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Aviation History
1938
1938 - 0436.PDF
158 FLIGHT. FEBRUARY 17, 1938. PRIVATE FLYING (CONTINUED) able though temporary errors in the magnetic compass that we hardly appreciate its defalcations until a direc- tional gyro is used during a long cross-country flight ia bumpy weather and bad visibility. Any budding trans- port pilot who has gone through a course of blind flying under the hood with the help of a turn indicator and a compass must positively lean back in comfort when he flies blind for the first time in a big machine fitted with free gyro panel. Turns can be made straight off the reel without allow- ance for lag and without the need for holding off bank. What you see on the free gyro instrument dials is exactly what is going on in the outside world. No translations are necessary. Perhaps one day a means will be found of producing the results without the need for such accurate workmanship, and we shall then have blind-flying instru- ments which do not imply preliminary pilot-training. Not that I suggest that the amateur pilot will be free to do any serious blind flying fcr many years to come. A few transport operators appear to have received something of a shock when they read the NoMce to Airmen describing the new directional system of control (p. 91, Flight, January 27), which ostensibly permits you, me, and any- body else, to fly in any sort of weather so long as we stick to certain defined height levels according to the particular magnetic course on whiclv we are travelling. Somehow I do not think that N. to A., No. 8 of 1938, will make any difference to my own nervous reactions on the subject ••> blind flying with one engine and without two-way radio equipment; nor to yours. INDICATOR. FROM the CLUBS and SCHOOLS LONDONF LYING for the week ended February 11 showed 61 hr. 45 min., and a first solo flight was made by Mr. F. R. Parker. Mr. H. Layton is a new member.HAMPSHIRE Unhelpful weather was responsible for the comparatively low flying hours, which totalled 22 hr. 40 min.STRATHTAY For four days during the week ended February 6 there was no flying, owing to high winds, but for the rest of the week a total of <>i hours was recorded. NORTHAMPTON For the time of the year the flying is well up to average, and newmembers include Messrs. P. A. Wright, J. C. Richardson, B. W. Miller, and Mrs. D. M. Goodman. C.A.S.C. In spite of a large attendance of members, high winds and hail- storms prevented more than 3 hr. 40 min. being flown. Mr. W. Lee • took his initial flight with the Corps.YORKSHIRE Flying lor the month ended February 11 made 30 hr. 15 min., and 24 hours of this was down during last week. A dance will be held in the clubhouse on February 19.CINQUE PORTS Fog, low cloud, gales and snowstorms interfered with flying last week, and only on Wednesday was it possible to make any com- pensation, 7 hours being put in. Messrs. K. J. Robertson and K. Lingford made a trip to York in the Puss Moth to collect the latter's A-vian. HANWORTH A landing competition will be held at Aldenham Aerodrome on Sunday, February 2c, and early'application for entrance should be made. A " dawn " patrol on March 6, at Han worth Aerodrome, is timed for 8.15-9 a.m. The total flying for the week ended Feb- ruary 12 came to 33 hours. .BORDER Arrangements are well in nand for the " Border raid," which, as related last week, is to-be held on Sunday, March 6." Despite the generally unfavourable-weather conditions a total of 22 hr. 30 min. was flown for the week ended February 11. Cross-country flights were made to Hatfield, Montrose, Edinburgh, and Newcastle.BARTON (BEDS) The first"meal was served in the newly furnished and decorated clubhouse of the Bedford Flying Club last Sunday at teatime, and was enjoyed by fifty-five people, who had turned up in spite of a continuous heavy snowstorm. Four enthusiasts in aeroplanes braved the elements to attend, one coming from as far afield as High Post.PORTSMOUTH The spell _ of fine weather enabled the Portsmouth Aero Club to make further progress with the £25 •'' A " licence scheme. Solo flights were made by Messrs". R. T. Johnston, J.James, and Lt. Cdr. W. L. M Brown. Thirty hours' flying was logged up to Feb- ruary 6, 22 hours of which was dual instruction. New members were Messrs. P. G. S. Dickenson, Didar. Singh, G. B. S. Coleman, F. C. Mabbett and G. A. V. Clayton, Sir Norman H. Pringle and Lt. F. H. E. Hopkins, R.N. - BROOKLANDS The second monthly handicap competition—a forced-landing one—was held last Sunday in spite oi a 25 rn.p.h. ground wind. This demanded a " three-pointer " in the middle of a circle, and the besttwo out of three landings were taken into account. Mr. Clifford Mollison, of " Balalaika" fame, proved to be the winner with81 marks, followed up by Mr. Spooner with 73 and Mr. Nepean Bishop third with a score of 6«. A further attraction was ademonstration of the C.W.A. Cygnet, which was flown by a dozen or so members. In the evening a tea dance was held, and a presenta-tion of a typewriter and a cheque was made to Capt. R. Y. Bush, who for so many years wa» the club secretary under extremelydifficult conditions. MARSHALL'S The rough winds were turned to advantage by the advancedpupils, who gained some good experience in rough-weather flying. Blind flying was also put into practice, and the whole total for theweek made 40 hr. 14 min. Cross-country flights were undertaken to Warwick and Abingdon, and Mr. Lowe carried out his first solo.The R.A.F.V.R. (Cambridge Centre) commenced operations on February 1. REDHILL Bad weather was accepted with a good grace, and indoor activities took the place of flying. A successful dance was held at the Bur- iord Bridge Hotel, Dorking, on February 4, and was attended by over a hundred members and their guests. The squash court also came into its own and caused much strenuous exercise. Mr. Carswell made a trip from Edinburgh to Redhill in the Puss Moth. BRISTOL AND WESSEX The Bristol interpretation of a scholarship scheme has been put into action and 225 candidates were tested. Out of twelve finalists, the three winners will be trained for an " A " pilot's licence free of all cost. The club annual aviation dance will be held at the Vic- toria Rooms, Clifton, on Friday, April 1. Flying for January amounted to 47 hr. 15 min., and for the week ended February n 16 hr. 40 min. BOMBAY An instructional cross-country flight to Colombo and back, threemachines participating, was made by three members, with three of the staff as instructors. Other cross-countries were made toPoona, Nagpur, Lucknow, and Allahabad, and the total flying for the month of January reached 274 hr. 20 min., including 8 hr. 45 min.night flying. Messrs. P. M. D. Thackeray and P. A. Mehta have completed their " A" licence tests, and Mr. J. G. Pathare hasobtained his. Mr. V. N. Modak made his first solo flight. HERTS AND ESSEX With the intention of visiting the French aero clubs, Mr. and Mrs. A. R. Frogley, together with Messrs. G. L. Parbury and D. Wright, left on Wednesday for Paris. Their visit will take ten days. Mr. E. Krog n%i-re his first solo and completed " A " licence tests, while Mr. I.. Manilal accomplished his " B" licence night flight. An instructor's endorsement was added to Mr. D. A. Cather's " B " licence. Flying was possible on only 11 days of the fortnight ended February 10, when 1082 hours were logged. The total for January's flying was 217 hr. 58 min.NORFOLK A challenge for a " dawn " patrol, emanating from the London Air Park Flymg Club, has been accepted for March 6, between 8.15 and 9 a.m. Activities during last week included a demonstration of the new Wicko monoplane by Mr. E. H. Wikner, and, although flying was handicapped by the high winds, Mr. Ii. F. Low svas kept busy Press-photographing the flooded Horsey district from the air. Gliding at the Club is rapidly increasing in popularity, and last week-end Mr. A. E. Firman was able to reach an altitude of over a thousand feet. Mr. Hugh Bergel is to give a lecture on gliding next Saturday, February 19, at 8 p.m. JOHANNESBURG Recent activities of the Johannesburg Light Plane Club includeda pylon race, won by Mr. W. L. Graf ton, Messrs. G. Morton and L. Simmons being second and third respectively; a rumble landingcompetition, which was won' by Mr. Pessen, with Mr. Simmons second and Mr. Job third; and participation in a breakfast cruiseto Parys organised by the Rand Flying Club. Social functions included the Canary Club Ball, held at the clubhouse on December15, when nearly three hundred guests were present. The grounds were decorated with streamers of coloured lights and the swimmingbath was floodlit, and dancing continued until 3 a.m. Under the Government Training Scheme seven new pupil P>'|'tswere allotted to the school on January 1, 1938, which brings the total undergoing training at Baragwanath to 45. A series of lfc>tures is held every day, covering the subjects of navigation, air- manship, and meteorology. Flying hours during December, i9.<<!were 601. First solos were performed by Messrs. Cooper ana Newborn.
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