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Aviation History
1922
1922 - 0058.PDF
JANUARY 26, 1922 LONDON TERMINAL AERODROME Monday, January 23 PREPARATIONS for renewed activity on the " airways "•—to follow the bad weather of the purely winter season—are already in evidence. The Air Ministry, one may mention, are erecting four new canvas hangars to alleviate the aero drome's own particular " housing problem." These are being put up on the edge of the 'drome just below the public enclosure ; and they will thus obviate any need to " taxy " machines right round to the other side of Plough Lane, as is done at present. This will be a great advantage when 'planes require merely to be re-fuelled and looked over before being turned round and sent back to Paris. The want of some such facility was, in fact, felt as far back as the summer of 1920. In the case of big repairs, or when machines are to be " garaged " for a day or so, they will of course continue to be " taxied " round to the main sheds. The Instone people are now enlarging their main offices, in addition to building the new parcels' office. There are reports of big summer developments in connection with this air-line. They intend, as has been reported, to run goods' machines, and these are being built specially for this one purpose of transporting urgent merchandise. Such a step is obviously in the right direction. Hitherto only " general- purpose " machines, their main equipment being for pas sengers, have been seen on the " airways." 1 understand that Instones' are now engaging new pilots in view of their summer campaign. There looks already like being keen competition this year for the service of pilots who are familiar with the London-Paris air route. The Instone air-line uniforms have now received an addition in the shape of gold braid on the sleeves of the tunic, and on the shoulders of the greatcoat. These are markings to indi cate the duties of the wearers, and to distinguish commodore and pilots from the purely ground staff. A New and Improved Marconi-'plane THE Marconi Company's new " Avro " was taken over on behalf of that company by Mr. Shaw during the week. The Surrey Flying Services, who have erected the machine, and converted it, appear to have put some good work into the job, and, as it has been done on the aerodrome, Mr. Shaw has been able to watch progress and have small modifications incorporated to suit his own convenience. Instead of being fitted with a trailing aerial, the machine has a fixed aerial strung round it from wings to tail; while, in addition, all the plugs and leads from the magneto are covered by copper shields so as to minimise that interference from the ignition system which sometimes has a marked effect on wireless telephones in aeroplanes. <$> <J> THE COST OF RUNNING IN the course of an address before the Metropolitan Section, Society of Automotive Engineers, New York, recently, C. F. Redden—President, Aeromarine Airways, Inc.—gave some interesting figures relating to the operating costs based on the actual operation of several converted Navy flying- boats equipped with both single and twin engines. These figures, which we give herewith, include everything but administrative overhead and advertising, and show the actual operating costs and the possible profits, operating to a capacity of four hours per day. Cost of Operating an H.S.2 L. Six-Passenger Aeromarine Navy Flying Boat with Liberty Motor. Forty-five weeks per year, four flying hours per day, five days per week. Valuation, $7,500 ; life of motor, 800 hours ; life of boat, 3 years; insurance, 32 per cent. ; interest, 7 per cent. ; petrol consumption for Liberty motor, cruising speed, 27 galls, per hour (at 25 cents per gall.) ; oil con sumption, cruising speed, ij gall, per hour (at 80 cents per gall.) ; pilot, $50 per week ; mechanic, $35 per week. Cost per flying hour, including pilot, mechanic, fuel, main tenance, depreciation, insurance and interest, $29.98. Income— $ Figuring five passengers per load at $10 per passenger Four flights of 10 minutes each . . Four hours per day Five days per week—-20 flying hours Total Income— Figuring five passengers per load .. Total cost This allows liberally for administrative expense, tising and dividends—$3,400-28. Cost of Operating an F.$ L. 11-Passenger Aeromarine Nary Flying Cruiser with Twin Liberty Motors. Forty-five weeks per year, four flying hours per day. 50-00 200 • 00 per hour day week 800•00 4,000-00 4,000-00 599-72 adver- The Surrey Flying Services have nearly completed a second Avro which is, I understand, being built for a private owner whose name, when it is divulged, will be well known. Weather has again dislocated the " airway " service.1" The standard of flying from the point of getting through when conditions are bad has deteriorated to a marked extent, and pilots are the first to admit it. It is probable that this state of affairs is due to a large extent to a desire to husband machines when there are not loads for them : whereas in the earlier, demonstration phase the object was not so much to get full paying loads as to prove that an aeroplane service could be run in all but the very worst of weather. Mr. Macintosh, who was injured in the foot when his. 0-400 crashed the other day in a fog near Le Bourget, was down at the aerodrome, during the week. He manages to hobble about fairly well on crutches, and tells me that an " X "-ray examination showed no bones to be broken. The muscles and tendons of his leg were, however, badly wrenched, and it will be some time before he is able to fly again. The peculiar feature of the accident in which Mr. Macintosh was hurt was that, though the Handley Page stopped dead on landing, and lurched forward on its nose, the actual icjury was caused by great lumps of frozen earth being forced up through the floor, the nose of the machine itself being practi cally uninjured. An Interesting Rolls-Royce Rumour THERE are reports on the aerodrome that Rolls-Royce have produced a very successful modification of the Eagle " 8," and that it is to be known as the Eagle " 9." In this modified engine the epicyclic gear has, it is said, been replaced by a simpler arrangement; and, if rumour is to be credited, tests have produced already some very satisfactory results. There was news from Mr. Alan J. Cobham, the " air-taxi man," during the week. He is at present, it may be remem bered, on a 10,000 miles' tour of Europe and Northern Africa, and it is now learned that he has flown with his passenger across the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. This is the first time a British " taxyplane " has made a tour of Morocco, and it is understood that the French authorities in that country have been much impressed by the capabilities of the D.H. 9c and its pilot. Captain Levcrton is back from a tour of continental air- stations, having visited Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Brussels, and Le Bourget. He maintains that Croydon is the best of the lot, and that we have little to learn from those on the other side of the Channel in the matter of organising an air station. The boot, in fact, seems to be on the other leg. <s> <$> A FLYING BOAT SERVICE five days per week. Valuation, $30,000 ; life of motors, 800 hours each ; life of boat, 3 years ; insurance, 32 per cent. ; interest, 7 per cent. ; petrol consumption for Liberty motor, cruising speed, 27 galls, per hour (at 25 cents per gall.) ; oil consumption, cruising speed, i\ gall, per hour (at 80 cents per gall.) ; pilot, $75 per week ; mechanic, $45 ; bowman. $30. Cost per flying hour, including pilot, mechanic and bowman, fuel, maintenance, depreciation, insurance and interest, $71-12. Income (based on prevailing charges—either $40 per flying, hour or $10 per 10-minute sightseeing flight)— Figuring nine passengers per load $ at $10 per passenger for 10-minute flights Four flights of 10 minutes each .. Four hours per day Five days per week—20 flying hours Figuring five passengers per load at $10 per passenger for 10-minute flight Four flights of 10 minutes each .. Four hours per day Five days per week—20 flying hours Total Income— Figuring nine passengers per load. . Total cost Balance Figuring five passengers per load '. Total cost Balance 90-00 300•00 1,440-00 7,200-00 50 • 00 200-00 800•00 4,000-00 7,200-00 1,420-00 $5,779-42 4,000-00 1,420-00 $2,579-42 per per 1 > hour day week hour day week 58 These balances allow liberally for administrative expense, advertising and dividends.
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