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Aviation History
1923
1923 - 0135.PDF
MARCH 8, 1923 that this proposal should be carried into effect, as we cannot regard the large factory buildings as affording convenient accommodation for use by several operating companies. 14. The present size of the aerodrome is insufficient to cope with any large increase of traffic, and houses are rapidly being erected close to its boundaries. We, therefore, are convinced that a decision should be reached without delay as to the extension or the abandonment of the Croydon Aerodrome, and that if it is accepted that the most satis- factory aerodrome provision for London can be obtained by an improvement of the existing aerodrome, steps towards this end should be taken at once. 15. The site, could, in our opinion, be improved by :— (a) The purchase of some 75 acres of the old Beddington Aerodrome and two strips of land, one adjoining the road at the south end of the east boundary of the existing aero- drome, and the other at the south-west corner of the aerodrome (b) The diversion of Plough Lane. (c) The provision of additional accommodation, and the reorganisation of the existing accommodation on the aerodrome. (d) A new main arterial road from London to the vicinity of the aerodrome. 16. With regard to (a) the land forming part of the old Beddington Aerodrome which it would be necessary to acquire is on the west side of and adjoining Plough Lane. The land is in course of rapid development for building purposes, and prompt action will be necessary to prevent the whole area from being built over. The cost of acquiring the ground has not been gone into in detail, but it is estimated that it will cost not less than £40,000, with an additional £10,000 for the two strips of land. 17. The diversion of Plough Lane is an integral part of the scheme, but this may entail legislation. The necessary formalities connected with the diversion of the road will undoubtedly be somewhat protracted, and a period of eighteen months may easily elapse before work on this part of the scheme can be commenced. It is considered that £50,000 may be taken as a rough estimate of the cost involved in this diversion. 18. The improvements referred to in (c) above include the erection of three additional flight sheds with tarmac aprons, paths, etc., on land owned but at present let by the Air Council. A new waiting-room for passengers and a building comprising duty and wireless offices in the vicinity of the existing buildings, and an additional tarmac stand for cars should be included in this improvement. 19. The farm buildings and certain coppices should be ', .-,:..;; "..... -.••':.••- jgp gj cleared on the expiration of the present letting and improve- ments effected in the surface of the aerodrome. The total cost of the improvements suggested in paragraph 15.. except (d) is estimated at £225,000. 20. In conclusion, having regard to all the considerations involved, we can find no sufficient advantages to warrant us in recommending the abandoment of the Croydon Aerodrome and the establishment of another London Terminal Aero- drome elsewhere. We are, however, convinced that the Croydon Aerodrome will not be large enough to carry the amount of traffic that will be required of it in the near future, but that with enlargement it would be able to cope wifn* all the requirements that at present can be foreseen. We suggest, however, that if internal air traffic should develop to such an unexpected extent as to render the Croydon Aerodrome congested, we should be given a further oppor- tunity of considering the question of an additional aerodrome elsewhere. 21. We accordingly recommend that:— (a) The Croydon Aerodrome should be retained as the London Terminal Aerodrome. (b) The aerodrome should be enlarged and improved on the lines indicated in paragraphs 15-19 above. (c) A total sum not exceeding £250,000 should be voted for the purpose. (d) Any necessary legislation should be promoted and the alterations put in hand and carried through without delay. (e) Particular attention should be directed to the advantage of selecting for road development those routes which might improve the road communications between London and Croydon. (/) The necessary steps should be taken to acquire the Gunnersbury Park site with a view to its possible eventual use as an aerodrome. The report is signed by the following :— The Duke of Sutherland, Sir W. S. Brancker, Sir W. G. H. Salmond, Brig.-Gen. F. H. Williamson, Mr. J. C. McBride, Mr. G. Holt Thomas, Mr. Stanley Machin, Mr. H. James Yates, Sir W. Joynson-Hicks, Sir Fred Hall, Brig.-Gen. Sir H. C. L. Holden, Lieut-Col. Mervyn O'Gorman, Sir Henry White-Smith, and Mr. F. G. L. Bertram, Secretary. Sir Geoffrey Salmond signed the report with the following proviso to be added to recommendation (/) of paragraph 21 :—• " provided funds are available, and subject to recom- mendations (a) to (e) being first carried out." IS H GLIDING, SOARING AND AIR-SAILING THE designs submitted for FLIGHT glider competition have now been carefully examined by the judges, Mr. C. R. Fairey and Mr. F. Handley Page, and a number of them, which did not comply with the regulations governing the competition, have been eliminated. The final choice has been narrowed down to three designs. These are now being gone through thoroughly in order to check stress calculations and aero- dynamic estimates, and it is hoped that the results of the competition will be available for publication in next week's issue of FLIGHT. The work of checking the calculations necessarily takes some time, and we should like here to express our indebtedness to the judges, both very busy men, who are giving their valuable services absolutely without remuneration, and are lending their stress experts free of charge for the purpose of ensuring that the calculations made by competitors are correct and that every part of the accepted designs is up to the required standard of strength. As the winning glider is chiefly intended for amateur con- struction, and may conceivably be built by enthusiasts who are not experts in this sort of work, it is, of course, of the utmost importance that we should be able to be satisfied— provided the materials used are sound—with the strength ot the structure. Breakages resulting from flaws in the wood or metal are outside our scope, of course, and it will rest with the builders to see that nothing but the specified materials, and these in good condition, are used in the construction. We hope, as already stated, to be able to announce the final decision next week. THE results of the Biskra meeting appear to be highly creditable for the Dewoitine gliders, three of which were entered. The prize offered by the Resident-General of Morocco, for distance covered in a straight line, was won by Adjutant Descamps, on a Dewoitine, who covered 5-152 kilometres (3-18 miles) by flying from the Ed Delouatt Cliff to Beni-Morra on February 21. On the same day Barbot, on another Dewoitine, covered a little over 4 kilo- metres. * * * IN the competition for total time in the air, Descamps was also first, his total time being 21 hrs. 48 mins. 43 sees. Barbot was second, and Thoret third, both mounted on Dewoitines. * * * . THE altitude competition, for a prize presented by the Resident-General of Tunis, was won by Descamps, who reached a height of 540 metres (1,770 ft.) above his starting point. Assuming a gliding angle of 1 in 15 for the machine, this would mean that he could cover, from that height and in still air, a distance of 26,600 ft., or about five miles. With a following wind this might be increased to six or seven miles. It would, therefore, appear that it should be possible for a machine, under favourable conditions/to cover a long range of hills, such as the Downs, by reaching a good height at one section, gliding across a gap and catching the rising currents from the next range before dropping too low. Something of this sort will have to be done in order to win the Selfridge Prize for flying a distance of 50 miles. • * * IN the meantime, Maneyrol is busy at Vauville, near Cherbourg, where, it is reported, he will soon be joined by Bossoutrot on the Farman " Moustique " and Saint-Aubin on the monoplane of his own design. One of these was on the way to Biskra, but arrived too late to take part in the competition. M. Saint-Aubin is also reported to be building another monoplane fitted with a small engine for the Petit Parisien Prize. . - .... 135
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