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Aviation History
1920
1920 - 0445.PDF
APRIL 22, 1920 THE AIR MINISTRY COMPETITIONS THE rules for the Air Ministry competitions for large andsmall aeroplanes and seaplanes having undergone a consider- able amount of revision,in consultation with the Society ofBritish Aircraft Constructors, have now been re-issued, and below we reproduce the new rules. Changes have been madein the system of marking with the object, while retaining the safety attributes, of ensuring an all-round excellence in thewinning machines and of preventing the success of machines excelling in one quality only, as, for instance, speed, whileproviding specifically for reliability and economy in flight. The competition for large and small aeroplanes will openon August 3, while the competition for amphibians will commence on September I. It may be recalled that the prizes which are only opento British subjects and to British-built aircraft and engines, are :— Small-type aeroplanes 1st, £10,000 ; 2nd, £4,000 ; 3rd, £2,000. Large-type aeroplanes 1st, £20,000 ; 2nd, £8,000 ; 3rd, £4,000. Amphibians , 1st, £10,000 ; 2nd, £4,000 ; 3rd, £2,000. The Government reserves the right to vary the proportionof the prizes if the merits of the machines warrant it, or to withhold them, if in the opinion of the Judges' Committee,no real advance on existing designs is shown. In addition, the Government will, if the entrant agrees,buy the winning machine of each type, the designs to remain the property of the manufacturer. The prices payable willbe : Small-type aeroplane, £4,000 ; large-type aeroplane, £10,000; seaplane, £8,000. Oil and petrol and accommodation (as far as possible) willbe supplied free by the Government. Entries for the aeroplane competition close on June 1 andfor seaplanes on July 1. They must be made on a form to be obtained^ from the Secretary, C.G.C.A. (C.A.L.) AirMinistry, Kingsway, W. 1, and with each entry must be forwarded a deposit of £20, returnable after the competitionin the event of the aircraft entered being duly delivered to take part. Pilots, who must be duly licensed, may be changed withthe consent of the Judges' Committee, who shall also have the right to put up a service pilot to fly the machine. Under certain conditions the competing machines may berepaired or replaced, and airscrews, planes, floats and power units, changed, if the permission in writing of the Judges'Committee is obtained. CONDITIONS AND TESTS. AEROPLANES. 2. The aeroplanes to be entered will be as follows :—(a) Small type withseating accommodation up to six persons (excluding crew). (6) Large type with seating accommodation for seven persons or more (excluding crew). 3. Machines and engines must have been designed and constructed withinthe British Empire. This rule will not, however, apply in the case of such secondary equipment as ignition system, carburettors and instruments, butthe use of foreign secondary equipment will be penalised by the deduction of marks (para. 27). 4. Machines are to fulfil all conditions required for a certificate of airworthi-ness, and must be fitted with the following instruments :—Revolution counter, aneroid, air speed indicator, turn indicator, compass, watch, oil pressure gauge(when necessary), air pressure indicator (when necessary), radiator thermpmeter (when necessary).5. Full load for both types of aeroplanes is to include petrol and oil suffi- cient to fly 450 miles at 3,000 ft. at a speed of not less than 80 m.p.h., and n addition the declared passenger load (including pilot and crew, if any),the standard weight of each person to be taken at 200 lbs. 6. The prescribed tests for the machines are set out in the following para-graphs. Marks will be given or deducted for passing or failing to pass the whole or any part of each test, in accordance with the scales set out below,but no machine will be disqualified for failure to pass the whole or any part of any test except in the case of the conditions and tests laid down in paras. 4,11 and 14, which must be carried out. 7. Subject to rule 6, each machine should be capable of flying level withfull load at or above 100 m.p.h. at ground level, and at or below 45 m.p.h. at ground level. (Vide para. 22.) 8. LANDING AND GETTING-OFF TESTS.—(a) A circle will be marked out onopen ground to represent a field surrounded by obstacles. This circle will be of the following diameter :—Small machines, 175 yds ; large machines,275 yds. The obstacles may be represented by a continuous string or tape, withstreamers attached, 50 ft. from the ground, of such a nature as to be easily broken by an aeroplane, (b) The landing should be made in still air. Stillair includes any wind not exceeding 5 m.p.h. at ground level, (c) During landing the machine is not to side-slip nor to turn, after reaching the obstacles,until it is on the ground. Once it has touched the ground the machine may turn in any direction, provided that it does not leave the ground, (d) Markswill be allotted or deducted for machines landing in an area more or less restricted than that specified for this test. (Vide para. 23.) In judging this, the point vertically below the point where the centre lineof the machine crosses the obstacle will be marked, on the ground and the maximum distance reached by the wheels of the undercarriage will be measuredn a straight line from this point. («) After landing, the machine should get out of the same field over the 50-ft. obstacles in still air (as defined insub-para, (b) ), no turn to be allowed until clear of the obstacles on the far side. (Vide para. 24.) (/) No braking device operated by the engine maybe used during landing, (g) Any landing or taking'-"off gear used must be integral with the machine, (h) No landing apparatus may be used whichin the opinion of the Judges' Committee would be liable to cause undue damage to an aerodrome ; e.g., a claw attached to the machine, as used oncertain types of German machines, would not be allowed, but the ordinary knife-edge on a tail-skid would be allowed, (j) Machines will start with fullload, and will be allowed to fly for 20 minutes. If they have uot carried out their tests by the end of that period, they must land and fill up again. (*)Each machine will be allowed two trial attempts (which are definitely to be regarded as such) and thereafter will be allowed four attempts. 9. LANDING AND GETTING-OFF TESTS WITH ONE ENGINE Ci'x OUT (FORMULTI-ENGINED AIRCRAFT).—The Judges' Committee will allot marks for ability to carry out the following tests. Vide para. 27) :—(a) A circle willbe marked out on open ground to represent a field surrounded by a normal hedge 6 ft. high. This circle will be of 400 yds. diameter. The hedge maybe represented by a continuous string or tape, with streamers attached 6 ft. from the ground, of such a nature as to be easily broken by an aeroplane.(b) The landing to be made in still air, with one engine completely cut out. The engine is to be cut out at the height of 2,000 ft. Still air includes anywind not exceeding 5 m.p.h. at ground level, (c) The machine should come to a standstill before reaching the marks representing the boundary of thefield, (d) After landing, the machine, starting from a position of rest, should get out of the same field over the hedge in still air (as defined in sub-para.(6) ), with one engine completely cut out. (e) After clearing the hedge, as in sub-para, (d), the cut-out engine, if possible and so desired, may be startedup. (/) No braking device operated by the engine may be used during lauding. (g) Any landing or starting-off gear used must be integral with the machine.(h) No landing apparatus may be used that, in the opinion of the Judges' Committee, would be liable to cause undue damage to an aerodrome. (j) Bothlanding and starting-ofi to be with half load, such half load being defined to be half petrol and oil load, as well as half of the declared passenger weight.(k) Each machine will be allowed two trial attempts (which are definitely to be regarded as such) and thereafter will be allowed four attempts. 10. RELIABILITY AND ECONOMY TEST.—Each machine should carry out twoconsecutive flights of 3J hours each, at a speed through the air of not less than 80 m.p.h., at a height of not less than 3,000 ft. The load carried mustnot be less than the full load (vide para. 5) .but may be more, up to the limit allowed by the certificate of airworthiness. Qetween flights machines willbo left untouched, and under seal, if necessary ; a period of not more than 00 minutes being allowed before the second flight for the purpose of fillingup and normal examination by the competitor. No parts of the machine to be changed without permission from the Judges' Committee. Pilots maybe changed during the flights. The Economy Test will be carried out in conjunction with the Reliability Test. Marks will be allotted in accordancewith paras. 25 and 26. 11. Machines must be capable of landing from a height of 500 ft., withtheir engines switched off or completely throttled down. t 12. In a machine having two or more engines, the stoppage (or retardation)of any one engine should not prevent the machine from continuing on its flight path without losing height, nor cause it to get out of control. (Videpara. 27.) 13. Engines should be capable of being started from the cockpit or cabinwithout undue muscular exertion on the part of the pilot. (Vide para. 18 (&h) 14. Machines must be capable of flying at cruising speed for five minuteswithout the use of any controls or stabilising devices. Controls may be locked during this test. 15. Machines should be capable of standing unattended, and not fasteneddown in a wind of not less than 10 m.p.h., blowing in any direction with reference to the machine. (Vide para. 18 (o).)16. The design of the machine to be such that the machine shows no tendency to turn over on rough ground. (Vide para. 18 (p).)17. Each machine to be provided with a complete outfit lor pegging it out in the open. This outfit will not be carried as part of the load during tests.(Vide para. 18 (0).) 18. Marks will be awarded for general features, i.e. ;—(a) Fire protection,including position and construction of tanks (from the point of view of safety from fire in event of a crash) ; fire-fighting appliances and accessibility ofsame, (b) Reliability of petrol and oil systems, and facilities for seeing quan- tity in all tanks, (c) Reliability of water system and facilities for seeingquantity in all tanks, (d) Durability of machine, including airscrew(s) (any advantages due to metal construction may be taken into account), (e) Sim-plicity of design and accessibility of parts, with particular reference to engine installation. (/) Effectiveness of Air Controls, (g) Lightness of Air Controls.(h) Unrestricted field of view to the front for the pilot, (j) Comfort generally, including warmth, ventilation, convenient arrangements for the use ofinstruments and controls, absence of vibration and efficiency (as afiecting the passengers and crew) of the arrangements for securing the exclusion ofnoise, (k) Ease of starting engine(s). (Vide para. 13.) (I) Field of view for passengers, (m) Freedom of entry and exit (passengers). (») Freedom ofentry and exit (pilot). (0) Facilities for pegging out in the open and lightness of apparatus ; also ability to stand unattended. (Vide paras. 15 and 17.) ,(p) Ease of Taxi-ing, shock absorbing capacities of undercarriage, and prevention of somersaulting. (Vide para. 16.) 19. The Judges' Committee may have regard to the method of fittingparachutes, and especially to the means of exit by parachute afforded to the occupants of the large machine, but the provision of parachutes will beoptional. 20. Marks will not be given on account of the number of engines installed. Allocation of Marks.21. For both classes the allocation of marks will be in the following proportions :—(A) Speed, 20 per cent. ; (B) Landing, 12 per cent.; (C) Getting off, 8 per cent.; (D) Reliability in flight, 10 per cent.; (E) Economy, 15 per cent.;(F) General Features, 35 per cent. Total 100 per cent. In each section the machine obtaining the highest number of marks in thatsection will be awarded the full percentage of marks obtainable. The per- centage obtained by other machines will be graded in proportion to thenumber of marks gained by them as compared with that of the machine gaining the highest number of marks.In no section will any machine be awarded negative (i.e., less than zero) marks. 22. (A) SPEED (para. 7). Maximum marks allocated, 20 per cent.High Speed.—For each m.p.h. above required standard, 1 awarded. For each m.p.h, below required standard, 1 forfeited.Low Speed.—For each m.p.h. below required standard, 2 awarded. For each m.p.h. above required standard, 2 forfeited. 23. (B) LANDING (para. 8). Maximum marks allocated, 12 per cent.For every complete 3 yds. less than the distance allowed, i.e., 175 yds, for small and 275 yds. for large machines, 1 awarded. For every complete 3 yds.more than the distance allowed, 1 forfeited. :,.'. - ' '•*••' 445 E 2
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