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Aviation History
1924
1924 - 0077.PDF
Speaking of the future of the air mail service, the report says:— " Before the air mail service can offer to the department its full measure of value it will be necessary to operate the 'planes at night as well as in the daytime. Its value as a postal transportation agent lies in its high speed, but to compete with the railroad train it must exceed the overnight distance limit of the train. Night flying, if successful, will accomplish this. " Accordingly the air mail service undertook an intensive study of night operation in all its phases. It was found that there had been no regular operation of aircraft at night excepting that which took place during the War. However, the department availed itself of all obtainable information and competent advice, and received the co-operation of manufacturers, of the Army Air Service laboratories, and the .National Advisory Committee of Aeronautics. " After several months of research work a plan was reached for lighting the course between Chicago, 111., and Cheyenne, Wyo., for the location of emergency fields and the lighting of these and the regularly established landing fields and buildings. All this involved special devices and expert handling for lighting to approximate day lighting and daytime perspective. " Ten of our regular mail-carrying 'planes were equipped with appropriate lighting devices, and the official test was made for four days beginning August 21, and maintained between New York, N.Y , and San Francisco, Calif. " The service was operated in both directions, and proved an entire success, with schedules 26 hrs. 14 mins. eastbound, and 29 hrs. 3S mins. westbound (best time). " The experiment demonstrated that it is feasible and practicable to operate aircraft at night over properly lighted and prepared airways, and with a speed practically equal to that maintained during daylight." a H H m NOTICES TO AIRMEN Periodical Internal Inspection of Fabric-Covered Com ponents 1. ATTENTION is directed to the necessity for a periodical inspection of the internal details of fabric-covered components, particularly in the case of components incorporating spars of laminated construction 2. The inspection of aircraft by representatives of the Secretary of State for the purpose of renewal of the Certificate of Airworthiness, which normally takes place at yearly intervals, will accordingly in future include inspection of the internal details of fabric-covered components, and the certifi cate will not be renewed without such internal inspection. Under existing methods of construction of such components, this will necessarily involve the opening up of the fabric to a considerable extent, and in some cases the complete stripping of the component may be required. (No 5 of 1924.) NOTICE TO GROUND ENGINEERS No. 3 of 1924 is issued. This is identical with No. 5 of 1924, Notice to Airmen, published above. E H E n " HELICOPTERACIONE" DURING the past month M. Pescara, who has been continuing his experiments with his helicopter at Issy-les-Moulineaux, succeeded in making several flights, incidentally creating a helicopter record. On January 16 he improved on his previous record (of 5 mins. 44 sees.) by remaining in the air for 8 mins. 13 sees. On this occasion he succeeded in flying round the whole'area of the ground, executing figures of eight, circles, etc. On the following morning he flew in a straight line for a distance of 500 m., but, owing to a slight failure in one of his gears, he had to discontinue his trials for the time being. jh M. Pescara resumed his trials on January 29, when he accomplished what is probably the best flight yet made on a direct-lift machine. He was, on this occasion, making an attempt for the French Aero Club prize for the first helicopter flight of 1 km. in a closed circuit. During his first two attempts M. Pescara made flights of nearly 8 mins. and 3^ mins. under very unfavourable weather conditions. At his third attempt in m Taming Mesopotamia Tribes '»> FOLLOWING defiance of the Mesopotamia Government by certain tribes for some time, a report is to hand from Baghdad as to the very effective remedies employed to bring home \o the sheiks and their henchman concerned the error of their ways. After an ample time limit had been given to the recalcitrant tribes, without any sign of repentance, the Air Officer Commandng was requested, through the High Com missioner, to take action against them In this action the he rose vertically to a height of about 4 ft., and then proceeded horizontally for a distance of half a kilometre, and, rounding a pylon at this point, he flew back again, descending on the spot at which he had started. This flight lasted 10 mins. 33 sees., and constitutes a world's record, but unfortunately, owing to a slight mishap which occurred just before he landed, when a sudden gust of wind caused the tail-skid to touch the ground for an instant, M. Pescara failed to win the prize. The Pescara helicopter consists of a more or less conven tional type fuselage, containing the pilot and 180 h.p. Hispano engine, extending vertically up from the centre of which is a shaft carrying two sets of four-bladed horizontal airscrews mounted one above the other. Each set of airscrews is made up of biplane-type blades—miniature biplane wings, in fact— with wing-warping method of control. These airscrews are rotated, in opposite directions, by the engine through suitable gearing. EI EI Royal Air Force, the Iraq army, Iraq levies, and Iraq police participated. Aircraft and the necessary small ground detachments were moved to convenient advanced positions, the aerodromes being protected by sections of armoured cars and also by detachments of Iraq army and Iraq levies. Aerial action was continued without intermission for 24 hours, when all the sheiks of the two tribes concerned surrendered. How long would this have taken using the old methods ? E EI H EI A Week's Output of " Lions " : Here is seen a '' litter '' of the famous 450 h.p. Napier " Lion " aero engine, all ready for their final strenuous test before delivery. Napier engines are in use in all parts of the world— America, France, Spain, Japan, Canada, Holland, Argentine, Czecho - Slovakia, etc. —hence the works "'at Acton are naturally busy. 77
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