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Aviation History
1925
1925 - 0097.PDF
FEBRUARY 19, 1925 mine whether methods of aerial survey could be evolved which would give greater speed, with less work and more complete results. With this in view, in the fall of 1923, a small area north of The Pas, Manitoba, comprising part of the Kississing sheet of the Sectional Map of Canada, was photographed by methods laid down by the Topographical Survey. The test showed that providing oblique photo- graphs could be taken under satisfactory light conditions, at definite angles, with proper intervals, and at known heights, a reliable map could be produced which, with a minimum of ground work to control the pictures, would be more complete and accurate than any ground survey which could be contemplated in that area for many years. The field work, moreover, could be completed in a few weeks as against many months of hard travel by canoe. The present flight started on July 18 from Victoria Beach and four hours later the 'plane reached The Pas from which point the actual photographic work was begun. Fuel for the operation of the machine had been shipped to several points during the winter months, and since the total allow- able load was 5,600 lb. and the combined weight of the pilot, engineer, photographer, and navigator, and the camera, equipment, and supplies was 5,863, it was found necessary to begin the flight without the aeroplane's wheels and tail- skid. Weather conditions interfered, and it was not until July 20 that photographic work was started 25 miles north of The Pas. Pukkatawagan was reached the same day, and a start for Rabbit River was made on the 23rd. The machine operated on Reindeer Lake until August 1, with Rabbit River as the base. Surveyors running the ground traverse from which the photographs will be plotted were met in the Reindeer Lake district, and were given some very useful information about the country. The party left Rabbit River for Stanley Mission, but, owing to unfavour- able photographic weather encountered, the course was changed to Pelican Narrows, from which point a report was forwarded to the head office at Ottawa. They resumed flight on August 11 from Ile-a-la-Crosse, later continuing on to Prince Albert. The following day they left for The Pas, and on August 14 reached Victoria Beach. Aerial operations were also conducted during the year in other parts of Canada where mapping operations were under way and where the forest and mineral resources were being investigated. This particular flight and the ground surveys with which it was connected were for the purpose of prepar- ing a base map for geological investigations of northern Saskatchewan. Upon the completion of the map the photo- graphs will be available for the use of the geologist, the forester and the water-power engineer for study and use during actual ground investigation. The aerial surveys being performed by the Topographical Survey, therefore, have a twofold value, the first mapping and the second providing actual photographs for study and investigation by experts engaged in developing Canada's natural resources. During the flight food, of which there was no shortage, consisted mostly of bacon and canned goods, with bannock to replace bread. There was little meat available, but plenty of fish. Moose meat was extremely scarce. The residents attribute this to the absence of flies in the north country this year, consequently the moose were not driven to the water, as in other seasons. Since the Indian does not leave his canoe, but always hunts by paddling up the waterways, very little meat was obtained. The large herds, numbering thousands, of caribou and reindeer which move about in the district during the winter had all moved north to their summer grazing grounds in the " barren lands " by the time of the party's arrival. As previously reported in " FLIGHT," further survey work is being carried out this year. With regard to other air work in Canada, the air transport services operated by the Laurentide Co. in the Rouyn Gold Field District have, we believe, proved very successful, and have been well patronised both as regards passengers and mails. In short, it may be said of air work in Canada that—as the famous comedian said of his salary—while there is not much ol it, what there is, is good. AIR MINISTRY NOTICES GROUND ENGINEERS D.H.4, D.H.9 and D.H.9a Types of Aircraft : Construc- tion of Main 'Plane Spars 1. THE attention of ground engineers is directed to the necessity for observing the following inspectional precautions during overhaul of the main 'planes fitted to the above types •of aircraft. 2. Each spar should be carefully examined for general quality of the timber, which must be one of the following :— Sitka spruce, West Virginia spruce or Oregon pine. 3. In addition the type of spar construction must be specially noted to ensure its being one, or other, of the following :— (a) Vertically laminated spars containing two or three laminations either continuous or with one lamination spliced ; spliced as for a solid spar ; having a half spar of two lamina- tions spliced to a half spar of three laminations ; or having a solid half spar spliced to one of two or three laminations. (b) Horizontally laminated spars containing laminations with butt joints in the inner laminations, but with the top and bottom laminations continuous, or containing continuous laminations throughout. (c) Box spars with continuous or jointed flanges,and sides. These spars are entirely covered with glued-on fabric which renders inspection difficult. This fabric or taping should be examined for discoloration which reveals the presence of moisture. If such discoloration be present the entire spar should be unwrapped, as in all probability failure of the glued joints may have occurred. If, on the other hand, no defects are visible stripping of the fabric need not be made, but a carefn.l examination of the fabric wrapping must be made for any signs of shakes or M broken joints. 4. All box spars must be provided with £-in. inspection holes indicating the positions of the internal packing blocks. If no such holes are present, J-in. holes must be drilled on one vertical face of each spar on the neutral axis close up to and verifying the correct positions of both ends of each packing block. 5. Splices must be carefully examined for soundness. The only approved types of splice? are the plain scarf and the R.A.E. type, the latter taking the form of a dovetail splice with a central square wedge. The " bird's mouth " type of splice is not permitted. 6. In the event of new spars being required these must be made in accordance with the following drawings :— SPARS /)? Hcinlland 9a Hori- Solid zontally Vertically Spliced. Laminated. Laminated. Box. R.and L. hand top and bottom : Front . 13803 15869 17197 16086 Rear .. 13804 15870 17198 16063 De Hamllmd 9 and 4 Hori- zontally Box Laminated. (Built up). R. and L. hand and bottom Front Rear top Solid. 6694 S695 Solid.Spliced. 10633 10632 16867 A.D.1415 16866 A.D. 1416 (Copies of these drawings when necessary may be obtained on application from the Secretary (R.D." 3), Air Ministry, Kingsway. W.C. 2. on pre-payment.) 7. No certificate of airworthiness will be issued or renewed in respect of any aircraft of the above types, constructed or overhauled subsequent to the date of issue of this Notice unless the above precautions have been observed. (No. 1 of 1925.) " Petroflex " Tubing IT is notified that the use of internally unarmoured " Petroflex " tubing in aircraft shall be discontinued forth- with. No certificate of airworthiness will be issued or renewed in respect of any aircraft on which the above instruction has not been carried into effect. (No. 2 of 1925.) 97
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