FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1920
1920 - 0998.PDF
6 ft. 6 ins. diameter, direct at 1,500 r.p.m. Atwater-Kent battery ignition is employed, and the lubrication is by splash feed and a constant spray by means of a spur-gear The " Pioneer Single-Seater Sportplaneflight SEPTEM&ER 16, 1920 oil pump. A Zenith carburettor is fitted, petrol being fed by gravity from the 10-gal. tank located between the pilot and the engine, and separated from the latter by a fireproof asbestos wall. The landing chassis is of the ordinary V-type, and calls for no special comment. We' understand the construction and work- manship of this little machine is of high quality, and a factor oL safety of 8 is em- ployed. The general characteristics of the " Pioneer " Sportplarne are :— Span.. Chord , ( Gap . . Stagger Overall length Overall height Area of main planes Weight (empty) Weight (fully loaded) Speed range Radius of action .. Loading per sq. ft... Loading per h.p.The machine in 24 ft. 4 ft.3 ft. 3 ins. to 3 ft. 8 ins. 5 ins- 14 ft. 6 ins.6 ft. 9 ins. " - - 166 sq. ft. -.'• "c• v- 480 lb. ;-• '> 800 lb. . ' ;-;'-. 25-70 m.p.h. -•..". 2i hrs. . ""- ".'. 4-8 lb. ;:-.-.;V"&•-'': 20 lb. •Engine, 40 h.p. " Pioneer" 4-cyl. vert. THE AIR MINISTRY COMPETITIONS Amphibians Make a Start* AFTER several delays, due ^o some of the competing machines not being ready in time, the Air Ministry Competitions for amphibian machines have commenced at Martlesham Heath aerodrome, near Woodbridge, Suffolk. The Vickers " Viking," 450 h.p. Napier Lion engine, was the only machine to arrive at the aerodrome on time, and this machine has now made an excellent start, piloted by Capt. Cockerell, by completing her reliability and economy tests. These include, it may be remembered, a flight of 3^ hours' duration at a speed of not less than 70 knots and at an altitude of at least 1,000 ft., carrying on board sufficient fuel for a distance of 350 nautical miles, in addition to the useful load. The economy test is flown in conjunction with the reliability "test, the same formula as that for the land machines (~?^) being used. In this W represents the weight in pounds of the useful load carried (this does not include the weight of crew and fuel)- and G the number of gallons of fuel consumed during the 3$ hours' flight. The figure obtained by the Vickers W" Viking in this test is -Q- = 10-4, an excellent figure which speaks well for the cleanness of the design of the machine, no less than for the fuel economy of the Napier Lion engine. This flight was carried out on Tuesday, September 7. On the same day Capt. Cockerell put the " Viking " through the self-controlled flight (flying for three minutes at cruising speed without the use of any controls), and the glide (switch- • The rules for this competition were published in our issue of April 22, 1920. ing off the engine and letting the machine take up its gliding angle without the use of the elevator controls). On the following day, September 8, the Vickers "Viking" went through her high-speed test, in which she attained an average speed of 105-2 knots (121 m.p.h.). In attempting the getting-off test, however, the land undercarriage failed, letting the machine down on to the boat hull and causing considerable damage to the port lower plane and wing tip float. The machine has now been repaired, and, as soon as favourable weather permits, will resume her tests. The Fairey float seaplane, 450 h.p. Napier Lion engine, has also arrived at Martlesham (by air) piloted by Lieut. ~ Colonel V. Nicholl, D.S.O., and will similarly commence tests at the first opportunity. The Supermarine flying boat, Rolls-Royce Eagle engine, was flown from Southampton to Martlesham, with a brief stop at Felixstowe seaplane station, in 2J hours, by Capt. J. Hoare. By the time these notes appear in print all three machines will probably be busy doing their tests. The Saunders " Kittiwake," two 200 h.p. A.B.C. " Wasp II " engines, has not arrived at the time of writing, but is expected some time during this week. Competition for Land Machines In the table of performances, published last week as issued by the Air Ministry, a few errors should be corrected. The frgures relating to the cruising speed of the Handley Page W 8 should read 80 and 84, respectively, instead of 84 and 88 respectively. The landing figure for the Austin " Kestrel " should be 204 yards instead of 244 yards. The mistake was not ours, the figures published being those issued officially by the Air Ministry. The Forthcoming Civil Aviation Conference As mentioned in our issue of last week, the Air Ministry is making arrangements for a three days' conference, which will be held in London in the second week in October and will be opened by Mr. Churchill. Papers will be read relating to technical, civil, and Service aeronautics, and it is hoped that discussions of importance will follow. The main object of the conference will be to bring forward subjects the discussion of which will help civil aviation and encourage the use of aircraft for transport. The conference will be confined to those to whom the Air Ministy issues invitations. Honours for Australian Fliers FROM Melbourne comes word that H.M. the King, on the recommendation of Mr. Hughes, has approved of the award of the Air Force Cross to Lieut. Parer and Lieut. Mclntosh in recognition of the flight from England to Australia. A JLapland Air Service ADVICES received by Handley Page, Ltd., state that the most northerly air. service in the world has been established between Porjus in Sweden and Suorvajaure in Lapland. At Porjus is situated the great Swedish electrical power station which provides the motive power for the Swedish electrical railway system. Suorvajaure lies about 60 miles to the north- west of Porjus, and is a deserted spot without any means of communication other than the regular air service which has now been established. It is, however, important in connection with its water power which is now being developed. The aircraft not only carry the mails and passengers between the two places, but materials required by the contractors engaged in erecting the power plant. Bremen an Air Port IN view of their success in their first venture in erecting aerodrome buildings, which, costing 120,000 marks, were promptly leased to the Lloyd Luft-Dienst and Sablatnig Gesellschaft and are now earning 10 per cent, on the investment, the citizens of Bremen are at work on a much larger scheme, with the object of making a complete air port. It is reported that eleven million marks have been subscribed for the project, which includes an extensive aerodrome, custom house, hangars, repairing shops, signalling apparatus and every improvement that German ingenuity can devise to assist aerial navigation. Incidently Bremen is out to beat Hamburg in the race for the leading German air port. 1000
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
