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Aviation History
1947
1947 - 1502.PDF
FLIGHT SEPTEMBER 4TH, American Newsletter amount of work can be done in it in a short time and with the minimum of expense. The aircraft manufacturers are expecting to use this, too, and presumably their contribu- tions for so doing will help pay for the original cost, which is said to be in the neighbourhood of 10,000,000 dollars. Pioneer Production '"ITHE new Northrop Pioneer, a three-engined conventional high-wing transport, designed for short-haul cargo work, has been progressing only slowly. The first flights indicated that one or two aerodynamic modifications would be necessary, and Wright engines have been fitted in place 01 the Pratt & Whitneys Also, the manufacturers are by no means sure of a big enough market to make the machine worth while building, and until they can get a more posi- tive indication of sales they do not feel like laying down a production line. Once the modifications are finished, how- ever, they will probably do some demonstration flights around North and Central America and then see. The Civil Aeronautics Authorities have also asked them for a design study of a castering undercarriage for this machine. Such an undercarriage would be of the greatest value in the type of work for which the Pioneer is intended and it seems quite possible that if the design study is tllc! cessful they might go ahead and fit such a modification to the aircraft as standard. Several other manufacturers have been asked for similar studies: Bellanca, Beech, Ercoupe, and one for a D.C.3. This programme indicates the importance that the authorities here attach to this idea, and from the flight trials already made with a Fairchild trainer and a Piper Cub, it seems certain that the introduc- tion of this type of cross-wind undercarriage will improve the utilization of small aircraft, and perhaps the medium- sized ones as well. There are many towns which cannot lay out large airfields with several runways—either because of financial restrictions or because of geographical limita- tions—and the ability to land across-wind without danger would solve their problems by allowing them to have just one—or at most two—runways. For any operator interested in the life of an aircraft, \ a survey of DC-3 users here has revealed the following re- markable flying-hour figures for this machine : Eastern Air- lines have one that has done 35,000 hours ; United Air- lines one that has logged 33,000 hours; and T.W.A. a veteran of 34,000. All the major operators have aircraft that have done over 30,000 hours! Satellite on the Way Progress with Planet Aircraft's New Design: Alternative Version with Gipsy Major EngineI T had been hoped that the PlanetSatellite would be ready for exhibition at Radlett this year, but it is under-stood that various problems—power supply jarlier in the year and delivery of bought-outcomponents—have caused serious delays since last November when some preliminarydetails were given in Flight. The aim is now to begin flight trials during October.Readers may refresh their memories, with regard to the general characteristics of thisinteresting new design from the accompanying drawing by our artist. The machine is an all-metal four-seater with retractabletricycle undercarriage and a " buried " engine located behind the cabin and driving the airscrew at the tail via a long shaft.Magnesium alloys are being used extensively in the manu- facture of the Satellite, and the majority of the units will beassembled by welding The fuselage rear section is a detach- able monocoque structure, and the wings are semi-monocoque.The upper and lower wing skins, the upper being the thicker, are progressively reduced in thickness towards the wing tips.Vertically corrugated ribs, butt-welded to the skin, divide the wings into bays, and at the rear of these bays there is a commonspanwise channel member. PLANET SATELLITE A "Flight" artist's impression of the Satellite. Gipsy Queen Gipsy Major 31 10 Max cake-off power ISO b.h.p. 142 b.h.p. Economical W.M. cruising power 181 b.h.p. at llOb.h.p. at 3,500ft 5,000ft Max S.L. speed 208 m.p.h. 173 m.p.h. Max W.-M. cruising speed ... ... 191 m.p.h. 161 m.p.h. Stalling speed, max load ... ... ... 62 m.p.h. I 54 m.p.h. Max range, full load 1,000 miles 500 miles Fuel consumpt, max W.-M. cruising ... 17.0 m.p.g. 24 m.p.g. • Initial rate of climb, full loa'd l,450ft/min 95Oft'min Absolute ceiling 22,000ft 1.8,000ft Take-off, !J\ load, S.L 190 yd . 280 yd Take-off distance, full load, 6,000ft, lOOdegF. 400 yd 725 yd Tare weight 1,6001b. l,408lb Payload 9251b 7071b All-up weight 2,9051b 2,2801b ' Power loading ,, ... I l.6lb/b.h.p. I6.llb/b.h.p. Wing loading !9.01b/sq ft I4.9lb/sq ft Recently, as a result of an anticipated increase in cost whichfollows the price increase for Gipsy Queen 31 engines, it was decided to work out details of an alternative version of theSatellite to be powered with a Gipsy Major 10 engine. It seems that it will be possible to produce this lower-poweredversion for ^2,500 or ^1,000 less than the Queen-powered type. Comparative weights and performance figures for the two aregiven herewith. There is little or no practical experience with welded mag-nesium alloy structures for aircraft on which the makers can draw, and the behaviour of the Satellite will be awaited withthe greatest interest. A noteworthy example of weight-saving in this aircraft is the 7 ft airscrew drive shaft, which withoutits couplings weighs only 5| 1b.
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