FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1925
1925 - 0286.PDF
A well-sprung, although somewhat narrow-track, landing gear is fitted, the shock-absorbers, giving a 12-in travel, being enclosed in the wing. The following are the general characteristics of the Sikorsky S 29A, together with particulars of two performance testa. The latter, it is interesting to note, were carried out by M. Sikorsky himself :— Span (upper) 69 ft. " ,, (lower) 3 ft. Chord (upper) 10 ft. 3 ins. (lower) 5 ft. O.A. length 49 ft. 10 ins. O.A. height 13 ft 6 ins. Total wing area 992 sq. ft. Area of tail plane . . . . . . 58 sq. ft. Area of ailerons . . . . . . 72 sq. ft. Area of elevators . . . . . . 50 sq. ft. Area of rudders . . . . . . 38 sq. ft. Wine; section .. .. .. Sikorsky 18 (modi- fied Gottingen 436) Incidence to thrust line . . . . 4 deg. Weight, empty 7,775 lb. Specified useful load . . . . 4,225 lb. Specified gross weight . . . . 12,000 lb. Wing loading 12-1 lb./sq.' ft. Power loading .. .. .. 15 lb. /h.p. Safety factor .. .. .. 4-5 Airscrews .. .. .. .. Hamilton, 10 ft. 4 ins. dia., 5,ft.lO ins. pitch Performance Tests.—Flights with one engine throttled. Right and left-hand turns were made at a barograph altitude of about 1,100 ft., with right engine all out and left engine throttled down to 750 r.p.m. Both right and loft-hand turns were made with ease, but no steep banks were attempted. Data :— Weight empty (with water) . . . . 7,775 lbs. Disposable load of— 9 men 1,530 lbs. 108 galls, of petrol 648 lbs. 9 galls, of oil 67 lbs. Equipment, etc. . . . . .. 241 lbs. Total disposable load 2,486 lbs. ' . .... ::..:-•.-.-. >e... • .• •. -.-..'.•-,. • ,.-•-,.- . r . . . . ._ - - - - - • - --. - Gross weight Initial recording barograph reading . Final do.Duration of climb, one engine. . R.p.m. (right engine) R.p.m. (left engine) Average air speed during climb MAY 14, 1925 . 10,261 lbs. . 900 ft. . 1,350 ft.15 mins. . 1,540. . 750. . 70 m.p.h.Corrected climb, standard air at 1,125 ft. 28.4 ft./min. Temperature 38° F. Maximum Speed, Climb and Ceiling Test— 12 men 2,040 lbs. 128 galls, petrol 768 lbs. 12 galls, oil 89 lbs. Total disposable load . . . . 3,082 lbs. Gross weight 10,857 lbs. Max. speed, corrected to standard air at 550 ft 111.2 m.p.h. Min. speed . . .. .. 55.6 m.p.h. Service ceiling 12,300 ft. Climb to 5,000 ft 8.8 mins. 10,000 ft. . . . . 23 mins. R.p.m. up to 10,000 ft. .. .. 1,550 (R,); 1,525 (L.) „ above 10,000 ft 1,525 (R.); 1,475 (L.) Observers during the performance tests reported that the control of the machine was exceptionally easy, and that excellent steadiness in "flight was observed under severe weather conditions. Landings were always made with ease and comfort, and the get-away was rapid. Lieut. C. E. Archer, of McCook Field, reports on the Sikorsky as follows :— It is easy on the controls, a very slight movement of the wheel being required for straight flight or turns. Rigidity of the structure in flight particularly noticeable, there being not the slightest vibration in any part, although during the flight the engines were quite rough. Machine flew and actually climbed about 150 ft. in a very few minutes on one engine, and the take-off was made in 9J sees. In conclusion, M. Sikorsky states that the machine was built under somewhat difficult condition?, with very little shop equipment available. The entire design is, therefore, capable of refinement and could be lightened (without sacrificing strength) by some 750 lbs. London's Air Defences THE one week's extensive recruiting campaign in connec- tion with London's Anti-Aircraft Territorial Air Defence scheme was brought to a conclusion on May 2. As a result of the various demonstrations in Hyde Park, the Mansion House, etc., the air raids each evening, and the 2 LO concerts relayed to the waiting crowd? in between the recruiting speeches, it would seem that this campaign has been a highly successful one, for up to last week over 1,200 recruits have joined the various London A_ir Defence units—and more are still coming in. Perhaps by the time these lines appear in print, " House Full " notices will, for the time being, make their appearance. Flying over Germany FURTHER to our report last week regarding the mission to Germany of Col. Edwards and Mr. Bertram in connection with the matter of flying over Germany, it is stated that the negotiations resulted in an offer to sign an agreement for five years, which would permit the continuance of the services on the London-Amsterdam-Berlin and the London-Brussels- Cologne routes under existing conditions. The German representatives also offered to withdraw the restrictions on the number of flights made weekly on the London-Berlin service, so that Imperial Airways, Limited, could....if they desired, maintain daily services on that route. But the German Government felt unable to extend these facilities to a regular service over German territory to a destination in another State. This decision prohibits the possibility of a British service flying to Prague across Southern Germany. Germany is prepared to permit individual flights across the country upon special application. We understand, also, that the Conference of Ambassadors has decided to make a slight modification in the restrictions on German Civil Aircraft. Germany now will be able to build and use passenger machines up to 450 h.p., but certain minor conditions will be laid down in this connection. Funeral of Clement Ader THE funeral of Clement Ader took place on May 6, at Muret, his birthplace, the State bearing the cost of the ceremony. M. Laurent Eynac, French Under-Secretary for Aviation, attended, and pronounced a eulogy of the inventor. The Big Italian Flight COL. M. DI PINEDO, Chief of Air Staff in Italy, is making good progress in his flight to Australia on a Savoia S. 16 ter flying boat. He left Karachi at 11 p.m. on May 8, and arrived in Bombay Harbour at 5.20 p.m. that evening. There he received a telegram from Lord Lytton, acting Governor- General, congratulating him on his safe arrival in India. On May 10 he proceeded from Bombay to Cocanada, Madras, where he arrived the following morning, having landed en route at Raja Mundry. On May 12 he arrived at Calcutta. The " Los Angeles " Returns to Lakehurst AFTER her successful flight last week to Porto Rico the U.S. rigid airship " Los Angeles " (ZR. 3) arrived safely back at Lakehurst, N.J., on May 10. Amundsen's Polar Flight FOR some days past all has been in readiness at Spitz- bergen for Capt. Amundsen's flight to the North Pole. The weather conditions, however, have been unfavourable, and e attempt has been postponed until the end of this month the beginning of June. Air Operations in Iraq and India THE air operations against the Yezidi tribesmen in the Linjar Mountains, which have been in progress for some time, have, it is stated, now ended successfully, the leaders concerned having come to terms. Similarly, the air operations against the Mahsud tribal raiders in India have resulted in the complete submission of the offenders. Fokker F.VII Flies High THE Fokker F.VII (Napier "Lion"), which recently gave a demonstration at Croydon, put up a fine altitude flight on April 30. Piloted by Engineer Gras6 and carrying a useful load of 2,200 lbs., an altitude of over 20,000 ft. was attained, which, after correction to standard F.A.I atmosphere, was reduced to 19,000 ft. The world's record for this load is 18,900 ft., so that, although the Fokker F.VII exceeded this height, it has not officially beaten the record, as a record now can only be homologated when the existing altitude is exceeded by at least 330 ft. 286
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
