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Aviation History
1931
1931 - 1083.PDF
FLIGHT, OCTOBER 9, 1931 A MODERN AIRCRAFT "N aircraft which breaks away from the WrightBros.' lay-out, and which incorporates many really modern features, is the Monospar. Thismachine is at present being developed in a factory at Croydon Aerodrome by the General Aircraft Co., Ltd.,and has been designed by Mr. Stieger. It was described in FLIGHT for July 10, and now that we have been able to tryit out for ourselves, we are able to say more about it. We have always maintained that to sell aircraft to the averageuser, they must be as comfortable and as well fitted as the ordinary motor-car. Few aircraft fill these requirements,but the Monospar in its production form will certainly do so, and should, therefore, sell well. The existing model was primarily built with the avowedintention of trying out the principles involved in manufacture, particularly the Monospar wing and fuselage, and notwith the idea that it was the first of its type. In the first place, it is flying with somewhere aboutone-half of its designed horse-power, owing to the fact that the engines for whichit was designed were not available when it was ready and com-:..:;;,. parisons cannot there- fore, in fairness, bemade with the production \ THE MONOSPAR: The clear view which the pilot hasahead, whichever side of the machine he is sitting, is shown very clearly in these views. In its latest form a small air-wheel replaces the tail skid which makes handling on the ground exceptionally easy. (FLIGHT Photos.) it possible to manoeuvre the machine through the thickest ofground traffic unaided by anyone on the wings. This is a point which is rapidly becoming a problem of peculiarurgency, since at even a small flying meeting now- a-days we are quite likely to have anything upto 50 aircraft present. In the air the Monospar is equally com-fortable. Even with the existing engines the present model canmaintain its height on one engine and turnagainst that enginewith JU. model which shouldbo out shortly. A very good idea can becaincd, however, as to what the new type will provide, andthat it should cause quite a stir in \ aeronautical circles seems certain. ;After flying a conventional aircraft with a single engine in front, it is a revelation to get into ^the Monospar and find an absolutely unobstructed view m all directions, the sense of relief and security which thisgives the private owner will be a very strong selling point for this machine. On the ground one is at once struck with thesensibility of the whole lay-out, the brakes are operated in just the most handy manner, so that their use immediately becomesquite natural and these together with the two engines make 1013
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