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Aviation History
1915
1915 - 1026.PDF
[/DM) there was any immediate danger of breakage since the bracing cables might have been left rather slack when the 'bus was turned up, but it is never particularly comforting to see a stay wire dangling about. Having ascertained that the machine answers her con trols perfectly, the next step is to take her to a safe alti tude and try a loop. Here I should like to mention that I am a great believer in air speed indicators, which I have found to be most reliable for straightforward flying, and absolutely invaluable under certain circumstances. For instance, in getting out of a small field with obstacles round it, such as trees, &c, it is of the greatest impor tance to know the speed as registered by the indicator, which gives the maximum climb. For looping, however, I have noticed that the indicator is not always to be trusted implicitly, at any rate when doing more than one loop. This is due to a certain sluggishness in the transmission of the difference in pressure from the Pitot tube to the indicator, or a lag in the instrument itself. Another thing which may tend to make the movements of the indicator needle somewhat erratic is that in most installations there are usually a fair number of rubber connections which, if not properly looked after, may become cracked and cause leaks. That this sluggishness exists was very forcibly brought home to me once during a flight. I had just made a rather steep dive during which the indicator needle only advanced slowly, but when I had flattened out and even commenced to climb a little so as to take some of DECEMBER 17, 1915. the speed off the 'bus, the indicator needle still kept accelerating upwards until it reached, or nearly so, the figure corresponding to the highest speed attained during the dive. Apart from the pilot's feeling " fit" or otherwise, " stunt" flying is to a great extent determined by weather conditions. Here it should be realised that there are days when tricks which would be highly dangerous on other days are reasonably safe. Nothing is absolutely safe ; even eating fish one might swallow a bone and choke. A short flight soon tells a pilot whether or not the air is to be trusted. Obviously if the day is such that you get " drops " when least expecting them, you would not do any " stunting " at a low altitude. I have encountered a good deal of criticism on account of my alleged " acrobatics " when testing machines, and hope that the present brief article may help to convince the critics that I do not indulge in these " stunts " simply for the love of the thing, although I must confess that I rather enjoy them, but that they are carried out with definite objects in view. In conclusion, I wish to point out that a great deal depends on the type of machine one is flying. Given a small light machine and a large heavy machine, both theoretically possessing the same factor of safety, one can, in my opinion, take liberties on the small 'bus which it would be folly to attempt on the large one, owing to the difference in inertia stresses of the two. London Aerodrome* Collindale Avenue, Hendon. Grahame-White School (R.N.A.S.)-—Straights with instructor last week: Probationary Flight Sub-Lieut. Rockey. Landing practice: Probationary Flight Sub- Lieut. Ovens. Brevets taken by Probationary Flight Sub-Lieuts. Saint and Malet. Grahame-White Civilian School.—Straights with instructor : Messrs. Lewis and Verguilt. Eights with instructor: Mr. Yates. Eights and circuits alone; Messrs. Gammon and Phillippi. Instructors during week : Messrs. Manton, Pashley, Russell, and Winter. Owing to unfavourable weather, further practice was not possible. Beatty School.—The following pupils were out during last week:—Messrs. Baker, Barrow, Begg, Branford, Collett, Drysdale, Gayner, Godfrey, Hughes, Kirkwood, Martin, Owen, Podmore, Thompson, Halford-Thompson, Williams, Young, d'Allesina, Sellars, Aoyong, Wainwright, Baldwin, Byrne, Overton and Savill-Onley. The instructors were Messrs. G. W. Beatty, W. Roche- Kelly, R. W. Kenworthy, G. Virgilio, A. E. Mitchell and L. L. King. The machines in use were Be'atty-Wright dual control and single-seater propeller biplanes and Caudron tractor biplanes. Certificates were taken during the week by Mr. Kirk wood and Lieut. Gayner, and three further pupils are awaiting favourable weather to go through their tests. Hall School.—The following pupils were attending practice during last week :—With Cecil M. Hill: Dresser, Capt. Grey, Mann, Redford, Stirling, and Shum. With John Drew: Arnsby, Wooley, Ormerod, Millburn, Cosgrave, Chapman, Neal, Le Coq Moir, Lieut. Cooke, Collins, and Ridley. Machines in use : Hall and Caudron Government-type tractors. The weather was as bad as it could well be for tuition work. London and Provincial Aviation Co.—Pupils doing rolling last week: Messrs. Holcombe, Snow, Rimer, Scott, Van Roggen, Medaets, Egelstaff, Loomes, Hardy and Lees. Doing straights : Messrs. Hunt, Heyn, Martin, Wood, Medaets, Knowles and Thorp. Doing circuits : Messrs. Atkinson, Thorp, Burgess and Martin. Instructors: Messrs. W. T, Warren, M. G. Smiles, C. Jacques, H. Sykes and W. T. Warren, jun. Lieut. Atkinson took a very good Royal Aero Club certificate on Sunday. Ruffy-Baumann School.—Pupils out last week with instructor: Hoskyn, Bolton, Humtiaux, Pauli, Cox, Yiule, Laidlow, Launoit, Cuthbertson and Dobson. Straights or rolling alone: Tomson, Cole and Griffith Eights or circuits alone : Tomson. Instructors: Ed. Baumann, F. Ruffy, A. Baumann and Winchester. Machines in use: 60 and 50 h.p. Caudron-type biplanes. 990
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