported that h; had a difficulty in turning with the rudder, the latter being rather small, and that although he had the control-lever almost right back he found it very hard to keep the machine climbing. This suggests that the machin; is slightly nose-heavy, and would b? even more so if a passenger were carried. It is, of course, very difficult to form an opinion on a new machine during such a short flight, especially as the engine was not running its best; and we must admit that, considering that the machine was on its first practical tests, and that a new machine always requires adjustments, we were otherwise favourably impressed. We must, too, congratu late Louis Noel on his pluck in trying out a new machine under unfavourable weather conditions. After this all the machines were returned to the hangars ; but later in the evening an interesting experi ment was made. This was a parachute descent from the five-seater biplane. Mr. W. Newell, an experienced aeronaut-parachutist, who was to make the descent, and F. W. Goodden—who has also made numerous parachute descents—after considering various places from where the leap could be made with safety, finally decided that a temporary seat should be made above the left-hand skid of the chassis, so that the parachutist could sit there with his feet on the latter ready to jump off. A rope seat was, therefore, made between the front and diagonal skid struts and all was ready. Newell took his " seat " with his parachute, folded and tied with a breaking- cord, on his lap, and with Carr in the pilot's seat and Goodden and Lillywhite as passengers the aerobus started off at 7.45 p.m. After climbing for 18 minutes, an altitude of 2,000 feet was reached, and then Newell made his leap into space. The parachute opened almost immediately and floated gracefully to- earth, Newell swinging about tremendously at first. One of The parachute descent oE W Newell at Hendon on Saturday last, when he descended from a height of 2.000 ft. tl 5?uLSL-& Lir«±UtS ff0m 1 G'»»>*»«-White biplane piloted by Mr. Reginald Carr, the descent"from the time of his leaving; he aeroplane occupying 2 mins. 22 sees. Mr. Newell Is seen on the skid exactly as he ascended for the feat, immediately above him beta, Mr. F. W. Gpodden, who assisted him to jump fro* theaeropfane whilst in the pilot's seat is Mr. Carr, with Mr. J. Lillywhite in the centre. 508
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
