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Aviation History
1928
1928 - 1122.PDF
with Empire requirements kept prominently in view. When, therefore, it comes to a question of assistance, surely a properly organised seaplane club should be entitled to quite special consideration. Aircraft With the major portion of the paper on aircraft production read bv Mr.Production „ „. . , * , „ , . - Problems F- Signst before the Royal Aeronau- tical Society on November 29, it is not proposed to deal here. The nature of the paper was such that it can best be summarised in the AIRCRAFT ENGINEER (Technical Supplement to FLIGHT), and this it is proposed to do. Mr. Sigrist, however, mentioned in the course of his paper certain aspects of the problem of production which deserve the widest possible attention. It should be super- fluous for us to inform readers of FLIGHT that Mr. Sigrist is one of the pioneers of British aircraft con- structors, having been associated with Mr. Sopwith since the very- early days, and having had unique experience of the very subject on which he lectured : the works side of aircraft production. Mr. Sigrist is one of those men whom no amount of theorising can convince against their better judgment, and his practical commonsense views are proverbial in the industry. The world in general is totally unaware how much of the phenomenal success of the Sopwith machines during the war was due to Mr. Sigrist's practical mind. When, therefore, he speaks on his own particular pet subject he is entitled to be listened to not only with attention, but with a great deal of respect. The aspects of Mr. Sigrist's lecture to which we would refer here dealt with the broader problems involved in aircraft production, and the first of these related to the fitful way in which orders are given out by the Air Ministry. "It is an economic axiom," Mr. Sigrist said, " that the full benefits of output are only realised when there is a steady flow of work over a period. Owing to the vagaries of the Air Ministry, bad luck, dud engines or unforeseen circum- stances, according to individual opinion, the unfor- tunate constructor is seldom able to benefit by such a period. For six or nine months he may be very busy, even working overtime, and then finds a sudden slump. In other words, his year is made up of high peaks and depressions, a factor which bears an important relation, among other things, to the price question." This is a subject of quite fundamental importance, and is one with which the aircraft industry is con- stantly faced. It is no exaggeration to say that a similar condition is not met with in any other industry, and it is doubtful whether any other industry could manage to survive such a condition. We have pleaded repeatedly in FLIGHT for a review of the position, and for an examination of the problem of distributing more evenly, and over a longer period, the orders for aircraft. It used to be argued that developments were so rapid that it would be dangerous to arrange for a distribution over two or three years of orders so as to ensure a steady flow. That was doubtless true some years ago, but we very much doubt whether it is equally true to-day. Design is beginning to reach DECEMBER 6, 1928 a routine stage, and it is frequently found that when a certain Air Ministry specification is issued, and machines built to it by a number of constructors, there is so little to choose between the various machines' that it could not possibly matter a very great deal to the efficiency of the R.A.F. which type was ordered. That seems rather to indicate that the risk of hindering progress by issuing orders in a less spasmodic way than is done at present is nothing like as great as it used to be. Another very important point raised by Mr. Sigrist was the question of production in an emergency. He recalled that it is common knowledge that the staff view of aerial warfare is that in the first clash of hostilities casualties in machines and personnel will be heavy, and that the side which can most rapidly re-equip will be the predominant party. In other words, the industry must be in a position to assume the role of a third line of defence. " Frankly," Mr. Sigrist said, " We cannot accept this to-day, and until we are on a basis which ensures continuity of output and obviates the high peaks and depressions which are now prevalent, the position will still be serious. Imagine a sudden call under present conditions— a call for, let us say, one hundred varied machines within seven days, or even fourteen. The chance of more than a 30 per cent, response is remote. Let us go further. How soon could we attain an increas- ing output up to two hundred machines per week ? Consider the material position—and the possible area of hostilities—and it will be a difficult question to answer. We cannot expand immediately, neither can we find sufficient men to instruct allied trades which might be of assistance. Even if we did manage to produce the machines, the engine question would still remain, and in its way seems less capable of solution than the aircraft problem. " I realise that political and economic factors, and a natural hesitancy to undertake extensive commit- ments in face of rapid advancement of the science of aerodynamics and engines must be largely respon- sible for the Air Ministry production programme, and whilst I sympathise with them in their difficul- ties, I rather feel that the subject has not received the consideration which its importance merits." We do not think the matter has ever been put more concisely, and Mr. Sigrist's views will be shared not only by all members of the aircraft industry (who might be accused of being prejudiced) but by all who have ever given the subject serious consideration. It all seems to boil down to this : Which is likely to be the better policy, to aim at super-efficiency at the cost of being unable to expand at a time of emergency, or to be satisfied with a little less effi- ciency and to have at any rate a chance of being able to go suddenly and rapidly into mass production on a scale, sufficient to meet our requirements ? At the moment it would certainly appear that the. exist- ing equipment of the R.A.F. would not last many weeks in an emergency. Is it safe to count upon no such emergency arising until we have had time to re-consider the whole problem and to plan our air- craft production on lines which would enable us to achieve the necessary expansion ? We should hesitate to answer that question in the affirmative. Leicester Interested in a Flying ClubIN the annual report of the Council of the Leicester Chamber of Commerce, it states that steps must be taken 1028 towards the formation of a flying club. During the year,the question of civil aviation in relationship to the town has been considered.
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