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Aviation History
1919
1919 - 0152.PDF
(a) The professional flyer, who will receive a substantial remuneration, and will be the responsible supervisor of a staff who will attend to mechanical matters. (6) The chaffeur-flyer, who will be expected to clean and repair the machine, and be capable of flying it when required. >„These classes will, no doubt, hold a certificate awarded on the successful completion of some prescribed course of tuition in flying. The chafleur-flyer will, in addition, be required to possess the qualifications of a skilled mechanic, and in the event of such a flyer taking charge, of passenger air craft plying for hire, there will be special obligatory tests of qualification to ensure adequate protection for the public. 31. The three classes of commercial transport will call for men of different training:— («) For local transport, proficiency in flying and knowledge of the rules of the air and of agreed signals will be essential qualifications. (6) For national transport, involving long journeys in the United Kingdom, e.g., from London to Glasgow, a knowledge of map-reading and some know- edge of meteorology will be necessary as additional qualifications. > (c) For most international transport routes a knowledge of navigation and a more complete knowledge of meteorology will be required, in addition to the qualifications mentioned in (a) and (ti lt is indispensable in all cases that there should be a proper understanding of all the instruments employed and of the elements of the scientific reasons for their use. '' It is probable that aircraft used on international lines of communication will eventuallv be of large size. In this case the man at the controls becomes the helmsman, and the craft is under the command of a captain or pilot. Mutatis mutandis, the training required for this post is that received by the navigating officer of a liner. An appreciation of the functions of wireless telegraphy will also be needed. 32. The above forecast appears to indicate that a large number of schools wifi be required for tuition in flying, whether or not special flying certificates are sought. Presumably most main aerodromes will have a flying school attached. The object of the tuition in such schools has in the past been to reach the standard set by the certificate* of the Royal Aero Club, and the Committee consider that there would be advantages in continuing this system. 33. In addition, at least one school of aerial navigation will be required, at which, amongst other necessary subjects, map reading, the use of the compass, a stronomy, signalling.and wireless telegraphy and meteorology will be taught. 34. The standard required for the flying certificate should be reached after a few months' training in an aerodrome. It would imply the ability to fly any usual type of machine, and a number of extended cross-country flights would be required. It would not imply any special engineering training, but merely the knowledge required to verify the adjustment of the rigging, to start and control the engine satisfactorily, and to adjust and replace valves and minor fittings. The courses at the school of navigation would extend over one year, at the end of which time the students would be required to pass an examination in the subjects taught. The training in navigation could not, however, be regarded as complete until the student could give proof of continuous and satisfactory practical experience extending over a period of time. Mervyn OGorman, Lieut.-Col. (Chairman) ; Leonard Bairstow ; A. E. Berriman ; R. T. Glazebrook; H. Frank Heath : H. G. Lyons, Mai. ; E. M. Maitland, Wing Capt. • Arthur Morley ; J. E. Petavel; J. C. Porte, Wing Commander; R. M. Ruck, Maj.-Gen.; fW. P. Schreiner; G. I. Taylor, Maj. ; E. R. Wayland, Lieut.-Col. ; H. White Smith. D. O. MALCOLM (Secretary). December 29th, 1917. APPENDIX A. Re fort on ike Preparation of an Aeronautical Treatise. At the June meeting of the Committee, a Panel, consisting of Maj. Taylor Professor Petavel, Mr. Berriman, and Mr. Selby, was appointed to draw up some suggestions for a treatise on aeronautics, to give effect to Professor Petavel's proposal No. 3. The main purpose of such a treatise would be to put in a convenient form the present results of scientific enquiry into aero nautics. The material for such a treatise would be found in the Technical Reports of the Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, the publications of M. Eiffel, and the papers issued from the Aeronautical Institutes at Got- tiogen, Koutchino, and elsewhere. Other important sources of supply will be the Transactions of the Aeronautical Society, the various technical journals, English and foreign, and existing books. Such a treatise would be the work of various writers ; the first step would be to find an editor, who would, no doubt, write some parts of the book himself, but whose main work would be to obtain and edit the various contri butions which would go to compose the treatise. If a scheme for issuing abstracts is developed, it might perhaps be arrangeb that the same man should act as editor for this, but that ought not to be looked upon as essential. Some estimate of the time required and the funds necessary to pay the editor and staff must be formed. It is difficult to do this with any com pleteness until the editor has been provisionally select.ed and some scheme for the contents of the book has been approved. Some portion, at any rate, of the cost onght to be recovered from the sale of the book. It would, no doubt, be desirable for the Sub-Committee to indicate the name of a possible editor, to make some suggestion as to the remuneration he should receive, and, if possible, to frame an estimate of the time required to write the book, but under present war conditions it has not proved feasible to do this. The Sub-Committee, however, have reason to hope that Mr. Bairstow would undertake the duty 00 the conclusion of peace, or fairing this, we may look for assistance as editor from Mr. Selby. Mr. Selby has prepared a schedule of the suggested contents of the Report, as an indication of what the Committee have m view, not with the intention of settling its future contents now ; this must be left to the editor. R. T. GLAZEBROOK. Rough Outline Scheme for Report on Present State of Knowledge in Regard to Aeronautics. 1. General Principles and Theorems in Aerodynamics [and Hydrodynamics). —Brief account of general theory. Motion of a solid through a fluid ; com parison of air and water (air incompressible). Skin friction. Eddy motion. Theory of model experiments. Principle of dynamical similarity. Motion of fluids in pipes (heat and momentum), etc, etc 2. Methods of Measurements for Models.—Velocity measurement. Resist ance measurement', wind channels and whirling arm Photographic exami nation of flow, etc • The term " flying certificate " is probably more appropriate than " pilot's certificate," when flying alone has formed the object of tuition. t I doubt whether the power to order official investigation of accidents should be limited, as is proposed, to cases where the aircraft Is carrying passengers for hire, and whether higher educational facilities should be limited to one or two institutions as is proposed. I sign this Report with reservation on these points.—-W. P. Schreiner. 3. Resistance Determinations in Simple Cases.—Experiments on square and rectangular plates, spheres, cylinders and wires (normal and inclined), stream line wires and struts, stream-line bodies. Distribution of pressure. 4. Experiments on Aerofoils.—Inclined planes, single wings; aspect ratio ; camber of surfaces, position of max, ordinate, form of wing tips, etc Biplanes, etc. Pressure distribution. 5. Experiments on Bodies and other Parts of Aeroplanes.—Bodies (and control surfaces). Struts—effect of yaw. Stream-line wires. Wheels, etc. 6. Experiments on Complete Models. 7. Airscrew Theory and Experiment. 8. Engines.—Experimental investigations ; heat flow, compression ratio ; effect of altitude, starting, etc, etc. Radiators. Design ; air-cooled and water-cooled. Methods of test. 9. Application to Full Scale Machine.—Aerodynamic performance, methods of calculation, R.A.F. diagram, ascending and descending flight, etc., etc. Loads taken in flight. Full scale experiments. 10. Stability.—Theory and determination of rotary coefficients, effect oi controls, etc. Practice. ix. Design and Strength.—General procedure and different types of machine. Stress calculations, methods of test. Stresses in wing fabric. Propeller design. Experimental work bearing on strength, vibration o wires, tail vibration. 12. Seaplanes.—Float experiments and water performance. Aerodynamic performance. 13. Airships.—Model experiments—pressure distribution, fins, etc. Air ship sheds and screening. General conditions of motion. Stability. Strength and design. Hydrogen, ballast, &c 14. Materials of Construction —Fabrics, airship ; fabrics, aeroplane—with methods of test. Dopes varnishes etc. Timber. Light alloys. Special steels. 15. Instruments for Use on Aircraft. 16. Aircraft in Warfare.—Bombs and bomb dropping. Attack ot aircraft from aircraft, etc. 17. Meteorology.—General. Application to (i) airship:, (ii) aeroplanes. APPENDIX B. Memorandum on Research in Regard to Meteorology. The increase of aviation which will be brought about by the introduction of aerial transport on a commercial basis will greatly enlarge the demands made upon both practical and theoretical meteorology, in order that the dangers and obstacles due to meteorological conditions may be reduced so far as may be practicable. These demands must be met by both special investigations into various meteorological problems, and the provision, in forms suitable to the need* of aviation, of the information which has been accumulated during more than half a century of co-operative effort. Modern meteorology has been built up on the stndy of the physics of the atmosphere, and further advance will be attained by the same method. The investigation of such phenomena as the formation of mist and fog, conditions which affect visibility, turbulence in the lower strata of the atmosphere, which are already being studied, are types of the work required, and other problems will doubtless be suggested at the meetings of this Committee. The Central Institute, the Meteorological Office, and its Observatories, will naturally be largely occupied with this form of research, but It may be assumed that, as soon as the universities provide facilities for the study oi advanced meteorology, such investigations will be undertaken there also. Weather changes, forecasts, and warnings can only be adequately studied at the Central Institute, where large-scale working maps are prepared regu larly, at which data are received several times daily and where a very com plete collection of meteorological data from all countries is available for comparison stndy, so that the practicability of extending the period for which weather changes can be foretold must be undertaken there. The study of the special features of the weather in localities where winds of exceptional violence, great turbulence of air currents or other abnormal phenomena occur, will be important, and this will necessitate a scheme of suitably planned observations taken on the spot, together with their critical discussion by competent meteorologists. While pare research, the investigation of phenomena under well-dehned conditions will always go on more or less steadily, provision must be made for the further study of the phenomena under various meteorological condi tions to determine the modifications which may be caused. This extension of the work is essential in order that the results of meteorological research may be of practical utility. Intimately connected with such investigations are the collection and dis cussion of the material on which they are based. Observations of pressure, wind, temperature, rainfall, fog, etc., have bees accumulated for many years past, but both those of this country and those from many places abroad will require re-discussion in order to provide the special kind of information which is now required, and which differs from that which is used for climatic studies. Observations of the upper air have become very numerous and are constant!T. increasing; they, too, have to be compiled and prepared for ready reference. In this field particularly a closer connection between the practical experiences ot the pilot and the investigations of the scientific meteorologist is most desirable, for what is a matter of common knowledge to the one may provide confirmatory evidence for which the other has bees vainly seeking. The present supply of data from ships will need increasing where mutes cross the sea, in order that the information available on land may be extended to the sea area with confidence ; and to this will now be added the observa tions made or obtained by aviators during their flights. To combine these satisfactorily with those representing the conditions over neighbouring areas wilt require the same careful organisation as was necessary for marine observa tions when wireless telegraphy was first introduced, for incorrect observa tions or data obtained by faulty instruments lead to false conclusions which may not be merely useless, but even dangerous. The incorporation, discussion or recasting, as may be necessary, of the meteorological data of foreign countries, as It becomes available, will also be an important dnty of the Central Institute. The speed of modern aircraft moving along air routes will presumably necessitate some rearrangement in the provision of forecasts and weather warnings. While the Central Institute will receive reports from a very wide-area and deduce from them the probable changes which win occur, a well- selected network of secondary stations will also be necessary. These stations will receive, besides their own observations, reports from the Central Institute and other stations, which will enable them to prepare a weather-map of their district and to follow the weather changes over it in greater detail than at the Central Institute. They would be ready to furnish short-period forecasts or warnings to aviators in the district or on the section of a route passing near it. Thus the necessary organisation will include :—(a) Central Institute; (ft) Local Warning Stations ; (<r) numerous Observing Stations, besides certain Institutes. The Central Institute is represented by the Meteorological Office, with its observatories, where phenomena can be investigated and the results brought into touch with the practical application of Meteorology, and the existence of six observatories dependent on the Meteorological Office in different parts of Great Britain provides large opportunities for such work. At the Meteoro logical Office also the accumulated observations of over 60 years froen many
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