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Aviation History
1917
1917 - 0506.PDF
MAY 24, ANSWERS CORRESPONDENTS [As a number of letters reach us signed with initials only, some of which do not give a complete address, we would point out that such communications cannot be dealt with in our columns. Full name arid address, which will not be published, must always be given.—ED.] Notice to Correspondents in General. Applications for commissions in the Royal Naval Air Service should be addressed to the •Director of Air Services, Admiralty. S.W. The necessary form and conditions of entry can be obtained from the Secretary of the Admiralty. Applications for commissions in the Royal Flying Corps should be sent to the Director-General of Military Aeronautics, Hotel Cecil, Strand, W.C. Those who wish to enlist in the R.N.A.S. should apply to the nearest naval recruiting station or to the R.N.A.S. Drafting Office, Crystal Palace, S.E. Skilled mechanics are taken whatever their army classification, but unskilled men are only taken if they are classified Bi, B2, or Ci. Recruiting for the R.F.C. is closed for the time being, and any enquiries should be made to the Officer Commanding, Royal Flying Corps Depot, Farnborough. Enquiries with regard to appointments in the A.I.D. should be addressed to the Chief Inspector, Aeronautical Inspection Department, Hotel Cecil, W.C. 2. G. J. P. (Frimley). Your chest trouble would probably rule you out. You should apply as directed above. R. J. T. (Brentwood). The fact that you have neither flying nor mechanical experience does not matter. You must obtain permission from your commanding officer to apply for a commission. A. C. (Dundee). You should apply to A. E. Jones, Ltd., 97, New Oxford Street, W.C., or to T. W. Clarke and Co., Ltd., Hampton Wick, Middlesex. W. A. E. (Horwich). Scale drawings of the Avro enclosed biplane appeared in "FLIGHT" of August 31st, 1912. Copies can be obtained from " FLIGHT " offices for is. 6%d. post free. J. V. D. (Woodford Green). The headquarters of L'Aerophile are at 35, Rue Fran- cois i«r, Champs-Elysees, Paris (VIII*). E. N. (Birmingham). In a perfect -loop centrifugal force will assist to keep the carburettor working normally. After alJ, the machine is only upside down for a moment in an ordinary loop. If the machine were to be flown upside down for any length of time a special arrangement would have to be fitted. W. R. H. D. (N.Z.E. France.) In the formula T = SS° x HR x E^, T = thrust obtain- able, in lbs., HP = brake horse-power of engine, E/> = efficiency of a propeller, expressed as a decimal, and V = the forward speed of the aeroplane. This only gives ap- proximately correct results, since the efficiency of air screws- varies considerably. A good average figure to take for Ep is "75, or 75 per cent, efficiency. A brief considerations will show why T decreases with an increase in V. One horse-power is equal to 550 foot pounds per second. It will therefore be seen that the product of the thrust of an< air screw by the advance of the machine in feet per second cannot exceed 550 foot pounds with 100 per cent, efficiency. Assuming an efficiency of 100 per cent., and a horse-power of one, the formula becomes T = iJ or TV = 550. In a two-cycle radial engine the method of admitting the charge to the cylinders will vary according to the designer's ideas. One method consists in having external inlet pipes, uncovered by the piston at a predetermined point. If a blower be employed, this might be arranged to compress- slightly the explosive charge in a chamber on the end of the crank-case, suitable ports being arranged to uncover the lower end of the inlet pipes at the right moment. "The Properties of Aerofoils .and Aerodynamic Bodies," by A. W. Judge, would furnish you with the information required. It can be obtained from the offices of " FLIGHT," and the price is 155. 6d., post free. E. M. (Burgess Hill). The pay of Flight Sub-Lieut, is 105. per day, plus 8s. a day flying pay. While training a Probationary Flight Officer receives 10s. a day, plus 4s. a day flying pay. T. K. (Wrexham). There is a chapter on rigging in the " Aeroplane Speaks " by Capt. H. Barber, R.F.C. Copies can be bad frcm " FLIGHT " offices for 75. post free. G. H. (Lincoln). - § For the purpose you mention probably the best book is " Aircraft of To-day," by C. C. Turner, which can be supplied from " FLIGHT " offices for 5s. 6d. post free. . "AIR NAVIGATION FOR FLIGHT OFFICERS." UNDER this title Lieut.-Commander A. E. Dixie, R.N., has compiled a book, condensing, as the author points out in his preface, into a small compass all the subjects in navigation that officers in the Royal Naval Air Service are required to know. The utility of the book will not, we think, be confined to the R.N.A.S., but should be found of the greatest value to R.F.C. officers as well, since it deals, in addition to explana- tions of the use of Admiralty charts, with the employment of Ordnance maps. Furthermore, civilian fliers, who are, of course, comparatively few in number at the present moment, but whose number will increase immensely after the war, will find this book an excellent guide, and so lucid in its explanations and concise in its general text is the book that it cannot fail* to prove highly interesting and instructive to those who, although not flyers themselves, are interested in the subject of navigation in a general way. One excellent feature of the book is that the author does not take anything for granted, but leads the student by easy stages from the simplest to the most complicated problems connected with aerial navigation. In the leading chapters the magnetic phenomena are simply and fully dealt with, the action and peculiarities of the artificial magnet being explained. The next step in the education of the aerial navigator takes the form of brief references to such magnetic phenomena as magnetic poles, magnetic equator, magnetic meridian, variation and deviation, &Cr"~ Then follows a thorough* explanation of the fundamental principles of the compass, and the coefficients connected with deviation. The practical correction of a compass is very fully dealt with, as are also methods of " swinging" the compass. This brings the student to a stage where the machine is ready, as far as boxing the compass is concerned, for flying, and the problem of correcting courses is the next to' be considered. An- excellent chapter on meteorology, followed by a reference to the general weather conditions in the British Isles, will prove both interesting and instructive, as will also the sections dealing with weather rules, astronomy, explanation of nautical tables, &c. The concluding chapters deal with chart and map work, and include, as has already been pointed out, reference to Admiralty charts as well as Ordnance maps. Some very informative subjects are thrown into an appendix, including tables of variation of wind velocity with height. " Air Navigation for Flight Officers," which is published by John Hogg, is a book that can be thoroughly recommended to all interested in this fascinating subject, and can be obtained from the offices of " FLIGHT," the price being us., post free 506
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