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Aviation History
1939
1939 - 1862.PDF
JUNE 15, 1939 jj0^W 615 notice. As in the case of the route book, important altera tions are made at once, and others at convenient intervals. As an example of the kind of work which has to be done when a special route map had to be produced for the first survey flights to Lisbon and beyond it was found that no flying maps were available for the north-west area of Spain A reasonably suitable map was obtained, modified by in formation from various sources, photographed to the correct scale, and included in the route-map series for the Lisbon run. Although, in the ordinary way, the maps in use are prepared by Raynoil, facilities are available in the depart ment for making any necessary modifications with the requisite weatherproof finish. Most necessary, now that transport flying has become a very specialised matter, is the British Airways research department. This is in charge of Mr. R. A. Hall, and has its own drawing office as well as photographic and other facilities. Recently, this department has been drawing up detailed plans for the equipment and layout of the Fairey F.C.i commercial machine, which will "be one of the few to follow the new idea and carry an engineer who will be exclusively concerned with the incidental engine instru ments and controls. The importance of space and weight considerations demanded that the control cabin layout should be most carefully planned before the machine was actually built. To quote one or two other examples of the work done by the research department, new de-icer equip ment has been developed for airscrews, and special oxygen equipment for the Lockheed Fourteens. Routine Research Such development work, however, is only a part of that done by the research section. Before new machines are delivered—and any re-equipment decision rests very largely with the research department—a complete set of new performance figures are produced, and simplified power and other curves are drawn up to assist the pilots in obtain ing the best and most economical performance from the new type. The various problems of ice accretion receive special attention, and the pilots' reports all go to Mr. Hall to be reproduced in graph form so that the matter can be very carefully studied on "long-term " lines. The results should be most useful to the Air Ministry's meteorological department. Briefly and finally, the research department makes a study of all new types and all new developments in aircraft and ancillary design. The modern high-efficiency civil machine demands a very special and somewhat rigorous flying technique, whether it is being treated merely as an aeroplane or as a means of high-speed economical conveyance. The pilots in the Fourteen, for instance, must not only know exactly how the machine should be taken off and brought in, but also how the engine controls should be operated for econo mical efficiency in different conditions. Originally intended largely as a centre for advanced navigational training, the British Airways School, which, as already explained, is in charge of Mr. A. R. O. McMillan, is now concerned also with technical training, so that the crews shall ne thoroughly conversant with high-altitude engine operation and with such items as the Sperry pilot. For new members of the flying staff who must, incidentally, have a Second Class Navigator's licence, as well as a " B " licence before they can join the staff—there is a basic technical course. This has been largely arranged in order that, so to speak, the instructors and the pilots shall "talk the same lan guage." Eventually, all the British Airways' Commanders will be expected to have First Class Navigators' licences, and arrangements are made for them to take certain long periods off the routes in order that they may put in the necessary school work. In the meantime, and so that essen tial sextant practice can be obtained during normal flying, all the pilots go through an intermediate course of astrono mical navigation. In this there is no attempt to go into very great detail, but merely to offer sufficient rule-of- thumb information for the crews to be able to make prac tical use of the sextant. For blind approach and general radio training the school has the use of a Fokker F.12, which is, in effect, a flying classroom, with chart table, blind-approach equipment, blind-flying hood, and a moulded window designed for taking sextant sights. In order that ample blind-approach and blind:flying practice shall be possible for the flying staff at not too great a cost, British Airways also have a very fully equipped Link Trainer in the Heston classrooms. This Link has all the instruments which are used in a modern transport aeroplane, and the controls have been adjusted to make the loads and movements more or less similar to those experienced in actual practice with Lock heed ioAs and 14s. - The practical flying work includes' a period of some thing like twenty hours of dual instruction on, for instance, the Fourteen, which has its own characteristics and should be fully understood for safe and reliable operation. The training schedule with this machine includes such items as single-engined climb and single-engined approach, and no pilot is passed out until he can handle the type with out failure or hesitation in any circumstances, making a normal aerodrome arrival with unhurried drilled routine from the moment when the throttles are initially eased for the first circuit, to that at which the machine is held off with, perhaps, a little additional throttle for the touch down. H. A. T. Forthcoming Events Sat., Sun., Wed., Sat., Sat., SaU, Frt, Sat., Sat., Sat., Sun., 17th. 18th. 21st. 24th 24th. JUNE Official Opening of Derby Municipal Airport (Burnaston) by Sir Kingsley Wood. Brooklands Plying Club Pour-club Com petition. Aero Golfing Society : Jubilee Cup, Berkshire Golf Club. Thurs., 29th. Hungarian Touring Club: Magyar Pllota Picnic. Royal Air Force Garden Party. JULY. South Staffordshire Aero Club : Walsall Air Display. Opening of Grangemouth (Scotland) Airport by Lord Trencbard. Lancashire Aero Club. Garden Party at Woodford. National Women's Air Reserve: BaT, Hyde Park Hotel, London. Official Opening of Birmingham Airport (Klmdon) by H.R.H. the Duchess of Kent. Sth-Sun.. 16th. National Gliding; Contests, Great Hucklow. Sth-Sun., 23rd. Brussels Aero Show. 16th-Sun., 23rd. Italian Aero Club : Littorio Rally, Rimini. 7th. 8th. Sat., 22nd. Gosport Reunion, Brooklands. Sat., 22nd-Tues., 25th. Deauville and Plantagenet Air Rallies, France. Fri. 28th-Sun., 30th. Cannes Aero Club: Deau.ille- Vicby-Cannes Rally. Sat., 29th-Sun., 30th. Frankfurt International Flying Meeting. AUGUST. Sat., 5th. Cinque Ports Flying Club : Folkestone Aero Trophy Race. Sat., 12th. Eastbourne Flying Club : Flying Display and Garden Party. SEPTEMBER. Sat., 2nd. King's Cup Race and Wakefield Trophy Race, Birmingham. Gordon Bennett Balloon Race, Poland. Cinque Ports Flying Club : Wakefield Cup Race Cardiff Aeroplane Club : London-Cardiff Race. OCTOBER. Aero Club de France : Coupe Deutsch de la Meurthe, Etatnpes. 2nd-Sun., 17th. Milan Aero Show. San. Sat., Sat., Sma., MOD., 3rd. 16th. 23rd. 1st. 2nd
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