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Aviation History
1923
1923 - 0277.PDF
MAY 24, 1923 e 69 ft.) ; maximum overall height, including shockabsorbers on car, 26-5 metres (87 ft.) ; maximum overall width with air-screws, 22 metres (72 ft.) ; total lift, 31,500 kgs(31 tons) ; useful load, 13,000 legs. (12-8 tons). The useful load for a 30 hours' flight could consist of16 passengers, 16 pupils and about 1J tons of luggage, supplies, mails and goods. With all engines running at full power aspeed of 125 km./hr. (78 m.p.h.) should be attained ; the average speed may be taken as 110 km./hr. (68-75 m.p.h.).Ihe hull is exactly the same in construction as the big airships, .there are three engines of 400 h.p. arranged, one in anengine car aft and the other two in two wing cars amidships- The control car is integral with the hull, and is speciallyarranged for the instruction of pupils. The W/T. station is to the left of the car. Cabins for crew and pupils are in thewalking-way. The passenger car is behind that of the •commander and joined to it. It has two compartments• «ach seating eight persons, a dining-saloon, kitchen, lavatories,' etc. Luggage, mails and goods are placed in the walkin?- •way. r tj The following are extracts from Dr. Hugo Eckener's .,. report on the technical and meteorological points of view :— r . " As. regards the Spanish terminus, the west of Andalusia ••> is a suitable district, both geographically and with respect to winds and temperatures. A member of the Commission '- stayed m this district for some months making the necessary •..observations. Observations and study of existing meteoro- , logical data for Seville, Sanlucar, Jerez de la Frontera, San Fernando and Cordova established the fact that around ... Seville the meteorological conditions were exceptionally ^ favourable for an air-port. The average velocity of the wind is only 1-3 m./sec, no wind velocity above 7 m./sec.being recorded. The direction of the wind is principally . " a.W. or N.E. " The outskirts of Buenos Aires are the most suitable sitefor the Argentine air-port from the point of view of traffic. The average wind velocity is 4-4 m./sec., although occa-sionally gales of short duration occur with wind velocity •exceeding 20 m./sec., but continuous gales are very rare.From observations made by the Commission over a month •or more, it would appear that the winds are fresh but regular,and would not cause difficulties in manoeuvring a big airship, whereas for landing a steady wind of 4-8 m./sec. is very; useful. J " As the winds are distributed fairly uniformly from all•quarters, a revolving or circular shed should be erected. Observations were made at Rosario and Cordova to ascertainwhether these places offered greater advantages. At Rosario the average winds are slighter than at Buenos Aires (3-2m./sec), but gusts and changes of direction are the same as at Buenos Aires. Cordova was found to be peculiarly freefrom high winds, but had to be ruled out owing to its distance from the capital and great height above sea level. If a stormof long duration were raging around Buenos Aires, Cordova might be used as a temporary haven. " The route may be divided into three divisions from the meteorological point of view : (1) from Spain to the neigh- bourhood of the Equator, including the north-east trade wind region ; (2) from the Equator to Cabo Frio, including the south-east trade wind region ; (3) from Cabo Frio to La Plata, where the winds are variable. "Division 1.—In summer the trade winds begin to blow near the Spanish coast, and in winter in the neighbourhood of the Canary Islands. Weather is fine and the sky slightly or half covered. The wind velocity is about 6-8 m./sec. and the direction north-east. Storms are rare and more or less stationary, so that airships can easily fly round them. Squalls or other disturbances have not been observed. Near the Equator one passes through the region of calms to the south-east trade wind region. The calm region is round about latitude 5°, and the weather is always calm except at the end of the summer, when a moderate south-westerly wind, the African monsoon, blows in the eastern region. Heavy rains are frequent in the calm region, but they generally occur in the form of squalls over a small area, and can be flown round. Even heavy rains do not endanger the safety of a modern airship, as thejift is sufficient to compensate any overloading, and water ballast can be discharged in an •emergency. " The members of the Commission did not encounter a single gale in this region during four journeys over the route. " Division 2.—This division shows the same conditions asthe north-east trade wind region, with the one difference that the south-east trade winds are stronger, reaching a velocityof 8-12 m./sec. As these winds will only be side winds in respect of the airship, they will have only a very slight influence on its speed. There are no gales or other dis-turbances in this region. " Division 3.—The route between Cabo Frio and La Plata presents varying conditions : the prevailing wind is north- east, but calms and winds varying from south-east to south- west are often experienced. Atmospheric disturbances are met with owing to the proximity of the land, but the airships should be able in cases of necessity to avoid unfavourable winds by keeping a more easterly course. The normal duration of the flight might be extended by about half a day by unfavourable conditions on this division. The tempera- tures registered during the commission's journeys were the same as those established many years before. The tempera- sure rarely exceeds 27°-28° in the hottest parts of the route. In short, the route may be considered one of the most suitable in the world for airship traffic. In view of the data collected, it is not difficult to calculatethe probable time taken for the flight. " Suppose the airship to be travelling at 30 m./sec. in the north-east trade wind region and at a speed of 31 m./sec. on the return journey. " The state of the winds may be calculated as follows :— "(I) Outward Journey: Division 1, following wind of 6 m./sec. ; Division 2, side wind of 8 m./sec. : Division 3, variable winds (on an average, a head wind of 2 m./sec.). (II) Return Journey: Division 3, variable winds (on an average, head wind of 2 m./sec.) ; Division 2, side wind of 8 m./sec. ; Division 1, head wind of 6 m./sec. " The distance-speed-time figures would be :—Outward Journey: Division 1, 4,700 kms., 36 m./sec, 37 hrs. ; Division 2, 3,200 kms., 29 m./sec., 31 hrs. ; Division 3, 2,000 kms., 28 m./sec., 20 hrs., or 9,900 kms. in 88 hrs. Return Journey : Division 3, 28 m./sec, 20 hrs. ; Division 2 29 m./sec, 31 hrs. ; Division 1, 25 m./sec., 51 hrs., or 102 hrs. total time. " With respect to the return journey, it may be noted that' the north-east trade winds cease at an altitude of 1,800 to 2,500 metres. The airship would thus probably be able to avoid the head wind in the first division, so that the time spent over this division would be 45 hrs., and the total would be reduced to 96 hrs. " Summary of Estimated Cost I. Air port in SpainDwellings Air port in the ArgentineDwellings " II. Construction Works in Spain. Works Dwellings Pesetas.14,000,000 600,00024,000,000 600,000 39,200,000 10,000,000 900,000 10,900.000 " Ilia. Small shed for school airship in Spain ~'- 1,500,000 Wide shed for school airship . . 3,000,000 " III?>. Extra cost for circular shed in Argentine 21,000,000" " The establishment of the line will be an important event for Europe and for the Argentine Republic, but more especially for Spain. Owing to the exceptionally good weather condi- tions in Seville, many airships proceeding from South and ' North America will prefer to land at Seville rather than go on to France or Great Britain. " Rapid means of communication between Seville and the other European countries will be a big factor in enhancing the importance of Spain as a traffic centre. The utility of such airships and installations in case of war hardly needs emphasis. " The Zeppelin firm has drawn up a detailed report of the establishment and operation of the transatlantic air line and auxiliary concerns, based on the valuable experience of this firm in such matters. The report establishes the fact that the concern will be highly profitable from a financial point of view. " There will be two simultaneous flights per -week in each_ direction on the Seville-Buenos Aires line : 3 days 16 hours will be taken over the outward flight and 4 days 6 hours over the return flight. Passengers will have all the comforts of an Atlantic liner, without the disadvantage of sea-sickness- The engines are placed at" sufficient distance from the passenger car to give no unpleasant smell or vibrations. " These airships do not, of course, constitute the final type, but simply represent a transition between existing airships 277
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