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Aviation History
1918
1918 - 1090.PDF
SEPTEMBER 26, 1918. THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE \ FOR AERONAUTICS REPORT, I9I7-19I8. THE following is the full text of the Annual Report of the Advisory Committee for Aeronautics which for the first time is addressed to the Right Honourable Lord Weir of East- wood, Secretary of Slate for the R.A.F., instead of to the Prime Minister as heretofore:— The Committee was appointed in the year 1909 by the Prime Minister to " advise in matters connected with the problem of flight, whether by means of aeroplanes or dirigibles," and has in former years reported accordingly to the Prime Minister. The Committee understands that it is desired that in future its report should be made to the Secre- tary of State for the R.A.F. In earlier years it was attempted in the report to give a brief but comprehensive review of the work accomplished in aeronautical research during the year, a.nd to indicate the various directions in which material progress had been achieved ; in present circumstances it is possible to do no more than outline the main subjects of investigation to which attenion has been devoted, and the organisation which has been provided for dealing with the new problems which constantly arise. Some changes have taken place in the personnel of the Committee during the year, related, for the most part, to appointments made in the organisation of the Air Ministry. Lt.-Ccl. J. G. Weir was nominated for membership on his appointment as Controller of the Technical Department. Major-General Brancker has recently been appointed a member on taking up the post of Comptroller-General of Aircraft Equipment. Major Hopkinson, Assistant Controller (Experiments) of the Technical Department, and Mr. E. C. Given, Director of Airship Production in the Admiralty Controller's Department, have also joined the Committee. Major-General Sir Godfrey Paine and Brig.-General D. Pitcher have retired from membership on relinquishing the positions held by them under the Air Board. Much of the detailed work necessary to fulfil the functions assigned to the Committee is dealt with by Sub-Committees. An Internal Combustion Engine Sub-Committee, Sir Dugal Clerk, K.B.E., F.R.S. (chairman), and a Light Alloys Sub- Committee, Six Henry Fowler, K.B.E. (chairman), were formed during the year 1916-17. An Aerodynamics Sub- Committee* has since been constituted for the consideration in greater detail of special questions arising in connection with the aerodynamical section of the work. Other Sub-Com- mittees are appointed from time to time to deal with particular problems. The work done by these Sub-Committees during the year under review is referred to below. The formation of these Sub-Committees and the general growth of the work has greatly increased the secretarial duties, and an Assistant Secretary has recently been appointed. An Air Inventions Committee and an Accidents Committee were formed during the year by the Air Board before its dissolution on the establishment of the Air Ministry. It has been arranged that these Committees shall report monthly to the Advisory Committee as well as to the Air Ministry, that the advice and assistance of the Advisory Committee shall be obtained by them when needed, and generally that the same close co-operation shall be maintained between them and the Advisory Committee as exists between this Committee and its Sub-Committees. The Chairman of the Air Inventions Committee and of the Accidents Committee are members of the Advisory Committee, which is fully represented on those Committees. Some further particulars with regard to their work is given below. Special attention has been directed towards maintaining and improving the close connection which is necessary between the experimental work directly controlled by the Committee and the investigations carried out on full-scale machines at the experimental stations established by the various branches of the Air Services. From the time of forma- tion of the Committee the closest relations have been main- tained with the Royal Aircraft Factory .f It has been arranged that full reports on matters of interest to the Committee shall be made by the other stations under the control of the Technical Department, and by the Admiralty Stations in- vestigating airship and kite balloon problems. Members of the staff engaged in experimental work on models will • Professor J. E. Petavel, F.R.S. (Chairman); Mr. F. W. Lanchester,MJnst.C.E.; Iieut:-Col. Mervyn O'Gorman, C.B. ; Major B. Hopkinson, •C.M.G., F.R.S ; Mr< L. Bairstow, C.B.E., F.R.S., and Wing-Comdr. theMaster of Sempill, of the Air Ministry ; Dr. T. E. Stanton, F.R.S., and Mr. E. F. Relf, A.R.C.Sc, of the National Physical Laboratory; Capt. W. S. Farren,M.B.E.; with the Chairman of the Advisory Committee for Aeronautics iex-officio). t Now the Royal Aircraft Establishment. visit these stations, and will consult with the officers in charge of experiments as to the investigations required to correlate the model and full-scale work. Departmental ->~ - officers also constantly visit the National Physical Laboratory • to secure information as to work in progress, or to seek advice on current problems. The Committee has from the beginning _ made it a practice to visit from time to time the Service Air r Stations engaged in experimental work. It is of opinion v that this co-operation in experimental work is of the utmost .. ; importance, and is essential for securing continuous and substantial progress on a sound basis. The Committee re- /• • ceives the technical reports and papers issued by the Technical Department of the Department of Aircraft Production, as well as confidential information relative to the needs of the services and the supply of aeroplanes and engines, and these are also of great value and assistance. = Arrangements have been made with the Technical Depart-, . ment* for the confidential issue to an approved list of arms, as well as to departmental officers, of the reports on experi- mental work carried out under the control of the Committee. In order that the information thus afiorded may be made available as rapidly as possible, all such reports are now printed immediately after presentation to the Committee. It will be understood that caution must be exercised in the im- mediate application of these reports to problems of con- .;_ struction, since it is clearly impossible to eliminate all sources of error in presenting, month by month, instalments of a continuous research which would ordinarily extend over a lengthened period. It is thought, however, that valuable assistance will be rendered to constructors by acquainting them with the results of current work. The reports distri- buted, in addition to those submitted direct to the Main Committee, include also papers contributed to the Engine and Light Alloys Sub-Committees. * Assistance has been rendered by the Committee, through the Liaison Department of the Air Ministry, to the Air Services of our Allies. A large number of requests have been received for information as to the methods of experiment employed at the National Physical Laboratory and as to data obtained, as well as generally for advice and assistance. Plans of the Laboratory channels and particulars relative to the results of experimental work have been supplied. Members of French, Italian and American Commissions have visited the Laboratory, and have discussed with the Director and the Staff numerous matters in connection with the various branches of the work. There has been no diminution in the number and com- plexity of the problems with which the Committee has been required to deal. Owing to the war the technical development of aeronautics has been extraordinarily rapid. The feats that are now performed in the air, and the capabilities of modern machines, are remarkable when it is remembered that it is very little more than ten years since the brothers Wright made their first flights in Europe. It requires little imagination, however, to realise that much greater develop- ments are to be expected, and the competition of modern warfare renders it vital that the highest possible rate of pro- gress should be maintained and that development should be pushed forward with the utmost speed. It is by no means easy to decide upon the method of attack best calculated to win ground quickly. The needs of the moment are in many cases imperative ; immediate difficulies must be solved in order that construction may not be hampered and that supplies for the services may not be held up. It is, however, not less important to take a long view, and to secure the substantial improvements that are more likely to result from systematic and continuous research. The need of systematic investigation in this or that direction is being continually impressed upon the Committee by the questions with which it is confronted. To render it possible to carry out such continuous investigation quickly and at the same time to meet immediate needs, it is necessary to multiply facilities for experiment, and the Committee has had again to press for increased provision for experimental work. Happily, the fundamental importance of such research in connection with aeronautics is well established and undisputed, and as on previous occasions the needs urged by the Committee have been fully realised by the executive authorities, and their proposals ^have been strongly supported and carried through with the least possible delay. A channel for model tests is available at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, and this is being X These reports are issued by Section T.5 of the Directorate of Air TechnicalServices, Royal College of Science, South Kensington, S.W. v. lOQO
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