FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1919
1919 - 1402.PDF
with their electric motors, are placed near these tanks, as shown. In testing a single large engine at high altitudes, the doors between the two chambers may be left open, which permits the use of the two vacuum pumps and banks of cooling coils, thus greatly increasing the capacity of the plant. In connection with one of the chambers, two 300 h.p. electric dynamometers and with the other one 400 h.p. dyna mometer will be used. The necessary switchboards and the grids for dissipating the electrical energy are clearly shown in the elvation. The foundations of the dynamometers are provided with extension bedplates at the ends opposite the chambers, on which to mount engines for test purposes when it is not necessary to conduct the test at other than ground conditions. When running in this way, the couplings between the altitude chambers and the dynamometers can be easily disconnected. A space is provided in the centre of the floor plan for the installation of either a drum or tractor type dynamometer, on which to test motor vehicles and transmission assemblies. The power delivered to the drums or caterpillars may be transmitted by chains to the two electric dynamometers shown in the drawings. Like the ones for the Altitude Laboratory, they are arranged with extension bedplates, so that they may be used to test separate engines when required. A third dynamometer with a capacity of 50 h.p. is arranged for coupling to any type of small engine or to the drive shaft of a rear axle assembly for test purposes. The exhaust gases from the different engines, except those in the altitude chambers, will pass to an underground duct, from which they will be withdrawn by an exhaust fan dis charging through a pipe in the roof. For about one-third of its length at the east end the building is divided into a basement, main and mezzanine floors. In the basement is placed the refrigerating plant for the Altitude Laboratory, with space left for other machinery. The north side of this portion of the main floor is occupied by the machine shop, designed to care for all the ordinary repairs to the plant and engines. On the south side are located the office, toilet and wash room, and the tool and store room. The mezzanine floor is divided into two laboratory rooms, which may be used for any of the lighter testing apparatus. The plant will be equipped with travelling chain-hoists for the convenient handling of engines, and other apparatus, and with the necessary work benches, etc. It is planned to have the laboratory in running order this summer. <$> • • HONOURS <S> THE following announcements appeared in a supplement to the London Gazette on October 17 :— The King has been pleased to approve of the award of the following medals to the undermentioned men :—• Meritorious Service Medal. CP.O. Mech., 2nd Gde., A Beacham, R.N.A.S., O.N. F 512 ; P.O. Mech. S. G. Cann, R.N.A.S., O.N. F 4231 ; C.P.O. Mech. 3rd Gde., T. Clarke, R.N.A.S., O.N. F 1627 ; Ldg. Mech. D. Cochrane, R.N.A.S., O.N. F 4435 ; C.P.O. Mech., 3rd Gde., A. T. Corbin. R.N.A.S., O.N. F 1630 ; C.P.O. Mech., 3rd Gde., P. Gamer, R.N.A.S., O.N. F 535 ; C.P.O. Mech., 3rd Gde., G. H. Gyton, R.N.A.S., O.N. > 1004; P.O. Mech. R. A. Heath, R.N.A.S., O.N. F 2821 ; C.P.O. Mech., 3rd Gde., H. Hulse, R.N.A.S., O.N. F 493 ; C.P.O. Mech., 3rd Gde., H. Moliver, R.N.A.S., O.N. F 1870 ; P.O. Mech. S. Parsons, R.N.A.S., O.N. F 863 ; P.O. Mech. H. L. Rolt, R.N.A.S., O.N. F 5678; P.O. Mech. D. D. Slater, R.N.A.S., O.N. F9501; P.O. (C.) H. C. Smith, R.N.A.S., O.N. F 20242 ; C.P.O. Mech., 3rd Gde., A. W. H. Tracy, R.N.A.S., O.N. F 6694 ; C.P.O. Mech., 3rd Gde., C. Underwood, R.N.A.S., O.N.F 1591. The following man has been brought to the notice of the Admiralty for valuable services in the prosecution of the War ;—C.P.O. Mech. R. Harper, R.N.A.S., O.N.. 344641 (Po.). <t> <•> <•> <$> CIVILIAN FLYING IN INDIA THE authoritative announcement which is this week made that the Government of India have now announced their policy on the important question of civil aviation heralds a distinct movement in official attitude towards public service aviation. It is, it is stated, based on two guiding principles. The first is that a large organisation, with a few well-placed maintenance centres, is economically more sound than several small organisations involving many maintenance services. The second is that an air transport organisation should not be dependent on any particular air craft construction company. In accordance with these principles, the Government of India consider that civil aviation will best be developed in India by the grant of a monopoly for a term of years for the carrying of mails by air, throughout India and Burma, to a single air transport company, which should be inde pendent of any particular aircraft construction company. The monopoly would be limited to the carriage of mails, and the postal rates would be fixed by Government. The company would have a free hand in fixing rates for the carriage of other goods and passengers in open competition with any other companies which might be established for such traffic. It is recognised, however, that a mail monopoly company, with a well-organised system of maintenance centres, would probably be able to shut out competition for other traffk unless it abused its position. The terms of the monopoly would require careful consideration and discussion, and firms or groups of firms have been invited, through the chambers of commerce, to communicate to the Commerce and Industry Department, as a basis for discussion, the conditions which would be agreeable to them. The Government have been advised that maintenance centres at seven places—Bombay, Calcutta, Madras, Karachi, Delhi, Nagpur and Rangoon—would be sufficient for the service of all probable routes in India and Burma. THE AVRO <S> 3> <$> <£ BLACKPOOL-MANCHESTER SERVICE THE daily return air service between Blackpool, Southport and Manchester, carried out during the summer by Messrs. A. V. Roe and Co., Ltd., has now come to an end. Of the 222 flights scheduled, 194 were carried out, the other 28 being prevented by" weather conditions. The number of miles flown was 8,730. The service was started on May 24, three and a half weeks after civil flying was legalised in Great Britain. It was the first daily service by air to be instituted in this country and to be mentioned in railway guides. It was in every way. a pioneer undertaking, for when it was commenced the general public still had the impression that flying was a dangerous undertaking only indulged in by extremely ven turesome spirits. Outside the R.A.F. there were no records of a daily air service to guide the Avro company in organising such an undertaking. Yet the service ran for i8| weeks with no interruption except through bad weather on 14 days. We are informed that there were no mishaps of any sort, not even a simple forced landing. Before long the pilots grew so familiar with the route that they could find their way through weather which would have baffled a stranger. Punctually at noon each day at least one Avro left the sands at South Shore, Blackpool, and headed for Southport, which was reached at 12.15 p.m. At 12.45 the machine would descend at Alexandra Park, Manchester. The return flight started from this aerodrome at 2 p.m. The fare was five guineas for a single, nine for a return ticket. By degrees the service became popular, and before long it was paying its way. No passengers ever suggested that good value had not been received for his or her money— and the shrewd people of Lancashire are authorities on what constitutes good value. On the contrary, one and all were delighted, andmany expressed the opinion that aerial transport had come to stay, as being the quickest and most enjoyable method of getting from town to town. Whatever the Post Office may think, the people of Lan cashire have no doubts as to the reliability of an air service carried out by Avro aeroplanes, backed by sound organisa tion and good pilots. 1404
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
