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Aviation History
1945
1945 - 1111.PDF
JUNE 7TH, 1945 FLIGHT 607- A PILOT'S JOB IS NO SINECURE and sunshine may be "good" weather. The fact that on the rainy day the visibility may be quite good and the cloud-base well up in the thousands, or that on a sunny day one may not be able to see the chequered box from the control tower, has not occurred to him. When there is some four-engined device waiting to be flown on a. test circuit, he will point to an airborne Tiger Moth and ask why we, too, have not taken the air. The fact that the Tiger can be flown round inside the perimeter track while the f.e.d. must make a five-mile circuit, during which flight engineers scurry about their complicated business, has not been vouchsafed to his understanding. Yet he, and all the other occasionally troublesome fellows, could understand quite well if they only cared to try, and were ready to start with as much confidence in a pilot's judgment as they have in their own. If, too, the now comparatively rare Philistine would try to temper his desire to treat all grounded technicians with scarcely veiled contempt. Understanding is necessary on both sides of the low fence which still tends to segregate pilots and non- pilots. There are things tha,t the non-flyer will never under- stand, and there are moments when, to the earnest techni- cian, the apparently scatter-brained flying chap can be most irritating. When each of the experts in his>*particular line learns full respect for and confidence in tida other's judgment and common sense, up to the limits set by varying experience, then everyone in the flying business will be better able to get on with the work in which we are all vitally interested. "INDICATOR." SunderlanfTs Fast Flight Lord Wavell Benefits from Recent Development Work C^D WAVELL'S recent flight from Karachi to the aircraft attitude were also made by moving the C. of G.United Kingdom in a British Overseas Airways Cor- inch by inch, taking into consideration the alterations in poration Sunderland aircraft was the fastest from the C. of G. as fuel is used from the various tanks, until India to the United Kingdom that has yet been made by a position was found giving an average best. It became a flying boat. The distance of 4,147 nautical miles, or immediately evident that the modifications carried out 4,780 statute miles, was completed in 28 hours and on the Pegasus XVIII engines has made possible the use 23 minutes, giving an average speed of 162 m.p.h., using of more power without greatly increasing fuel consump- approximately 50 per cent, of the take-off power of 1,030 tion. As a result "best" speed has" been proved higher horse-power per engine and carrying a normal service load. than was previously believed. The same aircraft, Sunderland D for Dog, on the special Very extensive calculations regarding engine perform- flight out from the United Kingdom, under similar operating ance had been made prior to the test flying, and it was conditions and carrying a normal service load, but assisted gratifying to those concerned that results agreed within by a 20 m.p.h. tail wind, completed the same distance approximately 2 per £ent. of calculated optimum, which, in 25 hours, an average speed of 191 m.p.h. it may be pointed'out, is less than the possible cumulative On the present regular schedule this operation takes error in instrumentation, four, days to complete, as all flying is done during day- . light hours. Night stops are made at Augusta, Cairo ' Effect of Limpets and Bahrein. Actual flying time, however, is scheduled Take-off performance was carefully assessed, and take- as 34J hours, but in practice it has been found that this off runs measured at altitudes varying from 1,700ft. to time has, on average, been reduced by some 4! hours. sea level. In this connection it can be mentioned that a The stages and times on Lord Wavell's return flight few small Crustacea on the planing bottom affected take- were :— off performance very appreciably, and it was established Karachi-Bahrein 6 hours 57 minutes that the popular notion that limpets fall off craft in fresh Bahjein-Cairo 7 ,, 22 ,, water is a complete fallacy. Cairo-Augusta 6 ,, 37 ,, Take-off runs were measured by triangulation from data Augusta-U.K. Marine Base 7 ,, 27 ,, gathered by three observers using plane tables or theodo- and on the special flight out to Karachi, the stages and lites. +imes were: At 4,680ft. pressure altitude in still air and on fresh k U.K. Marine Base-Augusta 7 hours 28 minutes water, and an average outside air temperature of 28 deg. Augusta-Cairo .... 5 ,, 30 ,, C, the take-off run at a gross weight of 48,000 lb. was Cairo-Bahrein 6 ,, 41 ,, 1.250 yards; at a gross weight of 51,000 lb. 1,550 yards, Bahrein-Karachi 5 ,, 21 ,, and at a gross weight of 54,000 lb. 1,900 yards. These The aircraft was under the command of Capt. R. C. results were most satisfactory, and demonstrated that the Parker and carried a crew of nine. Sunderland has an excellent take-off performance in the It can be seen from the foregoing that British Overseas most adverse conditions under which it is ever likely to Airways Corporation Sunderlands now normally cruise at be called upon to operate. about 165-170 m p h While the test Sunderland was at Durban, the torque- These improved speeds have been made possible as the meter and other special instruments were transferred to a result of development work recently undertaken by the "C" Class flying boat, and it was interesting to learn Corporation including test flights on which were carried that the performance of this somewhat elderly aircraft two members each of the Bristol Aeroplane Company and was still most satisfactory after some eight years of very the British Overseas Airways Corporation Technical Staff, hard work. and which were carried out under all applicable conditions Progressive modifications are now being earned out on of temperature and altitude the Sunderlands by the Corporation at their Marine Base, Leaving the United Kingdom in an" aircraft equipped Hythe, which will allow sixteen passengers to be carried with a torque-meter and other special instruments, in fully berthed, thus giving day and night accommodation. severe weather conditions the sea even froze over at the Alterations are also being made to the flight deck to enable point of departure and flying through the centre of Africa, two adjustable reclining chairs for the use of the crew at Khartoum the temperature was 124 deg. in the shade, "off watch" to be fitted between the First Officer's seat 'to the Cape where relative humidity on one occasion was and the bulkhead, where a space of 9ft. 3m. long has loo per cent 150 hours of test flying was completed. * been made available by the removal of the Navigator's Modification'; were made to the carburettor air pre- table and equipment to a position between the back of heating and the en<nne-Gnoling systems. Improvements in the Captain's seat and the space used by the Radio Officer.
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