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Aviation History
1930
UNTITLED0 - 0834.PDF
FLIGHT, JULY 11, 1930 AIR MINISTRY NOTICES AIR MINISTRY NOTICE TO AIRMEN Flights Across the Strait of Dover : Arrangements for Reporting and Search 1. Reporting of Aircraft on Flights Across the Strait of Dover (a) Aircraft equipped with radio— The pilot of an aircraft equipped with radio will report his position by radio on crossing the coast on both sides of the Strait, and, in emergency, will give the appropriate distress calls. (6) Aircraft not equipped with radio— The pilot of an aircraft not equipped with radio, or the radio of which is out of order, is advised to make use of the following system for signalling his passage across the Strait:— (i) An aircraft leaving England for the Continent should circle at an altitude not exceeding 1,000 ft. (305 m.) at Lympne aerodrome, and, again, after crossing the Strait, circle in a similar manner at one of the following Continental reporting points :— Ostend (Steene) aerodrome, S. Inglevert aerodrome, Calais semaphore station, Alprech semaphore station. Note.—Maps showing the positions of Calais and Alprech semaphore stations are published herewith.) Similarly an aircraft leaving the Continent for England should circle at one of the Continental reporting points and again, after crossing the Strait, at Lympne aerodrome. (ii) The aircraft must continue to circle at a reporting point (except, at Motor-lifeboats from Boulogne, Calais and Dunkirk, available during i\ times when the French Air Union is operating. e Aircraft patrols by the French Air Union, as far as possible, during normal working hours. Flying-boat owned by Compagnie Aerienne Francaise from Calais. The warning bv radio of all shipping in the vicinity to keep a look-out such shipping being informed, if possible, of the position of the aircraft ' (r) The pilot of an aircraft which is forced to descend on the sea is advised circumstances permitting, to endeavour to alight as near as possible to one of the ports mentioned in para. 2 (6). In making his decision he will take into account the direction of the wind, the height from which the descent has to be made, and his distance from the coast. (d) Owners of aircraft may be liable for the cost of search operations General Notice No. 16 of 1930). Am MINISTRY NOTICE TO AIRCRAFT OWNERS AND GROUNn ENGINEERS Avro 504 K. Aircraft—Provision of Fireproof Bulkheads 1. The attention of Aircraft Owners and Ground Engineers and all cone >rned is drawn to the desirability for the immediate incorporation ot a nrepr of bulkhead in all Avro 504 K. aircraft, particularly in view of the fact that sur.h bulkheads will in the future become compulsory under the provisions of Notice to Aircraft Owners and Ground Engineers No. 26 of 1929. 2. Several aircraft of this type have already been fitted with fireproof bulls- „ MilesVa o Vz o Kilometres le Porte Cap dAlpreoK 'Semaphore Stn. present, at Calais and Alprech), until a signal of acknowledgment is made from the ground to signify that the circuit has been observed by the ground personnel. The signals of acknowledgment employed at the various reporting points are as follow :— Lympne Aerodrome.—The flashing of a white light. Ostend (Steene) Aerodrome.—The display of a black-and-white chequered panel, 4 by 4 metres in size, in a position 20 metres from the aerodrome buildings. S. Inglevert Aerodrome. Calais Semaphore Station and Alprech Semaphore Station.—The display of a white panel on a black background. N.B.—The panels at Calais and Alprech are at present in course of installa- tion. Pending completion, therefore, no signal of acknowledgment will be given at these two points. (iii) An aircraft which has effected a circuit at Lympne aerodrome or at Ostend (Steene) aerodrome indicating departure for the Continent or for England, but which is obliged, owing to weather or other cause, to abandon the attempt to cross the Strait, must return to Lympne or to Ostend (Steene) and circuit the aerodrome a second time, such circuit being continued until the signal of acknowledgment, denned in (ii) above, is given. This second circuit will have the effect of cancelling the first circuit. At present this " cancellation " procedure is only to be employed at Lympne and Ostend (Steene) aerodromes. Arrangements will be made later for its adoption at the French reporting points. (iv) In the event of an emergency landing being effected on either side of the Strait, the pilot must report the fact to the nearest aerodrome. (v) It is of the utmost importance that pilots taking advantage of this system shall adhere consistently to the rules denned above. For example, a pilot who signals his departure on one side of the Strait must not fail to report further in one of the following ways :— By signalling his arrival when he reaches the other side of the Strait, or By effecting a " cancellation " circuit when the sea-crossing has been abandoned, or By reporting to the nearest aerodrome when an emergency landing has been effected. If this is not done, the aircraft may subsequently be reported missing, and unnecessary search operations (see 2 below) instituted. Similarly circuits must always be continued until the signal of acknow- ledgment has been received, with regard to Calais and Alprech, see para. 1 (6) (ii) above. Otherwise, in the case of incoming traffic, the aircraft may subsequently be reported missing, and, in the case of outgoing traffic, no notification of the intended sea-crossing will be made to the reporting points on the other side of the Strait, the aircraft, therefore, proceeding without the protective arrangements having been instituted. 2. Assistance to Aircraft in Distress in the Strait of Dover. (a) The circumstances in which search and rescue operations will be commenced are as follow :— (i) On receipt of a distress call from an aircraft equipped with radio, or (ii) On receipt of reliable information that an aircraft in distress has been sighted, or (iii) If an aircraft bound for England is more than 1 hour overdue, or the report of an aircraft bound for the Continent more than 1J hours overdue. (6) The search and rescue service comprises :— Motor-lifeboat from Dover and tugs from Dover, Boulogne, Calais and Dunkirk, available at all times. heads, and suggestions for alternative forms of bulkheads which will comply with the requirements are given below. Avro 504 K. with Mono-dnome Engine No carburettor is fitted to this engine, and a bulkhead of 2(1 S.W.G. stee! or a sandwich of two 24 S.W.G. aluminium plates interlined with asbestos at least 3/32 in. thick on the engine side of the main engine plate, together with a fireproof cover totally enclosing the magneto and leads and bolted to the engine plate, will be considered satisfactory. Suitable doors or removable parts of the cover, should be fitted to give access to the magneto. The rubber joints on the petrol pipes at the needle valve and at the engine should be replaced by joints of a fireproof pattern. Petroflex joints, or rubber covered with brass or copper foil, would be accepted. The aluminium undershield to the fuselage must be retained and must be a close fit round the air inlet pipe. Avro 504 K. with 130 H.P. CUftet Of 110 H.P. le Rhone Engine Two different types of fireproof bulkhead for the above aircraft are indicated, (1) for use when the present oil and fuel tanks are retained, and (2) for use wnen wing fuel tanks are fitted. . (1) This consists essentially of a fireproof box, of either 20 S.W.G. st«i plate or a sandwich of two 24 S.W.G. aluminium plates with an inter- lining of asbestos at least 3/32 in. thick, inside the aircraft framing The front engine plate and oil baffle plate forms the front side of this box and the top is shaped to fit beneath the oil and fuel tanks, tnus leaving these tanks on the aircraft side of the bulkhead. The rear side of the bulkhead is led down between the two main diagonal side members, sufficient clearance being left at the botto to enable the rudder bar to be operated. • • t ei A pocket covering the rear engine plate and air intake pipe is»°™. ,:: * at the top, the air intake being bushed where it passes through • bulkhead. . Kf Sliding doors are fitted on the sides of the fireproof box to give aa in- to the magneto, carburettor and needle valve. . tf Owing to the rather complicated shape of this fireproof box it ma> preferred lU make it of 20 S.W.G. steel with riveted corners. (2) In this case a hrcproof bulkhead of 24 S.W.G. aluminium s lined with asbestos at least ft in. thick is fitted acrossithe rear sic main diagonal side members, a pocket being formed to accoffl f l( the rear engine plate and air iCtake, the latter being bushed w passes through the bulkhead. . .. ftont The fitting of this bulkhead nec?ssitates the dropping oi "btajn rudder bar and foot boards approximately 4 in. in order I .tom of sufficient room to operate the rudder, or, alternatively, the P° ia the bulkhead could be shaped to allow sufficient space for tne bar in the normal position. . magne.'0 With this bulkhead, complete and easy access to the engine, and carburettor can be obtained. . ife of tbe In both schemes (1) and (2) the petrol pipe joints on the engu". bulkhead must be of fireproof patterns. for CletSet Although these latter two schemes are principally suggest;'" ' eengineo and le Rhone engined aircraft they can be adapted to tbe ^ioan '^oV for tbe aircraft if desired, a different type of rear engine plate pocket to vertical air intake being the chief difference necessary. ^ obtain6" 3. Any further information in connection with the above ca gstabli5"" on application to the Airworthiness Department, Royal Aircr ment, South Farnborough, Hants. (\'o. 19 of 1930.)
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