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Aviation History
1927
1927 - 0805.PDF
OCTOBER 13, 1927 The maximum figure of 10 or 12 should be reached at climbing speed, and7 to 8 at top speed. The petrol consumption should come down to 0-'S5 pint per horse-power per hour. By incorporating these improvements weshould get aircraft of the characteristics outlined at the beginning of this report. With only 251) h.p. they would be able to carry practically theuseful load of one of the big twin-engined machines of today and with 1,000 h.p. they would be able to fly from London to Cairo non-stop with apaying load greater than that carried on the short distances covered with similar power today. Such a machine would have a speed of over Hill in p hand a rate of climb at ground level of about 50(1 ft. per minute. Subsidies Turning to the question of subsidies:, Mr. Hundley Page briefly reviewedthe basis of subsidies as granted in this country at the present time. Ton- mileage and not horse-power mileage was the criterion of economic progressUnder existing conditions there was less incentive to scrap an existing fleet in order to improve carrying capacity than would have been the case if thepayment were made on the Hues recommended by Lord Weir's Committee in 1920. The lecturer then made the very sound statement that in all formsof transport it Was found that often people could afford to pay first-class fare over short distances, but had to economise when it came to the long routesand travel third class. The following epigram, delivered by Mr. Handley Page, deserves to be noted : The Empire routes are not alternative to makingEuropean routes economic ; they depend upon economic operation having been learned in Europe. In America the air services were becoming anintegral part of the postal organisation, and were paid only for the services which they rendered, namely, for the mails which they transported. In conclusion, Mr. Handley Page said :—" To-day, reviewing all the progresswhich has taken place, no one can say whether the genius of the human race will develop its mechanical transport to such an extent that, old and newworlds conquered and the sea bridged, it will seek a new outlook to its endeavour by seeking, and perhaps succeeding, in bridging the vast distancebetween this earth and other habitable units of our solar system, or whether, having reached a comparative finality in mechanical progress, mankind willrest content with a wireless representation of voice and features of those who would communicate each with the other, rendering unnecessary that costlytransport of the human body, which is of little use other than as a containing medium of a directing mind." THE DISCUSSION Major Wimperis referred to the letter, read by the chairman, from a diffidentyouth who had, during the intervening 20 years, developed into the famous constructor. He hoped that a similar change would take place in aviation inthe next 20 years. The aeroplane of the future must be as easy to control, and as safe, as a motor car. The slot control developed by the lecturerhelped towards that. If that was not found sufficient, they might have to look to the machine in which, although the machine as a whole slowed down,the wings continued to travel at high speed and thus to lift. In this collec- tion, it might interest the audience to know that quite recently the ''Autogiro "had made a cross-country flight of 5o miles. Mr. Branison would like tn know whether it would not be possible to savestructure weight by a better distribution of the material, such as by making use of the covering or skin as a structural member. Also, in very largemachines, would it not be possible to eliminate the fuselage by enclosing the passengers in the wing. Air Vice-Marshal Sir Scfton Brancker agreed with the lecturer on the subjectof subsidies. He hated subsidies, but hitherto they had been necessary. It was now up to constructors to produce really commercial machines. Theycould not wait 20 years for them. He thought they were much nearer to making aviation pay than the lecturer imagined. American statistics con-cerning the new air mail lines were very promising. In this country, machines and engines were much cheaper to maintain than was the case two or threeyears ago. The new basis for the subsidy was designed to encourage the use of larger machines. Finally, he entirely disagreed with the lecturer in hisremarks concerning the useless body. He. at any rate, very much desired to keep his. (Laughter.) Captain Savers referrred to the difficulty of jetting pilots to accept theenclosed cockpit, and suggested that pilots oe sent to Canada, where they might have to fly in a temperature of 40 degrees below zero. That wouldprobably convince them of the advantages of an enclosed cockpit. As <$> regards making aviation pay, he'suggested that constructors should mak-enquiries in Canada, where there were many opportunities for making aviation pay, even with machines as We knew them today.Major Bulman said the lecturer appeared to have overlooked one important factor in connection with the engine, and that was, its head resistance. Atpresent they were using quite a large percentage of power in pulling the engine itself through the air. It was important to get the aircraft and enginepeople closer together. On the score of consumption, if one took a number of pilots and let them fly the same machine over the same course, they wouldobtain very different fuel consumptions, according to how they used their throttle, altitude control, etc. Mr. Manning called attention to the advantages of variable pitch propellersin conjunction with geared engines. As regards the lecturer's remarks concerning fuel consumption, he thought that the low figure quoted, althoughpossibly attainable by the petrol engine at full throttle, would not be easy to get when throttled, in which condition the advantage would probablylie with the Diesel type of engine. Squadron-Leader England called attention to the importance of the timefactor in the progress of improvement. It was necessary to speed up the official tests of new machines. He disagreed with Captain Sayers as to thenecessity of sending pilots to Canada in order to make them appreciate the enclosed cockpit. The pilots at home flew in all sorts of weather, and flyingiu a cold Was not really as uncomfortable as flying ill a log, or sandstorm. Excessive heat u-as worrying, and heat bumps were uncomfortable. Major Mayo said it Was a pleasure to hear Mr. Handley Page come out inthe open as an optimist. He had hitherto been more of a" pessimist. When, however,h" came back to aircraftoperation he once more became the pessimist.The operator of aircraft used the best machine he could get, and if designers produced machines of really outstanding merit, those machines wouldultimately find their way into service. He rather thought there were discrepancies in the lecture. First, the lecturer criticised excrescences onfuselages. Then, later on, he spoke of carrying 70 passengers on 1,000 h.p. If one stopped to think of the size of fuselage required, one arrived at theconclusion that it could not be done. Great improvement could be made, but not as great as that. On the question of subsidies, it was difficult to dowithout practical experience, and it would be necessary not only to buy new- types of improved machines, but also to run them so as to test them underactual operating conditions. What was wanted was a substantial extra subsidy for experimental aircraft. Finally, he pointed out that if machineswere always filled, all the year round, there would be no need for a subsidy. The only Way to make aviation pay was to make it safe. Mr. Handley Page, in replying, said he would attempt to overcome hisnatural diffidence. (Laughter). To Major Wimperis, concerning the rotating wing machine, he recommended a study of an article on levitation inPunch. To Mr. Bramson he would say that machines in which the skin was used as stress-bearing structure had proved heavier than the more usualtype. On the subject of subsidies, referred to by Sir Sefton Brancker, his point Was that it was useless to open new lines if these did not bring us nearerto making aviation fly by itself. The subsidies should be based upon the useful load transported, as suggested by Lord Weir. In America they were doingthat by carrying air mails. To Capt. Saver's suggestion of sending pilots to Canada, he thought that the Martlesham pilots, who went up to greataltitudes, were sufficiently used to the cold. On the subject of gearing, this simply had to come. He asked them tolook at what had happened in the case of turbines in steamers. The engineers grumbled at gearing, but nowadays all turbine steamers had gearedturbines. In aviation an excellent example of what could be accomplished by gearing was provided by the little Klemm-Daimler monoplane With its686 c.c. engine. This Was a two-cylinder engine of the flat-twin type, and was provided with a three-to-one gear, an arrangement which he had beentold in this country was impracticable. Yet that small engine lifted two people into the air. Major Mayo had referred to the size of fuselage to take 70 people. Thething was that, whatever the size of fuselage, it should have no excrescences, and in a large machine the fuselage would merely be in proportion. Thepilot should be in a properly-protected cabin. He then related, as an illustration of how meteorological conditions were doing much to preventaviation from "flying by itself," a personal example. He wished to goto see the Schneider race. The trains were booked up. He tried to go by airto Basle, but «n the day he was going there was a fog and the machines could, not go. T ROYAL-^AIR FORCE London Gazette, October 1, 1927 General Duties BranchThe'following Pilot Officers are promoted to rank of Flying Officer :— C. E. Eckerslev-Maslin ; luly 6. E. G. Olson ; Tuly 12. W. L. Bateman ;July 16. J. McGuinness :' Sept. 1. T. \V. Dugga'n :" Sept. 13. Flying Officer (Hon. Flight-Lieut.) C. W. Croxford, D.S.C., takes rankand precedence as if his appointment as Flying Officer (Hon. Flight-Lieut.) bore date July 14, 1325, immediately following Flying Officer C. F. Steventonon the gradation list. Reduction takes effect from Sept. 6. Flight-Lieut. R- W. F. Dunning is transferred to Reserve, Class A ; Oct. 6. Medical BranchFlying Officer R. T. K. Chattey is promoted to rank of Flight-Lieutenant ; Sept. 28. Flight-Lieut. F. W. G."Smith, M.B., B.A., is transferred to Reserve,Class D.II ; Oct. 8. RESERVE OF AIR FORCE OFFICERSGeneral Duties Branch Pilot Officer A. \V. Lindsay is promoted to rank of Flying Officer ; Sept. 30.The following Flying Officers are transferred from Class A to Class C :—-S. S. Kirsten ; July 27. K. H. Holley ; Sept. 20.Flying Officer G. G. Green relinquishes his commn. on completion of service ; Oct. 1. Th" commn. of Pilot Officer on probation E. T. D. Offer is terminatedon cessation of duty ; Sept. 14. AUXILIARY AIR FORCE General Duties Branch The following to be Pilot Officer :—No. 603 City of Edinburgh (Bombing) Squadron.—S. M. Musgrave ; Sept. 5. Princess Mary's R.A.F. Nursing ServiceSister Miss C. C. Kirkpatrick resigns her appointment : Sept. 18. ROYAL AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE Appointments.—The following appointments in the R-A. F. are notified :—General Duties Branch Squadron Leaders H. I. Hanmer, D.F.C., A. T. Williams, O.B.E., andR- H. M. S. Saundby, M.C., D.F.C., A.F.C., to R.A.F. Staff College, Andover, 19.9.27, C. R. Cox A.F C. to No 47 Squadron, Egypt. 15.9.27. A. A. B.,Thomson, M.C., A.F.C., to Headquarters, Iraq, 20.9.27. C. B. Dalison, A.l'.C, to Aircraft Depot, Iraq, 20.9.27. Flight-Lieutenants :—C. Turner, A.F.C., to Air Ministry (Directorate ofTechnical Development), 26.9.27. G. D. Daly, D.F.C., to Home Aircraft Depot, Henlow, 12 9 27 L R Briggs to No. 407 Flight, Donibristle, 1.9.27.A. P. M. Saunders, B. J. Silly MX""., D.F.C., F. W. Walker, D.S.C., A.F.C., M. Moore, O.B.E., W. F. Dickson, D.S.O., A.F.C., P. H. Mackworth, D.F.C.,J- W. Jones, A. O. Lewis-Roberts, D.F.C., J. J. Lloyd-Williams, M.C., V. E. Groom, D.F.C., C. P. Brown, D.F.C., A. P. Ritchie, A.F.C., and L. J.Kingston-McCloughry, D.S.O., D.F.C., to R.A.F. Staff College, Andover, . 19.9.27. A. H. Beach, to No. 58 Squadron, Worthy Down, 26.9.27. H. S.Broughton, M.C.. D.F.C.. to No. 99 Squadron, Bircham Newton, 19.9.27. S. M. Park, to School of Technical Training (Men), Manston, 22.9.27. T. B.Bruce, M.C., to Station Flight, Upper Hayford, 16.9.27. J. H. Hagon and C. F. Toogood, to Armoured Car Wing, Iraq, 20.9.27. D. R. W. Thompson, I. H. Butler and T. A. Warne-Browne, D.S.C., to Headquarters, Iraq, 20.9.27.V. S. Parker and A. Leach, M.C., to No. 55 Squadron. Iraq, 20.9.27. A. Terrard, V.C., to Aircraft Depot, Iraq, 20.9.27. K. L. Harris and H. G. Rowe, to No. 47Squadron, Egypt, 17.9.27. H. E. Walker, M.C., D.F.C., to No. 2 Armoured Car Company, Palestine, 19.9.27. G. P. H. Carter, to Headquarters, Trans-jordan and Palestine, 19.9.27. Flying Officers T. G. Franks, to No. 407 Flight, Donibristle, 1.9.27. E. A.Swiss, to No. 462 Flight, 1.9.27. E. M. Thompson, to No. 405 Flight, 1.9.27. (Hon. Flight-Lieut.) C. W. Croxford, D.S.C., to R.A.F. Depot, Uxbridge,1 7 27. F. V. Beamish, to R.A.F. Cadet College, Cranwell, 16.9.27. H. D. 727
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