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Aviation History
1928
1928 - 0088.PDF
CHT instinctively lean towards the high side, or perhaps it would be more correct to say away from the low side. However, the present system has become universal, and is not likely to be changed. Taking the existing system as it stands, it is probably fairly " instinctive." That it is not obviously so will very quickly be found out by anyone who has an opportunity of being tested by the Reid reaction apparatus which is described and illustrated this week, and in which the time taken to centralise a set of normal aircraft controls from their extreme posi- tions is recorded. One control at a time is easy. The foot bar can be centralised by most people in a second or a little over. The " joy-stick " takes but very little longer. But let one attempt to centralise both simultaneously, and it will be found that, except in the case of a pilot of considerable experience, the combined action will take a good deal longer. Here we have, in fact, the old " rub your chest and pat your head" trick in a different form, and most people will be surprised to find how relatively difficult it is to make the apparently very simple movements required. The Reid reaction apparatus, designed by the inventor of the Reid turn indicator now fitted on so many civilian machines, is based upon the psycho- logical supposition that co-ordination of brain, hands and feet is the faculty which is constantly being exercised while an aeroplane is being piloted, and that the man who possesses this co-ordination in a well-developed form is likely to make a good pilot. Whether or not this is actually the case may be discussed by psychological experts, and does not greatly concern us here. What we are interested in is results, and experience over a considerable number of years seems to indicate that in something like 80 per cent, of cases, the man whose reactions proved good when he was first tested on the apparatus turned out to be a good pilot. In a somewhat similar percentage of cases the man who " produced a bad curve " on the apparatus was found, on being put to actual flying, to turn out a bad pilot. That being so, it will at once be obvious that in FEBRUARY 9, 1928 the Reid reaction apparatus we have a very efficient instrument for ascertaining rapidly and cheaply whether a prospective candidate for the R.A.F. is likely to make a good pilot, an indifferent one, or a frankly bad pilot. The apparatus is not infallible. Nor does it indicate if a man is a fool in the way that, although he can and does handle his machine in masterly fashion as regards the sheer handling of it, he does stunts close to the ground or gets into positions where even a temporary engine failure will lead to disaster. But it does seem to indicate with amazing accuracy the great majority of good and bad pilot material, as well as the broader band of averages. One of the great advantages of the apparatus is that it can be operated by a relatively unskilled man after a very short period of training. Thus the highly-paid experts need not waste their time on obtaining a man's record, but can devote their whole attention to judging it once it has been produced. The saving to a nation which the Reid reaction apparatus can achieve is not readily estimated, but as it probably costs a country several thousands of pounds to train a man up to the point where he is a thoroughly efficient pilot, it will be clear that the apparatus will very quickly pay for itself, apart from the somewhat important fact that it may actually save a number of lives by indicating at the very outset that a man has not the co-ordination of brain and limbs which is one of the first qualifi- cations. There are others, of course, such as physical fitness, good eyesight, and so forth, but the medical branch can well look after them. Given these qualities there is a reasonable case for assuming that the man (or woman) whose reactions are found to be good has a prospect of becoming a good pilot after proper training. It should be emphasised, however, that the Reid reaction apparatus does not teach a pupil to fly, although there is a not inconsiderable volume of evidence to the effect that diligent practice on the apparatus may cure a pilot of certain bad habits or small defects in his handling of the controls. Wright Biplane for South KensingtonTHE original Wright biplane which Mr. Orville Wright first flew at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, on December 17,1903, is on its way to England to be housed in the South Kensington Museum. Mr. Orville and his brother Wilbur,who died in 1912, both wished that America would keep their machine, but apparently differences have arisen with theSmithsonian Institute over their description of Prof. Langley's machine as the first 'plane to make a successful flight. AtDayton last Friday, February 3, Mr. Orville Wright expressed his regret that the machine was leaving the country. He saidthe attitude of the Smithsonian Institute had made this impossible. Under his agreement, however, with the SouthKensington Museum he will be able to withdraw the machine at any time. Aircraft in Small WarsAT the Royal United Service Institution on February 1 Wing-Commander R. H. Peck, Directorate of Operations andIntelligence at the Air Ministry, gave a lecture on " Aircraft in Small Wars." He explained that he was expressing hispersonal views and not official views. It would take a revolution of ideas, he thought, before full use of aircraftwas made in small wars. Air operations would be infinitely less costly than if the Army were used ; for often a few aero-planes with a few delay-action bombs was all that was neces- sary. Aircraft did not seek its effect by reason of the numberof casualties it caused. It worked like a third degree, causing intolerable tedium and discomfort and disrupting the normallife of the enemy. It was the most merciful form of warfare. Air-Marshal Sir John Salmond also spoke at the lecture. The solution of the North-West Frontier problem was civilisation,he said, and the only question was how to get civilisation there. At very great expense the Army had built someroads. It was a question of finance, and in view of the stringent financial conditions we could not at present buildmore roads. In the circumstances he thought that the Air Force could keep these places under sufficient control. Solong as it could be used and maintained air action was success- ful, but they did not claim that it could take over great tractsof country and civilise them. France obtains a World's Altitude Record for Seaplanes THE Federation Aeronautique Internationale have addedto the list of World's Records the altitude record for Class C (seaplanes) with 200 kgs. of useful load recently made byLieutenant Paris at St. Raphael, when he reached a height of 4,684 metres (15,370 ft.) in a C.A.M.S. seaplane fitted withtwo Jupiter engines. The total load carried on this record flight was 2,600 kgs. (5,730 lbs.) An Aerial A.B.C. A SIGN of the times is the announcement that in Marchnext will be published " The Aerial A.B.C. and Commer- cial Air Line Gazetteer." This, we understand, will containparticulars of time tables, fares, freightage, rates, distances, air ports, aerodromes and linked motor services, togetherwith a list of agencies and receiving depots for goods, air- mail rates, passport information, maps, and " everythingthat the potential user of the air requires to know." The publishers invite all interested to commuuicate with themat The Aerial A.B.C. Ltd., 4, Duke Street, Adelphi, W.C. 2. 76
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