FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1934
1934 - 0804.PDF
8o6 FLIGHT. AUGUST g, 1934. 'IVATE A SECTION FOR OWNER-PILOTS AND CLUB MEMBERS THE private aircraft owner has a vehicle which canbe made to COHtribute a great deal of enjoymentduring his periodic holidays. The rapidly increasing internal air lines are bringing the time-saving advan- tages of aviation to a growing section of the public, and this is all to the benefit of the private owner. Those who are able to influence the provision of ground facilities will generally move more rapidly in response to commercial requirements, and the same facilities will be of advantage to the owner pilot. The motorist can hardly be said to have had his lot improved by the incur- sion of the motor coach on the roads of this country, but the possessor of an aeroplane is more happily placed in that one can- not visualise for many a year to come any substantial overcrowding of the highways of the air. Internal and " semi -internal " air routes now being developed demonstrate a saving of time which cannot fail to emphasise to the private owner the advantages he pos- sesses in being able to use his machine for rapid transport to those holiday centres which are less accessible by the usual means of surface transport. The growing interest of municipal authorities in avia- tion has been brought very much to my notice during the past week, when I paid visits to four towns whose authori- ties were anxious to have advice on suitable aerodrome sites. In this connection I found it necessary to keep two engagements, one in the extreme North and the other in the South, on one day. As this involved about a thousand miles' flying, I took the opportunity of trying out a friend's "Leopard Moth," which gives a cruising speed of 10 to 15 m.p.h. more than my own machine. I found it very nice to fly, the controls being very respon- sive. The cabin is a considerable improvement on that of the "Puss Moth," and it seats three persons very com- fortably. The accommodation for luggage is also much better, as this is housed in a compartment behind the back seat. Fitted with a " Gipsy Major " engine, its petrol consumption at five and a half to six gallons per hour is quite good, and giving, as it does, twenty miles to the gallon, it certainly makes a very economical family machine. ....r: - ; ^ . A Desirable Fitment I MISSED my own '' Puss Moth '' very considerably onthis journey for one good reason. The "Leopard" is fitted with a tail wheel instead of a skid, but, although an improvement, it cannot be considered to be entirely satis- factory. On arriving at my destination on the South Coast rather late in the evening, I landed on the sands, and it was then that I wished for my own tail wheel unit. This comprises a specially designed fork which fits to the tail skid bracket, with a low-pressure wheel of ample propor- tions, and is an arrangement which has not only proved a very good shock-absorbing medium, but one which makes the machine very controllable even on the softest ground. By comparison, I found that the tail wheel on the "Leopard Moth," having a very narrow tread, embedded NOTES by LORD SEMPILL A.F.C., F.R.Ae.S, itself so deeply in the sand that it took three men to manhandle the machine into position for taking off. When attempting to manceuvre the aeroplane under power I found the difficulty accentuated. This is a very important fea- ture for the private owner, as a machine designed for his use should be capable of being easily handled under all normal conditions without any outside assistance. If any of my readers are interested in this fitment, which was designed to meet my own requirements, I shall be glad to supply them with further particulars. Flying Abroad • ALTHOUGH one would recommend,• from many points of view, that air- . craft owners should concentrate on the exploration of their own country, there is no doubt that a great deal of good can be done by flying visits abroad. Particu- larly is this the case when an interchange of visits between British and foreign fly- ing clubs is arranged. Not only are inter- national relations improved by this means, but the advantages of our own light air- craft can be demonstrated in potential markets to the benefit of the industry at large. Such occasions can be utilised by what may be termed '' private formation flying'' under the leadership of a more experienced pilot to increase the novice's know- ledge of course setting and navigation. A tour of this nature, under expert guidance, will also give such pilots a greater insight into those points of etiquette which should be observed when flying in different foreign countries. The more experienced pilot will choose an airport where he can clear Customs with the least possible waste of time. For example, when entering France, if such formalities are carried out at one of the less-frequented Customs aero- dromes near the coast, rather than at Le Bourget, he may be saved considerable inconvenience. In touring abroad by air, the facilities offered by our leading oil companies by the issue of petrol carnets are not as well known as they might be. This is a very sound arrangement, and enables the pilot to obtain supplies of fuel at most centres on a system of credit, which obviates the necessity for carrying a supply of currency, the con- sumer being charged up periodically for fuel at his home address. While on the subject of fuel, I would remind the tourist that the tax on the petrol in his tanks can be claimed at the time of clearing Customs on leaving this country. This necessitates the use of the requisite form, and the rebate will be returned in due course, although, unfortunately, this takes some considerable time, as the authorities muat"^ see that the suppliers of the petrol in question have paid the duty in the first instance. It must not be forgotten, either, that petrol brought into this country may also be taxed at the standard rate. Although this does not seem to be consistently imposed, a pilot should not overlook : the regulation, and, unless he welcomes the opportunity of assisting the revenue, he will see that there is no great - surplus of fuel in his tanks when he arrives at the Customs port.
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
