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Aviation History
1923
1923 - 0023.PDF
JANUARY II, 1923 GLIDING, SOARING AND AIR-SAILING Those wishing to get in touch with others interested in matters relating to gliding and the construction of gliders are invited to write to the Editor of FLIGHT, who will be pleased to publish such communications on this page, in order to bring together those who would like to co-operate, either in forming gliding clubs or in private collaboration. THE performance of the French pilot, Lieut. Thoret, in flying for 7 hrs. 3 mins. at Biskra on a Hanriot school machine —H.D.14, with 80 h.p. le Rhone engine-—is a very fine one, considering that the machine was somewhat heavily loaded, regarded as a glider. Normally, the H.D.14 two-seater school machine carries a wing loading of approximately 22-5 kgs./sq. m. (4-6 lbs./sq. ft.), but this is with pilot, passenger and fuel for 3 hrs. Without the passenger, and with but a small amount of fuel in the tanks, it may be assumed that the loading had been reduced to about 19 kgs./sq. m. (3-9 lbs./sq. ft.), but even this loading, although light for an aeroplane, would be very heavy for a glider. Then there is the fact that the machine itself would scarcely be very efficient, with its numerous wires and struts, not to mention an undercarriage which included another large quantity of struts and wires. THE lesson to be drawn from the flight is that, given fairly efficient gliders, it should be possible for a skilled pilot to A 10 H.P. LE RHONE ENGINE : At the Paris Aero Show the exhibits on the stand of Gnome and le Rhone included a small two-cylinder opposed air-cooled engine, intended for use on gliders. The engine, which is an A.B.C. built at the le Rhone works, is provided with a reduction gear of 3 to 1. The engine runs at 3,500 revolutions per minute, and the airscrew at about 1,170 revolutions per minute. The bore and stroke are 68-5 mm. and 54 mm. respectively, and the weight, com- plete with magneto and carburettor, is 18 kgs. (40 lb.) remain aloft as long as he liked, or could stand it for physical reasons. It appears probable that an efficient glider would be able to reach very considerable altitudes above the hills, and thus the feat of " sitting on a jet of air " might be turned into something vastly more useful by allowing the pilots to glide across country until meeting another upward current. To continue going for duration records by cruising backwards and forwards like the shuttle of a loom will not teach us anything which we do not already know, although there is little doubt that many pilots will still be anxious to try their hand at establishing new world's records for duration, whether or not such a feat is anything beyond a sporting effort. Scientific interest it can no longer claim. IT appears that Lieut. Thoret was sent to Algeria by the French Under-Secretary of State for Air, in order to study the conditions and select a site for the forthcoming gliding competition. The Hanriot H.D.14 was placed at his disposal by the Algiers air station, and after a few preliminary flights, accompanied by his mechanic, Thoret succeeded in establishing his record. The French are usually fond of disclaiming any " records " until they have been homo- logated. In this case, we have not noticed that they hesitated in proclaiming Thoret's performance a record, although it appears extremely doubtful that it will ever be homologated, as probably no official observers were present. - * * * WE do not, for one moment, doubt that Lieut. Thoret did remain up with engine stopped, for the time stated. He is an officer and a gentleman, and a very good sportsman besides, but the same can truthfully be said of General Mitchell of the U.S. Air Service, yet up to the very end of last year the French journals never tired of writing about General Mitchell's flight in doubting terms. That wonderful per- formance has now been homologated, as have also those of Lieut. Maughan, which eclipsed the flight records over 100 and 200 km. previously held by Lecointe and Brae-Papa. * * * AFTER this little digression, we may return to Lieut. Thoret's flight. It appears that he had made preliminary flights during January 1 and January 2, and that on the morning of January 3, he took off about 7. He found, however, that he could not remain up with engine stopped, and therefore came down and waited until about 9 a.m., when he got away again, the wind having increased and also, presumably, the sun beginning by then to cause ascending currents. This time, Thoret found no difficulty in remaining aloft, although he was blown about a good deal, and at times feared he would be blown against the rocky sides of the hill in front of which he was "weaving." This hill rises to a height of about 225 ms. (740 ft.), and is situated 5 miles south- west of Biskra. * * • THE greatest difficulty which Lieut. Thoret experienced appears to have been that of keeping warm, and also of fighting-off fatigue. He had to be constantly on the alert, and the controls were in use practically the whole time. In a statement to Le Matin, Thoret said that he was sorely tempted to quit, when he had beaten Maneyrol's performance by 10 mins., but, realising that, as he had no experts to count the seconds for him, he would have to beat Maneyrol by hours he kept on. He landed shortly after 4 in the afternoon, having been up for 7 hrs. 3 mins. Had he been more warmly clad, there is little doubt that Thoret might easily have remained up considerably longer. ALTHOUGH not definitely decided yet, it appears probable that the French gliding competition at Biskra will take place from January 20 to the early part of February. The experiments made by Lieut. Thoret have definitely indicated that suitable soaring and gliding conditions may be expected to be met with, and already two machines have been entered, one by Thoret and the other by Adjutant Descamps. Thoret's machine will, we believe, be designed and built by Hanriot's. It is expected that the next entrant will be Maneyrol. IT is also probable that another meeting will take place in Africa, the place and time of which have not yet been announced. • * * WE were extremely sorry to learn of the accident which befell the Sayers-Courtney-Wright glider at Itford. It appears that the wind blew down the tent in which the machine was housed, and succeeded in making a fairly complete wreck of it. It is to be hoped that another will be built, as the machine should, once the initial minor difficulties have been overcome, prove a highly efficient one. The short flight made some time ago in still air demonstrated that the gliding angle was very good indeed, while the rate of descent was extremely low, the machine appearing to hang in the air at a speed as low as 18 m.p.h. With the larger ailerons better lateral control is obtained, and the longitudinal control is already very good. We sincerely sympathise with Sayers, Courtney and Wright, and trust that they will be able to continue the experiments of which this glider was the first step. - , 23- '•-*/
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