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Aviation History
1928
1928 - 0094.PDF
FEBRUARY 9, 1928 used at an air station where already electric light is being used, the current can be taken from the house circuit. Thus the " running cost " is extremely small, and for service purposes may be regarded as negligible. As a candidate can be tested in something like 10 minutes, a very large number of records can be taken in a working day, and the study and judging of the records done by qualified psychologists at their leisure. stunting at a low height. That, obviously, the Reid apparatus cannot foretell. But that is a thing which will very quickly be discovered by the flying instructors, and if a man is not capable of being persuaded to desist, he can, should such action be desired, be dismissed. That the apparatus will, in a very large percentage of cases.single out the really good and the really bad is quite certain, and the Reid Reaction apparatus deserves a verv wide use, not onlv at home but in all countries where 6- 5 •• 4 3 2 1 UJ 0- IN /, z o * \-r C0MBINATION OF HANDS & FEET ; A. \ V L.FO0T FORWARD R.FOOT FORWARD FEET RIGHT TO LEFT LEFT TO RIGHT HANDS ••5 3 I THE REID REACTION APPARATUS : Reproduction of a fairly typical record obtained with the Reid apparatus. It should be explained that the record is read from right to left, the first " run " being a test of centralising the control stick from the extreme left position, the next from the extreme right position. Then follows centralising the foot bar, first with the right foot forward, then with the left foot forward. On the left is the chart of a series of " runs " for testing the combined centralising of foot bar and " joy stick." It will be observed that the "subject" centralised the controls fairly rapidly in the first three " runs." Then evidently he became confused, and in the fourth took nearly 54 seconds to centralise both controls. When the Klaxon horn was sounded the effect was to cause him to take longer again, but subsequent runs show that he soon got over the effect of the Klaxon, and the curve tends to become fairly steady once more. There can, we think, be no doubt that in taking for his basis the co-ordination of brain, hands and feet, Squadron Leader Reid has hit upon the essential qualifications. The apparatus does not teach a man to fly, nor does it show whether a man is an utter fool in the matter of taking unnecessary risks. For instance, a pilot may have perfect co-ordination. His records may show him capable of centralising the controls in a very short space of time and yet he may be given to the selection of candidates for the flying services is a matter of moment. By its use a very great deal of time and expense will undoubtedly be saved. All enquiries concerning the machine should be addressed to :— Reid & Sigrist, Ltd.,Athenaeum Works, The Vale, Hampstead, London, N.W. The Royal Air Force Memorial Fund THE usual meeting of the Grants Sub-Committee of the Fund was held at Iddesleigh House on January 26. Lieut- Commander H. E. Perrin was in the chair, and the other members of the committee present were :—Mrs. L. M. K. Pratt-Barlow, O.B.E., Sqdn.-Leader Douglas Iron, O.B.E. The committee considered in all 16 cases, and made grants to the amount of ^205 Is. Ad. The next meeting was fixed for.Thursday, February 16, at 2.30 p.m. The Napier-Campbell Car CAPT. MALCOLM CAMPBELL'S Napier car, with which he is to make attempts upon the world's speed records at Florida on February 23, has been much influenced by aeronautical design. It is fitted with the Napier racing aero engine, which develops 850 h.p. The body design has been deter- mined after a series of wind tests on models carried out by Mr. R. K. Pierson, Chief Designer of Messrs. Vickers and Co. Detachable fins have been fitted at the tail which will give greater directional stability, as, should the car skid violently, the wind pressure at high speed will tend to keep it straight. The wheels have been faired off, and there are no projections on the car whatever. Two fore-and-aft radiators have been fitted, between the wheels and the body on either side. These were designed and constructed by the Fairey Aviation Company- The tyres are of special design by Messrs. Dunlops. The Armstrong Siddeley Development in Canada BY the association of Armstrong Siddeley Motors, Ltd., and Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth Aircraft, Ltd... with the Ottawa Car Mfg. Co., plans have been laid for the assembly of Armstrong Siddeley aero engines and aircraft in Canada, the Armstrong Siddeley Co. being the first British concern to build its own engines in the Dominion. The Ottawa Car Mfg. Co. is a subsidiary of the Ottawa Electric Co., which not only supplies Ottawa with electric power, but also manufac- tures fittings on a very large scale. The Ottawa Car Mfg. Co. became prominent during the war in the manufacture of field guns and now makes the street cars used in Ottawa. Their offices are among the most stately buildings in the City, while their works, part of which are now devoted to the storing, complete overhauling, dismantling and rebuilding of Arm- strong Siddeley aero engines, are splendidly equipped. A mile away on an island in the middle of the Ottawa river and close to 'the R.C.A.F.'s own Testing Plant, test beds for Armstrong Siddeley engines are being laid down and will enable the servicing of the Jaguars for the Government's Siskins and Atlases to be undertaken most expeditiously. Technical experts from Coventry, service men and plant to enable the large number of engines in use to be efficiently maintained have been sent out, this plan closely following the lines on which the care and maintenance of service machines is carried out in Coventry. 82
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