FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1940
1940 - 2173.PDF
AUGUST I, 1940 CORRESPONDENCE (CONTINUED) (iii) The exhaust may emit hygroscopic particles around which the vapour could condense. (iv) After all my strivings to hit the right nail on the head. I cannot see anything wrong with the argument that condensation is caused in regions of low pressure, but I would suggest that the vapour particles might be pressed together in regions of high pressure to form droplets. Such regions no doubt occur immediately preceding the low-pressure regions developed by airscrews and wing tips. As an example of this, a mason pours water on a stone to allay the dust and make it easier working. In a porous stone, the wrater is readily absorbed to give it a damp appearance. From a sudden blow of a chisel, drops of water may be flung a considerable distance, leaving the stone apparently dry where the chisel was applied. (v) The vapour would remain visible for seme time in this instance because of its low temperature. Perhaps all the above possibilities have some bearing on the problem, but no doubt these explanations will easily be shattered by those of some " Met." expert, to whom, I think, we ought to turn for enlightenment. REX E. LAYCOCK. Mickleover. I HAVE several times noticed the clear white line left in thesky by aeroplanes flying at great altitude. These have always been on warm, sunny days, with patches of white cloud. What I think is very unusual happened recently be- tween 12 and 1 o'clock. I was on duty during an air-raid warning when I distinctly saw one of these white lines, left, I believe, by a German machine. The moon was just rising and the sky was clear, except for some patches of cloud. The temperature was cool, and the machine did not seem to be very high as it could be heard plainly. The trail lasted about half an hour. I wonder if anyone else has seen one at night. S. WALKER. COMMISSIONS FOR INSTRUCTORS Unfair Treatment of V.R. Personnel I WAS sorry to see that recently Flight printed an advertise-ment offering commissions to civilian flying instructors as a bait for enlistment. It would seem from letters appearing in the Press during the last six months that many R.A.F. flying instructors are receiving a pretty raw deal. In particular there are a fair number of men with consider- able experience and ample educational qualification who were mobilised from the reserves, or who enlisted and were posted for instruction with the rank of Sergeant. Many were promised commissions months ago but have still heard nothing. Now, to add to their disappointment and sense of injustice, direct-entry commissions are being offered to instructors who prob- ably have no more flying experience and who certainly haveno service experience. This seems a poor reward for the many Public School boysand others who gave their week-ends and evenings to Volun- tary Reserve training for two or more years before the warand who have now been regular instructors for six months or more. It is the opinion of many that every flying instructor should hold a commission to be in keeping with his job. If he is not suited to hold a commission, then he should not be in- structing. Is there a delay in fulfilling promises because it is no ones particular job to suggest or approve commissions, in particular for V.R. Sergeants? ONLOOKER. THE INVENTOR-DESIGNER A Plea for Better Treatment "DECENT issues of your journal have had interesting articles -" regarding the two-stroke engine and the subject of developing inventions generally. In my experience, development under such committees as seem to exist in this country is totally unsatisfactory. Might I suggest a better line of attack would be to give the inventor -suitable employment in the industry concerned and allow him to form a " development group " among his fellow- workers to work up the invention in their spare time, utilising plant when this is idle. The scheme would thus be voluntary throughout, and the "development group" could be repaid (together with the firm for the use of its "idle " machinery) after the war on a royalty basis. Such a scheme could short-circuit the activities of the de- partmental heads which throng our engineering industries and whose maic concern is to safeguard their own positions by keeping back the inventions of subordinates. To-day in many of our largest farms it is more than his job is worth for a draughtsman or designer to put forward an invention of any importance with the expectation of " seeing it through." On the other nand, firms hold their men down too tightly to expect to get good inventions thrown in with the designer's day's work. For instance an application to work up in niy private time as my pioperty, but with an option to themselves when completed, of the enclosed invention (a rotary type of two-stroke engine.—Ed.) has just been refused me by my firm, although I have been with them only nine months, and some £500 to £1,000 had been spent by me privately in study- ing the subject before joining them. No time was spent on the subject during my employ with them, and it is not even in their line ! I have, of course, cleared the matter up by giving in my notice, but that should not be necessary, these days particularly. A. W. CAPP. Word. INCREASED A.T.A. FERRYING ACTIVITIES : MORE PILOTS WANTEDA IR TRANSPORT AUXILIARY has recently had a great compliment paid it by the Air Ministry. InL future, it is to perform all the duties of ferrying Service aircraft in this country, and as a result of this new responsibility, and of the greatly increased production of aircraft, more pilots are urgently needed. The number of flying hours needed as a qualification has been reduced from 280 to 150 hours. Every man or -woman with that number of hours to his or her credit, who is physically fit, is a likely recruit, even if they have not a current licence. In September last Mr. Gerard d'Erlanger, who is a member of the board of the Airways Corporation, formed a pool of 30 experienced civil pilots. These were attached to two R.A.F. stations and shared the work of ferrying bombers and fighters from factories to maintenance units. (When an aircraft leaves the constructors' hands it can be flown, but is still not fully equipped for operational pur- poses. Guns and radio have still to be fitted, and this is done at the "M.U.") Early this year the work of A.T.A. was extended. They were given their own uniform (an adaptation of the British Airways uniform) and their own stations, not under direct R-A.F. control, and these were staffed with Airways per- sonnel. There are four of these ferry pools situated in various parts of the country In all probability more will be needed. At present a fleet of nearly 50 "taxis" (such as Ansons and Courieis) is used to take the ferry pilots to their assignations. The daily schedules of the ferry officer are more complicated than thos£ of any civil airline in peacetime. Some of these "taxis" will carry as many as six or eight pilots at one time, sitting on the floor, and reading or playing cards to pass the time. The number of pilots at present employed by A.T.A. is 133. Another hundred could be utilised almost imme- diately. Of the present total, 20 are women, though some of these are still being trained. As A.T.A. pilots may be called upon to fly any of nearly forty types, and several very different kinds in one day sometimes, the training is rigorous. The Central Flying School provides conversion courses. The British Overseas Airways School has now been pressed into service for refresher courses. Other training in "dual-control" machines is given at the ferry pools themselves. The life of a ferry pilot is no picnic. He may be asked to fly 600 miles in a day and be back at his pool by early evening, ready for another job next morning. Those who have the necessary experience and would like to join A.T.A.—the pay for men is about £8 a week— should write to Airways House, S W.i.
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
