FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1922
1922 - 0458.PDF
THE SEAPLANE FLIGHT AROUND THE WORLD Fairey Seaplane with Rolls-Royce " Condor" to be Used J As an up-to-date method of " showing the flag," a flight | around the world should do much to uphold the prestige of British aviation. It is, therefore, with satisfaction that we learn of the proposed attempt, under the auspices of the Air League of the British Empire, by three young British aviators to circle the globe. The machine which it is proposed to use is a Fairey seaplane of the twin-float type, and the machine will be driven by a 600 h.p. Rolls-Royce " Condor " engine. The three aviators who are to make the attempt are Capt. Macintosh, who has for so long been associated with the Handley Page London-Paris air services ; Capt. Tymms, of the Air Ministry Navigation Department ; and Capt. McCloughry, of the Australian Flying Corps. All three men selected for the flight appear to have been weli chosen. Certainly Capt. Macintosh has had unique experience of flying under all sorts of weather conditions, ana he has on several occasions succeeded in bringing Handley Page machines across the Channel in weather which kept the Channel steamers in port. We do not know how much experience Capt. Macintosh has had of seaplane flying, but as the machine to be used is a twin-float seaplane, its handling should not be so very different from that of a land machine. Regarding the machine itself, but little information is available at the moment; but it will probably follow fairly closely upon the lines of the long-distance machine on which the Portuguese aviators Cabral and Coutinho started out on their trans-Atlantic flight from Lisbon. Thus the type has been thoroughly tried out, and the lessons learned with the first machine should enable the constructors to incorporate any improvements which experience with the first machine may have suggested. We understand that the twin-float' seaplane has been chosen mainly because in case of damage it is easier to repair or replace a float than it is to repair the hull of a flying boat. We do not know if it is the intention of the aviators to fit a land undercarriage for some of the stages of the flight, but it would appear that to do'so would be a fairly simple procedure, and, in a measure, the effect would be similar to that of using an amphibian machine, but with the difference that the amphibian gear would not have to be carried on board. Needless to say, the machine will be very fully equipped with all modern instruments, and a wireless set of good range will be carried. The Rolls-Royce " Condor" is, at the moment, not so thoroughly tested out as is the famous " Eagle," which has the trans-Atlantic flights, the Cairo-Cape flight, and the London-Australia flight to its credit. As it is, except for size, designed very much on the lines of the " Eagle," there is no reason to think that it will not worthily uphold Rolls-Royce traditions, especially as, we understand, for most of the stages it will not be necessary to run it at any thing like its full power. The most difficult parts of the journey will be from Kamchatka to Canada, and from America to Europe ; and for the first part of these stages it is possible that the engine may have to be run nearly all out, until some of the fuel has been consumed. As, however, the " Condor " is very sturdily built it should be able to do this safely for the required length of.time. At present the engine is, it will be remembered, being tried out in the Avro " Aldershot," which made its first public appearance at the Pageant at Hendon. The route to be followed has not yet definitely been decided upon, but it will be from west to east. The Air Ministry has promised all possible assistance in the way of meteorological and wireless assistance, and it is, we believe, intended to send a spare engine out to Japan. Otherwise it is hoped to be able to complete the whole flight on the same machine. No doubt a few spares will be judiciously distributed along the route. The actual date of starting has not yet been decided upon, but it appears probable that a start will be made early next year, possibly in January or February, and it is hoped to complete the tour of the world in about three months. We hope to be able to supplement these brief notes with further details later on. H H H H IN PARLIAMENT R.A.r. Reserve Annuat Training VISCOUNT CURZOK, on August i, asked the Secretary of State for Air what is the proposed period of annual training which it is proposed to lay down for a pilot and an observer, respectively, in the Air Force Reserve ; whether they will, during their training, have an opportunity of actually working with the Fleet; and whether Parliament will have an opportunity of considering the conditions of training, service, and Regulations for this new force before it is brought into existence ? Captain Guest. The answer to the first question is that it hour's flying in all, on up-to-date war-type machines, will have to be completed in each year, in periods of not less than two nor more than six days in each quarter; to the second, that reserve officers who have served with the Fleet will be given practice in flying on and off aircraft carriers, and, further, that advantage will be taken of any opportunities that may arise for practising them in actual work with the Fleet; to the last, that, as pointed out to my noble and gallant friend on July 27, the reserve is not a new force and that the conditions of service and general Regulations were laid before Parliament on February 7 last. Pilots VISCOUNT CURZON asked what is considered to be the flying life of a pilot in the Royal Air Force; whether any diSerence exists between the flying life of a pilot working with the Royal Navy, the Royal Air Force, and the Army ; and how long is required to train a pilot to work from an aircraft carrier ? Captain Guest: The answer to the fi rst question is that no statistics are available to enable an exact statement to be made as to the flying life of a pilot, and to attempt to strike an average would be very misleading owing to the wide variations that are met with. There is no reason, however, why an officer of the Royal Air Force should not continue flying throughout his service ; many of the senior officers of the Royal Air Force are flying regularly today. As regards the second question, so fas as experience has gone at present, there is no reason to suppose that there is any difference in the flying life of a pilot whether working with the Royal Navy, the Army, or the Royal Air Force. The answer to the last question is three months on an average. The Hawkinge Accident SIR W. JOYNSON-HICKS asked the Secretary of State for Air whether his attention has been called to the death of a Royal Air Force pilot at Hawkinge on the 25th instant; and whether the aeroplane which crashed was fitted with a parachute ? Captain Guest: I am aware of the circumstances of the accident to which my hon. friend refers, so far as they have been revealed up to the present. The aeroplane, which was of a fighting type known as the Snipe, is normally used as a single-seater, but was, in this case, one of those adapted as a dual control aeroplane for instructional purposes, thereby fmther reducing the surplus space available. The aeroplane was not fitted with parachutes, and no satisfactory type of parachute has been evolved for this small high-speed type of aeroplane, although considerable progress is being made. I would refer my hon. friend to my reply to his question of May 17, in which I informed him that no fighting aeroplanes are, at present, fitted with parachutes, and would add for his information that, as a result of the service trials referred to therein, parachutes for Avro aeroplanes are now being modified. World Flight in 1923 LIEUT.-COL. MOORE-BRABAZON, on Aug. 2, asked the Secretary of State for Air whether an attempt is being made by an all-English seaplane to fly round the world ; and whether, if he be satisfied as to the genuineness of the attempt, assistance will be given by the Air Ministry ? Capt. Guest : I understand that a proposal is on foot to carry out next year a world flight, as mentioned. The participators in the enterprise have approached the Air Ministry, and we have satisfied ourselves that their proposed scheme is sound and has a reasonable chance of success. The Air Ministry will assist the scheme so far as is possible when the time comes. I understand that the Air League of the British Empire is also going to help. Air Unit VISCOUNT CURZON asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if there is any other country in the world in which the Air Force unit working with the Navy is under the control of a separate Air Ministry ? Mr. Amery : The answer is in the negative. Capt. Wedgwood Benn : Was there any other country which, under a united Air Ministry like ours, did so well as we did in the War ? Mr. Amery : I cannot answer that question. Establishments Abroad (Aircraft Defences) VISCOUNT CURZON asked whether there are any aircraft defences to any of our dockyards, fuelling stations, or naval establishments abroad other than Malta ? Mr. Amery : As regards anti-aircraft defences, I would suggest that my noble and gallant friend should put a question to my right hon. friend the Secretary of State for War. I am informed by the Air Ministry that aircraft are available, if required, for the defence of Port Said, Suez and Aden. Viscount Curzon : Is that in addition to Malta ? Mr. Amery : There are aircraft there. Lieut.-Commander Kenworthy : Does that mean that there are no aircraft defences at Singapore or Hong Kong ? Mr. Amery : Yes, it does. Lieut.-Commander Kenworthy : It is disgraceful then. Civil Aviation CAPT. WEDGWOOD BENN on August 3 asked the Secretary of State for Air what will be the effect of the redistribution of duties of the Air Council on the Department of Civil Aviation ? Capt. Guest: So far as Civil Aviation is concerned, the recent Order in Council redistributing the duties of the Air Council merely confirms the arrangement forecasted by me when introducing the Air Estimates, and actually in force for some months past. This is that Civil Aviation business is conducted by a Director of Civil Aviation, who is responsible to. the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State. The Under-Secretary of State is, of course, like other members of the Air Council, generally responsible to me, but, as a Minister of the Crown, he can deal authoritatively with matters of Civil Aviation policy with the advice and executive assistance of the Director of Civil Aviation and his staff. Capt. Viscount Curzon: May I ask whether this means that something is really going to be done for Civil Aviation, and to save this industry for the country ? Capt. Guest: The industries of the country do not depend- Viscount Gurzon : I did not say " industries," but " to save this industry for the country." Capt. Benn: Can the hon. and gallant gentleman say whether previously Civil Aviation was directly represented by its Chief on the Air Council ? Capt. Guest: Yes, Sir, that is so. The appointment of the late Controller- General of Civil Aviation was peculiar to himself about three and a half years ago, and was not necessarily regarded as a precedent. 458
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
