FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1921
1921 - 0342.PDF
and galleys are situated conveniently amidships, whence the serving of meals can be carried out with the maximum of efficiency. The car is fitted throughout with electric light, and switches are placed in convenient positions in each cabin. The carpets, hangings and upholstery-work have all been tastefully carried out in light blue, and the whole effect is very pleasing. Large windows are provided in way of each cabin, so that all the passengers obtain an excellent view. This is further improved by the fact that the sides of the cabin slope outwards, and that, therefore, it is particularly easy to look downwards, much more so than if the walls had been vertical. In addition to the passengers the airship carries a crew of 4 officers and 24 men, whose quarters are in the keel. The officers are : The Captain, First Officer (pilot), Second Officer (pilot), and Engineer Officer. The crew is composed as follows : Two coxwains, seven riggers, thirteen engineers, and two wireless operators. It may be of interest to mention that in large airships such as the " R. 36 " the crew is divided into watches, as is the old-established custom of the sea. The only exception to this is the Captain, who is not necessarily continuously on duty. Thus when the flying is difficult he remains on duty, in the same way as the captain of a steamship remains on the bridge in bad weather or when near the coast. Performance It may be of interest to examine briefly some of the journeys which could be performed by the " R. 36," fitted MAY 19, 1921 as she now is with five engines of a total power of 1,570 h.p. and assuming a cruising speed of 50 m.p.h. with a maximum speed of about 65 m.p.h. For instance, the journey to Stockholm could be made in 20 to 24 hours with two tons of mails or goods and 30 passengers, allowing 100 lbs. of luggage for each passenger. Under the same conditions the trip to Marseilles could be made in 15 to 18 hours, and London to Cairo in about 72 hours. Later, when mooring masts and other facilities have been provided, it should be possible to make the journey from England to India in about six days, as compared with the 21 days taken by the ordinary overland route. In view of these figures, which are not the result of guess- work, but are based upon facts, it is scarcely to be doubted that sooner or later airship travel will occupy a prominent place, especially over long-distance routes where aeroplanes or seaplanes would have little reserve lift for paying load, even granting that their engine reliability were such as to make the journey possible. We have heard from several people who should be in a position to know, that on a properly organised route it should be possible to carry passengers at a rate very little higher than that charged for first-class steamer travel. If this prove to be so, it is not to be doubted that airship travel will become very popular, for surely it would be impossible to imagine a more delightful method of covering long .distances under the most comfortable con- ditions than that afforded by the niodwn" passenger airship, of which the " R. 36 " is the "forerunner as far as this country is concerned. "R. 36" :unfolding Interior of the passenger car, showing the method of suspending beds and of mirror so as to make a table for the day-time. Bed folded away is seen on theJ extreme left of the picture.m m The French Grand Prix * FROM Paris it is reported that two Farmans have been entered for the second stage of the Grand Prix (May 20, 21 and 22). These are a twin-engined machine of the Goliath type, which will be piloted by d'Or and Bossoutrot, and an F.70, to be piloted by Bernard. The winner will be the competitor who has accomplished the fastest trip over the whole course. The machines are to carry 480 kilos, to re- present passengers and 200 kilos, of freight. The Austin Life Float IN reference to the sketch of the Austin life float which appeared in our last issue, we would like to point out that this sketch was, of course, only diagrammatic and intended to show the general principle of the raft, andi not as it actually is. . For the sake of clearness we omitted to show such " accessories " as handlines, netting, etc., which are fitted to the actual rafts.
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
