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Aviation History
1929
1929 - 0345.PDF
FEBRUARY 21, 1929 THE DANIEL GUGGENHEIM FUND Second Report on the Activities for 1928 THE second report of the Daniel Guggenheim Fund for the promotion of aeronautics has just been issued, and the following is a brief summary of its contents. Progress of commercial aviation in the past year, says the report, has exceeded every reasonable expectation. Probably the outstanding aeronautical achievement of 1928 was the demonstration in America by private enterprise that air transport can be made a profitable business without government subsidy. The American pioneer air mail contractors, by their courage and business ability, have surprised the world by this quick and convincing demonstration. The air transportation services have been extended in number and route ; output of aircraft has enormously increased and for the moment lags far behind the demand ; and scientific research is approaching a solution of the few remaining aeronautical problems. Perhaps there is no better indication of the popular con- fidence in aviation than the recent large scale investment of public capital in both air transport and aircraft manufacturing companies. This great public interest in aeronautical financing calls for a note of warning. In the present early stage of commercial aviation, as in every pioneering enter- prise, though the lure of great gain is appealing, the risk of failure is comparatively great, and only those who can afford to take this risk should embark on these ventures. In addition, every new business development has its " wildcat " organisations ; the only safeguard against loss in enterprises of this kind is complete knowledge of their work and assur- ance of the absolute integrity of those sponsoring it. Pointing out that the growth of private aeronautic enter- prise has necessarily changed the character of some of the Fund's work, lessening the importance of commercial assist- ance, the report continues : If the year has modified some of the activities of the Fund, it has greatly expanded the others, particularly in scientific research. This report mentions several new enterprises which may eventually continue of themselves—the first adequate weather-reporting service for American aviation, the first full-flight laboratory for fog-flying, the first National Safety Conference in Aero- nautics. Among other projects of the Fund, the Safe Aircraft Competition approaches its culmination with an international list of competitors ; and the Town Marking campaign, inaugurated last fall, is slowly establishing an adequate list of sign-posts for air transportation. The last-named project has met with the enthusiastic co- operation of business. Already more than 400 towns have accomplished identification due to these efforts, in addition to those already identified. Similarly, the Safe Aircraft Competition has evoked widespread interest both here and abroad. Entrance application, so far, have been received from one manufacturer in Italy, five in England and six in the United States. The British entries include two well-known inventions for maintaining stability—the Handley - Page slotted wing and the Cierva Autogiro. The weather reporting service which was installed by the Fund on the airways between Los Angeles and San Francisco in June, 1928, has proved to be an unquestioned success and the demand placed upon it has made it necessary to expand The B.B.C. and Flying COMMENCING on March 7 next, the British BroadcastingCorporation are introducing a series of weekly talks on How an Aeroplane Flies." These talks will be given onThursdays, at 7.25-7.45 p.m., by Dr. Ivor B. Hart, who is one of the Education Officers of the Air Ministry. A synopsis ofthese talks—which will also be published in the Listener— is as follows :— March 7.—General Introduction. Man's age-long yearningfor the conquest of the air. Lessons from the early attempts. The Saracen of Constantinople. The understanding of howan aeroplane flies involves an appreciation of some simple facts of mechanism. A short discussion on force and itseffects. March 14.—Forgetting for the moment that the aeroplane is made up of a lot of bits and pieces, and thinking of it only as a single plane surface—an aerofoil. How swift motion of an aerofoil through the air produces an upwards-lifting force. Why the angle of an aerofoil is inclined to the direction of motion, and why its surface is cambered or curved. March 21.—The Meaning of " Lift and Drag." Lift is it considerably, to 40 observation points making reports six times daily. The success of this system gives an indication of what can be done for trans-oceanic airship travel. A network of weather-reporting stations at sea could be established by the simple expedient of extending present-day international co-operation so as to obtain radio reports from all ships afloat. These reports would be sent to a central station where they would be available to all navigators. The system would be supplemented by the existing weather service ashore and additional terminal stations on the mainland, according to the location of the routes. The flight of the Graf Zeppelin last fall would have been very greatly facilitated if adequate weather information had been available, and would have enabled the airship to avoid the squall that partially dis- abled it in mid-ocean and retarded its passage. The fund has continued to finance research in other institu- tions. Its appropriations to six large universities amount to a total of about §1,200,000, in addition to a considerable number of smaller appropriations for specific purposes. This work in the universities has been balanced by the fund's Committee on Elementary and Secondary Aeronautic Education which is assisting in the introduction of a study of aeronautics in the schools and in the preparation of text books and courses. The report concludes with a plea for wise governmental regulation and indirect assistance to aviation. It states : " Three years ago, before the passage of the Air Commerce Act, the United States Government had not officially recog- nised commercial aviation, and its development lagged far behind that in some of the countries of Europe. Still one encounters the misconception that this backward condition continues. Nothing could be farther from the truth. To-day commerical aviation in America, measured in terms of air- craft factories and commercial and civil airplanes in operation, very greatly exceeds the aggregate of the rest of the world. The one phase of commercial aeronautical development in which America still ranks after other countries is that of passenger-carrying. But such passenger services as are now in operation and those in process of development indicate that America will soon take a leading position in this phase of aviation as well. " All these developments have taken place in the typically American manner of private enterprise. They have only been rrade possible, however, by wise governmental regula- tion and indirect assistance. With the tremendous expansion in commercial aviation in America, there is a constantly growing need for further assistance of this kind, as repre- sented in airports, airways, weather services and adequate uniform legislation. Commercial air transport has reached its present comparatively satisfactory state without the hundreds of millions of dollars that the railroads enjoyed from Federal and State aid in their pioneering days, and without the hundreds of millions of acres of lands granted to them. Indirect governmental assistance is an absolute essential for the full development of commercial aviation, and calls for the co-operation of federal, state and municipal governments." <•> ^ opposed by gravity and keeps the machine in the air. Drag is overcome by the thrust of the propeller shaft of the engine. The distinction between active and passive drag. How the drag is affected by the speed. How it influences the design of the machine. The importance of the lift-drag ratio. March 28.— How we get from the Aerofoil to the Aeroplane. The meaning of efficiency. The effect of the amount of wing surface. Aspect ratio 'and its meaning. Putting on an extra wing to make a biplane. Why the upper wing is "staggered." The difficulty of reconciling climbing power with speed. How the elevator helps. April 4.—The Meaning of Stability.—Why it is important for the aeroplane. The three kinds of stability. Directional stability, the tendency for the machine to keep its course. Lateral stability, the tendency to keep the machine on an even keel, without which it would roll sideways. Longi- tudinal stability, the tendency to keep it from pitching and tossing. How these are helped by keel surface, dihedral angle, and by fitting rudder, elevator, and tail plane. April 11.—Manoeuvre and Control.—Atypical run. Taking off climbing. Maintenance of horizontal flight. Banking on a turn. Gliding. Landing. 135
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