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Aviation History
1935
1935 - 0608.PDF
2g6 FLIGHT. MARCH 21, x935- question of materials and workmanship. It is very advis able that someone should be at hand who can advise on such matters. We do not feel that the Air Ministry should insist on the same official inspection of materials, etc., as that which more orthodox aircraft have to bear. The cost would become too high, for one thing. Rather do we feel that a special class should be formed for the Pou-dit- Ciel, subject to the materials being passed by someone capable of doing so. We therefore welcome the letter from Air Commodore Chamier, Secretary-General of the Air League of the British Empire, published in our Corre spondence columns this week, pointing out that a " Pou Club" has been formed by the League. The club should do much to ensure that the " new flying " gets a fair start. to be treated, and it is difficult to make a ply-covered ' or fuselage so perfectly that a good finish will not h^° slight irregularities to light. Such irregularities cannot l» considered as faults, and are slight enough to pass e noticed with the more usual aircraft finish. From th« maintenance point of view, incidentally, surface perfectio can even be a considerable nuisance. Even a pluperfect exterior finish can be marred, too K- comparatively primitive internal fittings. One feels that if the well-provided business man is to be led by the hand into private ownership, the U.S. manufacturers are on the right lines in attempting to make the cabin, control and dashboard arrangements of a £2,000 aeroplane at least as attractive as those of a £200 car. High-speed Cruising- T^AISING the cruising speed of commercial aeroplanes £ \ is not only fraught with difficulties brought about by the increased cost of operation, but it also en genders other problems, which in some cases appear to have been overlooked. Take, in the first place, the question of passenger com fort. The higher the cruising speed the more are bumps felt during rough weather. The days are gone when pas sengers would put up with being thrown and blown about just for the satisfaction of travelling in the air and at high speed. Now they demand comfort, and, as they generally pay highly for this class of travel, they have a right to receive it. Imperial Airways have always made a point of flying high whenever the weather was bad in order that their passengers might not be inconvenienced by the bumps nearer the ground. In future, when the cruising speed of their machines is raised—as it is being—their pilots will also have to cruise at lower speeds when the condi tions demand it; that will mean allowing a wider schedule latitude . . . and the unfortunate operations manager gets caught in another vicious circle! —And Safety T~p VENTS in various parts of the world during the past f~^j year or two also point to the fact that several acci dents have occurred through structural failures caused by pushing aeroplanes through very bad weather at high speed. Obviously, the higher the speed through a "bump"—that is, a gust approaching the vertical in either direction—the greater the increase of stress in the structure due to that bump, and, therefore, the greater the margin of strength required for safety. It cannot be left entirely to the judgment of the pilot when to decrease speed, although that is, in effect, what happens at sea. In the air bumps cannot be seen, although the general conditions may suggest that they are likely to be encountered, and, therefore, the latest recommenda tion of the I.C.A.N, on the subject of increased load factors may have to be considered very carefully indeed if we are to avoid more of those accidents wherein there is every probability of structural failure having occurred— though the fact is almost impossible to prove. Foundation and Finish TXT HEN an interested crowd surrounds one of the few YY American cabin machines seen in this country, the conversation usually appears to turn to the question ol finish. Certainly, with the assistance of a score of separate coats, each carefully rubbed down, the finish of a few American private types is something to admire. There is nothing miraculous about it, and several types in this country are turned out with a gloss that is almost, if not quite, as marked. Nevertheless, a very great deal depends on the surface Uniformity in Uniform A LTHOUGH there may be strong objections in some y^j quarters to the wearing of uniforms by all airline personnel, there seems to be little doubt that smart uniforms have the right effect on both actual and pro spective air travellers. If there is any obvious reason lor objecting to a commercial pilot flying in a sports shirt and oily flannel trousers, then there is an equally Obvious reason why traffic managers, booking clerks, and any members of the air line staff who appear officially in public should be neatly attired. The effect is a purely psychological one, but it is, never theless, important. Ordinary persons are impressed by the appearance of efficiency and standardisation that a uniform gives, and, for some curious reason, a smart uniform does definitely increase the efficiency of the aver age person. Meanwhile, tailors have seen to it that ait- line uniforms are tolerably uniform. Let us hope that no enterprising operator will ordain that his staff shall be turned out in some sky-blue shade or other. The Mercan- tile Marine effect is both smart and practical. Lighting Airways AIRWAY and aerodrome lighting is a science; not yet J^\ an exact science by any means, but nevertheless a science about which few people know very much. The ordinary pilot knows that floodlights, boundary lights, air way beacons, and obstruction lights are used, and that some are good and some not so good ; but, generally speak- ing, he does not know the whys and wherefores of the different types. The subject is one of great complexity upon which e cannot yet be any unanimity of opinion, because the ne of aviation are changing from day to day. In a P*PeJ, ' before the Illuminating Society last week Mr. H. N. ore very effectively correlated most of what is known or t subject, and his paper should become one of the stan < works of reference for some time to come. He sums up position by saying, " ... further progress P"™3"^,,, pends on the attainment of a clearer understanding on the various lights should do and how they are used. MODERN AIRPORTS The issue of Flight for April 4 will be a spj» Airports Number, dealing very fully with modern airport equipment, construction and organ isatio , at home and abroad A THURSDAY jf0§^ APR' L
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