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Aviation History
1921
1921 - 0602.PDF
SEPTEMBER 8, 1921 THE RHON SOARING COMPETITION : Two views of the Aachen glider, which did so well in the turningcompetition. The attitude and indifference of the cattle indicate that the machine has no engine. In this manner a form of catapult is formed which acceleratesthe machine very quickly, and in a few yards it is up to flying speed and in the air, when, as it passes the two menattending to the rope, this falls out of the notches and is left behind. Owing to the light wing loading (according toMr. Handley Page the average is somewhere about i£ lb./ there were several instances of machines reaching heightsconsiderably above their starting point. Thus Klemperer, on the Aachen monoplane shown in some of the accompanyingphotographs, made a. very long flight (after the close of the competition), during which he reached a height estimated asbeing at least 300 ft. above his starting point. This extra- The Rhon Soar- ing Competition : The Munich glider, which covered a dis- tance of over 1\ miles and remained in the air for over five minutes. sq. ft'.) the machines get off very quickly into the wind,and then comes the glide during which a skilful pilot takes advantage of every gust to keep the machine up or evento rise slightly. The method appears to be that the pilot, when a gust strikes the machine, elevates as much as he thinksthe machine will stand, and then, when the gust is dying down, he flattens out and continues'tlie glide. In this manner ordinary flight lasted for just over 13 minutes, and theapproximate flight path is shown in the accompanyirg sketch map, which we reproduce by courtesy of Flugspcr'.It will be seen that he described figures-of-eight, did sharp turns, and generally behaved more as if upon a power-driven aeroplane than using a glider. His highest altitude was reached about six minutes after the start. Another THE RHON SOARING COMPETITION : Two views of the Hannover glider. This machine has footballsinstead of wheels with pneumatic tyres—two under the body, one in the nose, and one under each wing-tip. 602
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