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Aviation History
1919
1919 - 0272.PDF
1am fXBRVARV 27, I9I9 « « COMMERCIAL AND PLEASURE FLYING" By CLAUDE A PAPER tmder above title was read by Mr. Grahame-White before the Royal Aeronautical Society, at the Central Hall, Westminster, on February 19. The chair was taken at 8 o'clock by Major-General the Right Hon. J. E. B. Seely, C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O., M.P.. Under-Secretary of State for the Air Ministry. Pressure on our columns prevents us from publishing the paper in .full, but below will be found a risumi containing the most important points raised by Mr. Grahame- White. After a few introductory remarks, the lecturer commenced his paper by pointing out how the British temperament— which has sent the British race adventuring throughout the world for centuries—lends itself admirably to the production of aviators, possessing as it does the two most desirable qualities required of an aviator—courage and caution. What, the lecturer said, we must now contemplate is that the whole of the high-speed transport of the world will be trans ferred gradually from the land and sea to the air, and we must accustom people to the idea that when they are called on to make an urgent journey, or when they wish to send an important letter or parcel, an air service will be at their disposal. The Three Essentials The lecturer then turned his attention to three question often asked, namely : Can an air service be made safe ? Can it be made reliable ? and Can it be made to pay ? In view of the accomplishments of aircraft during the War, which had disposed of such old misgivings as to whether or not aircraft would ever be able to fly in bad weather, or whether they would ever be sufficiently reliable to play any really useful part in war, the lecturer thought he Was entitled to an open- minded hearing when it came to pointing out the important part aircraft is going to play in developing the commerce of the world. " The aeroplane," the lecturer said, " is the fastest vehicle in the world, and is likely to remain so. The air is our ideal speedway. But speed alone is not enough. If it cannot be combined with safety, and with an ability to fly regularly to a daily time-table, then the use of the air will be irregular, and air services will be unable to compete with other forms of transport." Mr. Grahame-White then gave a description of a passenger aeroplance for the London-Paris air service. This machine is shown in Fig. 1. It is to carry, the lecturer said, 24 passengers housed in comfortable compartments, and a crew of five, comprising a pilot, a navigator and directional wireless operator, a motor mechanic, and an attendant in each of the passenger cars. In addition, there will be'room for 500 lbs. of express parcels. The engines are to be installed in the central nacelle, where it will be possible to attend them carefully during the journey and to effect minor adjustments en route. The two engines placed transversely, will drive, through hollow steel shafting and gearing the tractors on the middle wing, while the third engine will drive a pusher screw placed at the rear of the engine nacelle. Each of the engines is to be of 600 h.p. Fig. 2 shows the engine compartment and the navigation compartment in the front of the car. From here the navigator will have a good view in all directions. Behind the navigator is seated the pilot. In Fig. 3 is shown one of the passengers' cars, seating, it will be seen, 12 passengers, six on each side of a central passage-way. Through portholes in the sides of the car the passengers will have a view to each side, while in the front of the car is a small observation platform giving a good view in all directions. In.Fig. 4 is shown a small machine, designed for high-speed mail carrying. This machine is to have a speed of 170 m.p.h. and will be capable of carrying 100 lbs. of express mail. It should be able to cover the distance between London and Paris in about one and a half hours. Although the load carried might at first sight appear to be very small, the lecturer pointed out that it actually represents 3,200 letters weighing half an ounce each. After pointing out the advan tages of such a service, which would enable a business man to dispatch to Paris a letter from his London office in the morning and to receive a reply before the close of a business day, and forecasting a network of such air lines, the lecturer went on to state that the speed of 170 m.p.h. does not repre sent the limit, and that later on, as experience grows, speeds of 200, 250, and even 300 m.p.h. will be reached. Such high speeds will, the lecturer pointed out, be attained at great altitudes, and the passengers will be accommodated in GRAHAME-WHITE totally-enclosed saloons in which the air supply can be made independent of the changes in atmospheric pressures outside. Although disclaiming any great knowledge of large rigid airships, Mr. Grahame-White said he felt that one should recognise that there is now a great future before this type of craft, especially for trans-oceanic flights and on long journeys over undeveloped country. Bad Weather Turning next his attention to the operation of an air service during bad weather, the lecturer said that we would have to organise for bad weather ; during fine weather little organisation is required. By bad weather is usually meant a windy day, or a wet day, or one that is both. The lecturer showed that no real trouble need be caused by any of these two forms of bad weather, the wind, unless it be blowing with the velocity of a hurricane, only at the worst prolonging the journey somewhat. On the London-Paris Journey, for instance, even a head-wind of 40 m.p.h. velocity, would only extend the journey to four hours as against the seven or eight hours taken by the ordinary means of locomotion. The return journey would help to make up for this by being accomplished at a higher speed than that of the machine in still air. Flying in Fog Coming now to the real weather enemy of flying—fog— the lecturer pointed out that with proper organisation flying in a fog should not present unsurmountablc difficulties, the greatest being that of alighting. As for finding one's way, a series of kite balloons moored at suitable intervals along the route, and being above the fog, would provide an excellent guide, and the only really difficult part would be the actual alighting at the aerodrome. Even this, the lecturer pointed out, should be capable of being arranged, by having a series of searchlights around the aerodrome, pointing verti cally upwards, and possibly assisted by other searchlights suspended from a kite balloon and pointing downwards. A pilot would then come down gradually until he could see the ring of searchlights, andjwhen low enough would pass between two of the lights and alight somewhere in the middle of the aerodrome. Such an arrangement is indicated in Fig. 6. Actually, with a well-organised airway, one should in some respects be in a better position to combat fogs than is a railway or a ship at sea, which have to grope their way about, while the* aeroplane can get above the fog. Fig. 6.—This shows arrangement for lighting aerodromes in foggy weather. up 272
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