FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1946
1946 - 0720.PDF
368 FLIGHT Britain's Test Pilots * (Left) J. L. Parker at the age of 18, seated in the nacelle of the 50 h.p.Waterhen at Windermere in 1914. This aircraft also rejoiced in the expressive name of " Peter Out ". (Right) About to fly the prototypeShort Sunderland in 1939. I F any young man to-day thinks he is keen on flying,let him read this story of one to whom flying has beenhis very life. After spending about a year in the family flour mills in Suffolk, John Lankester-Parker decided that that life was too dull, and the end of 1913 saw him as a paying pupil at Vickers Flying School at Brooklands. In common with other flying schools of that period, Vickers' charge for teaching a pupil-to fly up to R.Ae.C. ticket stage (three landings and a figure of eight) No. 4—J. L. LANKESTER-PARKER, O.B.E.was £75- Since it was just fly- ; ing he wanted, Parker strunghis instruction out as long as he could, but was finally made to fly for his certificate (No. 813) on June 18, 1914.The-aircraft used were open pushers—no cockpit or fuselage—Vickers built Bristol Boxkites with 50 h.p.Gn6me rotary engines. They had drooping ailerons, which gradually rose to the flying position as the machinegathered speed on the take-off. They also had a front elevator. There was, with the Gn6me engine, no throttle. It was either switched on or switched off; there was no other control than this so-called "blip switch," and one had to remember to stuff the nose well down before switch- ing off the engine. If one forgot, the nose went up and the boxkite stalled. Top speed was 33 m.p.h., and land- ing speed 25 m.p.h. The instructors at Vickers at this time were Capt. H. Barnwell (elder brother of the late chief designer of the Bristol Aeroplane Co.) and Mr. Knight, who held certificate No. 10. Although the machines were two-seaters—that is to say, had two open bucketseats, and the fliers tucked their trousers in the top of their socks to stop the draught going in at the anklesand out at the cuffs—there were no dual controls. The pupil just watched what the instructor did, and was even-tually allowed to fly in the pilot's seat. John well remem- bers his first attempts and being told to steer for someparticular advertisement hoarding. He is always proud of the fact that he flogged one of these contraptions up to Flying the Gnosspelius pusher seaplane, 50 h.p. Gnome rotary engine, in 1014.
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
