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Aviation History
1937
1937 - 2352.PDF
2o8 FLIGHT. AUGUST 26, 1937. CORRESPONDENCE THOSE DISTANCE RECORDS A S a pilot who is very interested in the question of distance records, may I ask for a little space in which to reply to Mr. H. L. Brook's question? A few years ago I was engaged in the motor trade, and was driving, and racing, cars for a living. From the public's point of view, the interest centred round the world's flying start one mile record at Daytona (and afterwards at Utah). Then somehow, the newspapers began to boost the great dual be tween the Austin Sevens and the M.G. Midgets. Records at fairly low speeds, if put up by a "Baby'' car (i.e., engine of 750 c.c), were given more prominence than far faster speeds put up by the big stuff. I would suggest to Mr. Brook that the same sort of thing will happen in aviation. When the speeds on the Cape, At lantic and Melbourne routes have risen a little higher, interest will die out; the public would not wish to fly day and night at such speeds, even if they could afford it. Nor will anyone else, generally speaking. But suppose we forget the absolute speed part of the ques tion and introduce other conditions to make things sporting and interesting to the average human being? Capt. Neville Stack had the right idea a few years ago when he made his own type of records. Some of these, i believe, still stand. We shall get pilots flying Gipsy Moths (open cockpit, with draughts complete) at the astounding average of 75 m.p.h. between London and the North Pole or Equator. Then the average will creep up, by easy stages, to a level 80. Public interest will reach boiling point at the idea of an ultra-light allowing its owner to breakfast at Brooklands, lunch at Lympne, tea at Tangmere, and dine at Dieppe. The distance record game is only just beginning, if we do not regard sheer speed as the be all and end all of each course. So when one of the great Dailies will finance me (say to the extent of £10, top limit), the world will be shaken to its core by a " Baby plane'' record from England to the Isle of Wight. And all because.someone will have said in loud headlines that it is a record. You'll see. KISMET. Ashtead, Surrey. THEORY AND PRACTICE M R. C. W. MARTIN'S letter in the issue of August 12 came as a very pleasant surprise to me, in that he appears to infer that, at last, geometry is being taught to students at those institutions which specialise in air navigation. Whether the problem of proportional triangles is handled by geometry or trigonometry is of small consequence, but it is a decided step in the right direction to know that all future air navi gators can expect to be taught the principles of these problems, and not merely their application. I quite agree that problems such as the '' three-bearing '' and " running fix " are of little practical use in the navigation such, as is in use along short and well-marked traffic routes, and had he consulted his assistant, who is, I understand, one of the much-despised marine navigators, he could have ascer tained that such methods are seldom used in practical marine navigation. But during a recent flight in a Service machine suitably equipped with a chart table I saw the " running fix " used with considerable success. Also, with the inception of long-distance flights, on which celestial navigation will be used, the " running fix " will be incorporated frequently with certain " position line " methods. Mr. Martin's letter, whilst appearing to belittle the marine navigator who is teaching air navigation, forms, in reality, a strong criticism of the Air Ministry's requirements for licensed air navigators. The Air Ministry, believing, no doubt, in the necessity of mastering the theory before attempting to put it into practice, demands a knowledge of these problems on the part of the candidate for air navigators' licences. The individual navigator, having been taught the theory at school, is then at liberty to apply the method best suited to the occa sion. The success of the application depends entirely upon A BOMBER'S BRIDGE : The pilot's cockpit of a Handley Page Harrow Mk. II heavy bomber, showing the location of the flying controls, including the long operating lever for the Dowty flap gear, and the Hobson mixture and throttle controls associated with the twin Pegasus XX fully super charged radials. (Flight photograph.) the individual's experience in practical navigation, and this experience can never be obtained in a school on the ground, any more than can the marine navigator obtain experience in practical navigation at a school ashore. Thoroughly equip the navigator with the theory and he will be all the more readily able to put it into practice. Speed and accuracy will only come with constant use of the various methods. Mr. Martin may be interested to know that some of the finest teachers of marine navigation have never been to sea at all. and yet their students have done remarkably well as practical navigators. Lastly, will Mr. Martin enumerate those " hidebound marine methods " to which he objects? It will be interesting to those marine navigators who teach air navigation as part of their curriculum to see in what way the methods they use transgress. E. BROOK WILLIAMS, Senior Lecturer, Dept. of Navigation. University College, Southampton. Caproni Agency Appointment IT is announced that the Earl of Hardwicke has been ap pointed director and chairman of Caproni Agency Corpora tion (England), Ltd., in succession to Major E. Howard. Forthcoming Events August 3-September 7. Public Schools Aviation Camp, Norwich. August 22-29. Italian Aero Club : Circuit of Littorio. August 28 and 29. Cinque Ports Plying Club : Lympne Inter national Rally and Wakefield Trophy Race. August 28-September 25. B.G.A. National Soaring Com petition, Great Hucklow. September 4 and 5. Southend Flying Club : At Home. September 10-11. R.Ae.C. : King's Cup Race. September 12. Aero Club de France : Coupe Deutsche de la Meurthe, Etampes. September 18. North of Ireland Aero Club: Ulster Air Rally. Newtownards. September 18. Eastbourne Flying Club : At Home. September 23. Aero Golfing Society : Cellon Trophy.
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