FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1931
1931 - 0236.PDF
FLIGHT, MARCH 13, 1931 NEW AUTOGIROS S l|r—'HE Cierva Autogiro has already\2) III become well known, and even III the general public look for the" windmill plane," as they call it, at flying meetings. It is not generallyknown that great strides have been made with it in other countries besidesour own. America, for instance, has been going ahead very strongly, and thePitcairn Autogiro Co. have produced quite a large number of various typesof machines, and photographs of those flying over New York, are quite commonin the American press. Among the most recent developments here, is the adapta-tion of the Autogiro principle to a flying boat, which is being built by ShortBros., of Rochester. This will, of course, be entirely experimental, and shouldprove extremely interesting, if only as a ferry boat for taking passengers fromlarge transoceanic flying boats and landing them near cities in congestedwaters. The De Havilland firm at Stag Lane are also building a form of l'uss-Moth-Autogiro. This will, in effect, be a foreshortened Puss Moth type of fuse-lage, and a low wing with up-turned tips and the wide undercarriage of theexisting Autogiro. The cabin roof will then rise in a pyramid supporting a three-bladed rotor.This pyramid is faired in, while the tail unit of the machine is of a more or less standard monoplane form. Therotor will be started up by means of a shaft and clutch drive from the engine up through the supporting pyramid, which willdo away with the greatly increased drag, due to the box type of tail now in use. Plans for a cabin Autogiro of a larger type,carrying four passengers, have also been laid out, but is not yet being built. It will be remembered that the late SirSefton Brancker was extremely interested in this type of machine, and it seems quite possible that he would havesevered sufficient red tape to have enabled a demonstration to have been carried out on the Horse Guards Parade. We were recently favoured with the opportunity of tryingout an Autogiro of the latest type, and found it quite simple to handle. It is really very little different from a normalsort of machine to fly, except that one has to get used to the idea of gliding at a very steep angle, although without a highsinking speed. It seems to us that the only point where the Autogiro differed greatly was in its handling on the ground,and it is certainly necessary to know exactly what one is doing, and which way to turn when taxying, taking-off orlanding, otherwise the wind is prone to play unexpected pranks, Contrary to general belief, the rotor does notworry the occupants at all, and in fact, one hardly notices it after the first minute or so. In bumpy weather the The Autogiro C. 19. Mk. Ill (Genet Major) flown by Mr. Brie at Heston. (FLIGHT Photo.) Autogiro seems definitely steadier and more stable than mostmachines, and to be less affected by gusts. There is no doubt that there is a very satisfactory feeling indeed in flyingin a machine knowing full well that should it be necessary to make a forced landing it is possible to do so almost verti-cally, and that there will be no run at all on landing. Even a tennis court, therefore, becomes a potential landing ground.A member of our staff well known in aeronautical circles, who has always announced his intention of deferring theday for his first flight until aircraft were really safe, was also induced to make a trip, and he is now thoroughly convertedto flying, so that no doubt we shall one day, see him celebrating his silver wedding by taking his ticket on this type of machine.One of the latest countries to be interested, is New Zealand, where Safety Flying (N.Z.), Ltd., has been formed to demon-strate the Autogiro, and the first model has recently been flown in Auckland and Dunedin by Sqd.-Ldr. Findlay. TheAutogiro Company has followed that admirable principle of not putting up their machine as a commercial proposition,until such time as it was really suitable for everybody, with the result that they have had no adverse propaganda to livedown through letting people find out their mistakes for them. The existing Autogiro is even in its present form a machinesuitable for pilots of average ability, and no doubt before long we shall see a model placed on the market for generalor private ownership. GUILD OF AIR PILOTS AND AIR NAVIGATORS. •" [fr^HE G.A.P.A.N. reports that, after some correspond-\J^) HI ence, the question of commercial pilots becoming III exempt from jury service has been further pursued,and the Guild has received an assurance from the Town Clerk of Croydon that the commercial pilots in his dis-trict will receive due consideration when the jury lists are next prepared. The matter is still being pursued with a view tototal exemption for all commercial pilots ; members have been requested to write their summoning officers on thequestion and to report to the Guild thereon. The Court has lost the valuable services of one of itsmembers by the departure of Capt. F. Tymms, M.C., for India on the 5th inst. to take up his new position as thr newDirector of Civil Aviation there. As a parting gift, the Court presented Capt. Tymms with a silver inkstand suitablyinscribed. Out of respect to the late Master, Sir Sefton Brancker,and the deputy-master, Sqdn.-Ldr. E. L. Johnston, and other members of the Guild who perished in the R 101,the annual dinner has been postponed. Pensions.—A sub-committee has been formed to considerthe whole question of pensions both to persons on the R.A.f reserve and on duty with commercial firms, and commercialpilots, both from the point of view of (a) superannuation on medical grounds, and (b) pensions on physical disablement.The Guild would again like to point out to aircraft operators and owners the facilities of its employment bureau. AHpilots on its register are fully experienced " B " licensed pilots.The Johnston Memorial Fund has reached the sum ot £50, and the suggestion of the purchase of a cup has beenapproved. With a view to assisting candidates for navigators' licences,the Guild has commenced a lending library, where any book required for these examinations can be borrowed at a nominalfee. N Decoration for the Prince of Wales KING CAROL OF ROUMANIA has bestowed the Gold Crossof the Order of Merit in Aeronautics upon the Prince of Wales, with the following mention : " His Royal Highness has chosen the aeroplane as his usual means of locomotion, thus giving the most handsome encouragement to aviators. 220
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
