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Aviation History
1925
1925 - 0516.PDF
AUGUST 13, 1925 device actually performs the necessary manoeuvre of pushing the nose of the machine down. The details of the device are described elsewhere, but stress may be laid here on the fact that the great merit of the Savage-Bramson instrument, apart from its mechanical simplicity, light weight, and the fact that it acts at the one place where the pilot will always heed the warning, i.e., on the control stick, lies in the use of the angle of incidence as a basis for bringing the device into action. We believe that originally Mr. Bramson, the inventor of the anti-stall gear, had intended to use the air-speed for this purpose, but upon reflection he abandoned this in favour of the incidence. Using the air-speed as a basis, wing loading would play an important part, but by choosing the angle of incidence the device will always come into operation at the one particular angle of incidence for which it is set, no matter what the wing loading, although the air- speed corresponding to that angle will, of course, vary with the load. That the device performs its duties satisfactorily was shown in a demonstration flight some few weeks ago which Mr. Bramson made at Hendon for our benefit, and it is difficult to imagine any conditions under which the device could possibly be a dis- advantage. During a glide towards a field or aero- drome the machine may approach the stalling point and the device will remind the pilot of the fact by giving the control stick a smart tap forward. If this should happen very close to the ground and the pilot desires deliberately to stall his machine on to the ground, he has only to overcome the pressure of the gear, which can always be so adjusted as not to exceed the physical power of the pilot. Similarly, a machine mav be approaching the stall on a climb. This is most likely to happen to machines tending to be under-powered, and here again the device will reduce the angle of climb until a safe angle of incidence has been reached. In a very steep banked turn it is possible to stall a machine, centrifugal force throwing the machine outward and causing it to stall. Here also the device will remind the pilot that he is approaching stalling point. Almost the only manoeuvre during which it is conceivable that the anti-stall gear might not be an advantage is during a roll. If, for instance, the vane operating the release valve is mounted on one of the starboard inter-plane struts, and the pilot commences a right-hand roll, it is conceivable that the relative path of the vane through the air will be such that the air strikes underneath it, thus lifting it and causing it to open the release valve, bringing the gear into operation. Since, however, the force on the stick is always so proportioned that it can, if desired, be overcome by the pilot, this should be no serious objection, and one arrives at the conclusion that the anti-stall gear should be a very distinct advantage on every type of machine, military no less than commercial. A secondary effect of fitting the anti-stall gear is that to a considerable extent it relieves the pilot of the necessity of constantly watching his air-speed indicator, and, as Mr. Bramson has pointed out in one of his series of articles published in FLIGHT, even the air-speed indicator may be an unreliable guide if the machine happens to be decelerating rapidly, because the pilot may have glanced at his instrument at one instant, and found his air-speed well above the stalling speed, but may fail to take into account the fact of deceleration, so that while he is preoccupied with other things his machine may be constantly losing speed without him being aware of the fact. With the anti-stall gear fitted, however, if this should happen the pilot would be reminded of the fact by the sharp blow on the control stick, and thus, far from adding to the pilot's mental work, the anti-stall gear actually reduces it. There may be snags in the Savage-Bramson anti- stall gear, but it is difficult to discover any, and very extensive flying tests at Hendon on Major Savage's S.E. 5's have failed to reveal any defects in the mechanism. Last, but not least, the anti-stall gear is very simple mechanically, and of absurdly low weight, so that it can be fitted to even the smallest aeroplane without adding any load that could possibly have any influence on the behaviour of the machine. This is, of course, merely another way of saying that the gear can be fitted on light 'planes, and we do most earnestly suggest that the gear should be fitted as standard on all new machines supplied to the new Light Aeroplane Clubs. If this is done we feel quite convinced that a number of crashes will be avoided, and that in this manner the Savage- Bramson anti-stall gear may assist very materially towards that safety which alone can inspire confidence in the section of the public to whom it is at the moment greatly desired to appeal. We do not for one moment mean to suggest that the gear should not be fitted to other than light 'planes ; on the contrary, we think it should be made compul- sory for all commercial machines to be equipped with it, and the number of crashes in the R.A.F. seems to indicate that if the gear were made compulsory on service machines also the nation might be saved the loss of many precious lives, not to mention a con- siderable amount of valuable flying stock, as probably many of these crashes are caused by stalling. Eight New American Air Mail Routes Proposed FOLLOWING quickly upon the establishment of an over- night service between New York and Chicago, news has now come to hand that the development of commercial aviation in the United States is taking very rapid strides as a result of the recent law under which the Postmaster-General has invited tenders for the carrying of mail on eight new routes, aggregating 4,763 miles, and connecting the principal cities of the country. For more than a year the United States Post Office Department has maintained a transcontinental service of 2,680 miles, by day and night flying. The tenders will be opened on September 15, and the law provides that four-fifths of the revenue derived from postage shall be the maximum that can be paid to contractors for the service. Contractors may, in addition to mail, carry goods and pas- sengers at such rates as they desire to impose. The air mail postage is fixed at 10 cents an ounce for 1,000 miles or less, 15 cents for 1,000 to 1,500 miles and 20 cents for more than 1,500 miles. Contractors must be American citizens, contracting corporations must be 75 per cent. American owned, and aircraft used must be of American manufacture. The Government is anxious to relinquish the operation of aeroplanes solely for air mail service as soon as practicable, and turn over the carrying of the mails to private enterprise on a contract basis in the same manner as it now uses the railways. Several aviation companies have recently been organised, one of the foremost, the National Air Transport, having a capital of $10,000,000. Mr. Henry Ford, the world- famous motor manufacturer, who has an interest in the service between Detroit and Chicago, is also reported to be supporting a new company. The Pullman Co., saloon and sleeping car manufacturers, has announced its intention of manufacturing aeroplanes with sleeping berths, which will be leased to flying companies. 516
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