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Aviation History
1926
1926 - 0563.PDF
AUGUST 12, 1926 made with design and experimental work for R101, and that certain preliminary constructional work is now in hand, the main hull girders being due for delivery during the summer. Progress has been made with the Egyptian base, and both there and at Cardington the mast structures have been completed as far as the mast head. The enlargement of the Cardington shed is now stated to be practically finished. When complete the internal measurements of this shed will be: length, 812 ft., width 180 ft., and height 155 ft. In the past year the Airship Guarantee Co. have been carrying out preliminary experimental work of various kinds. The airship R100 will be built at their works at Howden, Yorkshire. Ground Organisation In addition to a brief mention on the work going on at Croydon in connection with the closing of Plough Lane, and the licensing of four further aerodromes at Woodford, West Cowes, Cramlington and Sherburn-in-Elmet, the Report points out that further development has taken place in the provision of night-flying equipment on the London-Continental route. The Tatsfield Lighthouse has been modified to exhibit an alternating group flashing light showing a succession of red, white, red flashes. In addition the power of the light has been increased. The floodlight at Croydon has been modified so as to be used when desired as a rotating beacon. So far as it has been observed by pilots this light has given very satisfactory results. As a result of a series of observations of various lighting devices made from a captive balloon it has been proved that Neon lights have remarkable fog-penetrating qualities, and it has been decided to instal a system of ground lights consisting of sunken Neon tubes on Croydon Aerodrome. A French company carried out a series of night nights from Paris to London and return, achieving a considerable measure of regularity. The development of the Leader cable at the R.A.E. has progressed satisfactorily, and arrangements are now being made for a full-scale trial. If this proves satis- factory it is intended to adopt the system at Croydon Aerodrome, to be used in conjunction with the best svstem of Neon ground lighting. On the subject of wireless communication it is interesting to find in the report a statement that during the year 7,655 route traffic messages and 19,751 meteorological messages have been passed, and 267 positions, 91 courses and 411 bearings have been given to aircraft. The wireless facilities at Croydon are being reorganised in view of the extra work which will devolve upon this station owing to the introduction of telegraphic working as distinct from telephonic for the larger types of passenger-carrying aircraft. During the year a direction-finding installation has been erected at Lympne, and steps have been taken to modernise certain obsolete plant at Pulham. A scheme for employing direction-finding apparatus on night flying aircraft is under consideration. One machine has been fitted with Marconi Bellini-Tosi apparatus and with R.A.F. pattern " wing coil " apparatus. This machine will be operated for 50 hours during the day time before undergoing tests at night. The general arrangements for the supply of meteorological information for flying on the cross-Channel routes have continued on the lines of previous years. In addition to the routine issues of daily forecasts and hourly reports of actual weather, 3,725 requests for reports or forecasts were received at the Terminal Aerodrome at Croydon, while 2,983 reports were passed by radio-telephony from Croydon and Lympne to aircraft in flight. Technical Development Under the heading of Technical Development, mention is made of the Cierva " Autogyro," which is now, the Report, states, known as the " Gyroplane." The Report also mentions the development of the wireless beacon as an aid to pilots in finding the aerodrome on an established air route when the ground is obscured bv cloud or fog. A few notes on the Savage-Bramson anti-stall gear are also found, as well as a reference to the gyro rudder control, which is intended to keep a machine on its course without the pilot having to be constantly concentrating on keeping a certain compass course. On the subject of engines it is stated that the radial air- cooled engine, developing an average of 400 h.p.. has been extensively developed and is now fitted to several types of commercial aircraft. The experimental tests of sleeve-valve systems have been extended to air-cooled engines with con- siderable success and the development of the 650 h.p. water- cooled engine has now reached the commercial stage. The interesting statement is found that this engine has been fitted to some of the latest types of passenger-carrying aircraft. Aircraft Under the heading of Air Ministry Experimental Aircraft reference is made to the following civil types of aeroplanes and seaplanes which have been built or are in process of design or construction to the order of the Air Ministry : the 3-engined Handley Page " Hamilton," the Avro " Andover," the Vickers " Vanguard," the De Havilland " Highclere," the Armstrong- Whitworth " Argosy," the Beardmore 3-engined monoplane, and a freight carrier which is to carry a paying load of 8J lbs. per horse-power. The Report mentions, incidentally, that progress is being made by Handley Page, Ltd , in the con- struction of a small 3-engined aeroplane fitted with three Bristol " Lucifer " engines, and states that this machine will be flying during the coming year. Of Air Ministry experi- mental seaplanes for civil flying, mention is made of the Supcrmarine " Swan," the Saunders " Medina," an all-metal seaplane, the maker of which is not mentioned, and the Fairey " Freemantle," while brief mention is also made in the Report of new types that have been built by manufacturers in addition to the Air Ministry types mentioned above : the Handley Page " Hampstead " built to the order of Imperial Airways, the Handley Page W.10, four of which have been acquired by Imperial Airways, the D.H. "Moth"'used by the light 'plane clubs, and the Short " Cockle," the latter having, according to the Report, a top speed of 62 m.p.h., and a landing speed of 38 m.p.h., and which is now stated to be undergoing tests at Felixstowe. Accidents The Report states that from a " safety first " point of view the progress of civil aviation in this country has been most satisfactory. During the period under review no aircraft belonging to Imperial Airways met with a serious accident and no fare-paying passenger was injured in any aircraft registered in the British Isles. There were only five acci- dents which called for notification under the Investigation of Accidents Regulation, 1922, and not one had serious consequences beyond damage to the aircraft. In two cases the aircraft were being tested preparatory to short passenger flights, and in each of the three remaining cases the aircraft belonged to and was being flown by a member of a light aeroplane club. Only one serious accident to foreign aircraft occurred in this country during the period under review. This involved a French machine employed on the cross- Channel route and unfortunately resulted in loss of life. The circumstances of this accident were as follows : on a journey from Paris to London the pilot encountered thick mist over the North Downs and the weather conditions became so bad that he attempted to land. The aeroplane struck a tree and crashed to the ground. Of the seven passengers one was killed, one was seriously injured, and one was slightly injured, the remainder being unhurt. The pilot and mechanic also escaped injury. Statistics The following is a summary of the principal facts revealed by the tables given in the Report on pages 31 to 36 : — " Table A .—British Air Transport (Part I of the table) showed an increase in the number of passengers carried as compared with the previous year, despite the fact that slightly less mileage was flown. Whilst passengers increased from 13,478 to 14,675, mileage decreased from 890,000 to 865,000. This is an indication of the more economical operation that is being brought about by the use of larger aircraft. The weight of cargo transported amounted to 456-1 tons, which is less than the previous year, but an increase over any earlier year. It should be understood that for the purpose of simplifying the calculation of passenger traffic the number is counted of passengers travelling over each single stage. An individual flying over two or more stages is therefore counted more than once according to the number of stages flown. Other flying for hire or reward (Part II of the table), which consists mainly of " joy-ride " flying, again showed a remarkable increase and the number of passengers carried during the year in this branch of aviation was the largest on record—-67,329. The previous largest total was 66,785 for the boom period from May, 1919, to 31st March, 1920, following the reopening of civil aviation after the war. In the seven years' period covered by the table, 67,227 passengers and 1,804-7 tons of cargo have been carried in air transport flying and 315,102 passengers in other flying for hire or reward. The number of " joy-ride " passengers is actually higher than the table shows, since certain operators have not ren- dered returns, particularly during the past year. Table B compares British with foreign traffic to and from the Continent only. The most noteworthy point about this 493
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