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Aviation History
1947
1947 - 1674.PDF
37° FLIGHT SEPTEMBER 25TH, 1947 CORRESPONDENCE The Editor does not hold himself responsible for the views expressed by correspondents. Ths names and addresses of the writers, not necessarily for publication, must in all cases accompany letters. WORLD SPEED RECORD Improvements Down to Split Seconds ^ improvement of half a second is not much to shout about." Isn't it, by gum !If someone were to knock five tenths off the record for the hundred yards (9^ seconds or thereabouts), there would notbe big enough head-lines in all Fleet Street to announce the fact: H. M. Y. HELICOPTERS OR AUTOGIROS Would we have been in Front or Behir.d ? AS one who had the privilege and honour of working withthe late Juan de la Cierva it gave me great pleasure to read the tribute to his genius in Mr. E. V. Hammond's letter.I should, however, like" to take this opportunity of correcting a mistaken idea of growing prevalence that de la Cierva's ulti-mate aim was the development of the helicopter, and that he invented his Autogiro solely as a half-way stage in the process.Such could not be further from the truth. In his quest for the ideal safe flying machine de la Cierva at every stage gavethe helicopter his fullest consideration, and always discarded it in favour of his Autogiro. I would, therefore, rather suggest that but for his untimelydeath, instead of "toddling along at the tail of the world in helicopter design," we should not have been led along this tor-tuous and narrow path at all, but on the contrary would have been able to provide the remedy for that lack of safety in pri-vate flying and air transport which is now causing so much concern in every part of the world.G. H. CUMBERBATCH WILLINS, M.A., A.F.R.Ae.S. EXECUTIVE AIRCRAFT Right Size ail Important I READ with considerable interest the article by Sir RoyFedden, as published in the issue of August 28th under the title "A New Ideal," and heartily agree with the viewexpressed that, to-day there does not exist the really ideal type of executive aircraft most of the* present types beingeither too large or too small. There is little doubt that in the larger types of aircraft interior design can be and has been laidout to meet the requirements of the business executive with his office, etc , and other specific purposes, but it is clear thatbusiness firms and their executives do not want this larger and expensive type of aircraft with all its additional heavier run-ning and maintenance costs, nor the intermediate or smaller aircraft: of the present conventional type, offering the usualinterior styles laid out in motor coach fashion. It may be of interest to business firms and their executivesto learn that this important subject of the executive aircraft has been receiving the very close attention of one of our well-known pioneer aircraft designers, responsible for many out- standing machines in the past, and that this party has plannedan aircraft of the twin-engined, four-seater and pilot type as men- tioned in the article '' A New Ideal,'' an added feature beingthat the interior can be readily altered to suit special individual requirements, one of these being as a six-seater suitable for char-ter or feeder work. In fact it might be pointed out that this pro- jected design compares very favourably with many of the re-quirements set out in " A New Ideal," in that this aircraft will have a gross weight of 4,000 lb and will seat four passengersand a pilot in a private car-like cabin with easy exit and entrance and with luggage accommodation for 50 lb per head.A duration of six hours is estimated at a cruising speed of betwien 160-170 m.p.h. on a total h.p. of 300, coupled with alow landing and stalling speed. There is little doubt, how- ever, that the stipulated requirement of a cruising speed of200 m.p.h. could be attained with suitable modifications and a slightly greater total h.p. than 300. The question as to whether the conventional type of aircraftcould be so constructed to fulfil all tb^ requirements as laid down by Sir Roy Fedden is a matter for further discussionbetween aircraft designer and engine designer, but there would seem to be no reason why the necessary requirements could notbe met in the careful selection of the right type of aircraft design. In regard to the actual time and costs involved in producing this desired prototype executive aircraft it would seem that thisneed hardly take quite so long nor be quite so costly as out- lined in "A New Ideal," but there again this factor is, to avery large extent, controlled by the method of construction to be employed and as to whether a new type of engine is to be de-signed or an existing type incorporated. Being of the opinion that this ideal type of executive air-craft can be produced and that a greater opportunity is afforded by starting from scratch, in that the matter can bediscussed between designed and potential users prior to the construction of the prototype and in view of the plans underconsideration by the aircraft designer mentioned in this letter, to design and construct an aircraft of this type, it will ceijitainly be most interesting to have your readers' views on the subject. " S. H. HANDASYDE. RUNWAY SIGNALS A Case of Divided Authority WHEN I read the letter in your issue of September 1 ith onthe above subject I gave a ''mirthless laugh." Similar "Stop, Wait for Green" boards were in use, to myknowledge, on several R.A.F. airfields in 1944, probably earlier. There were also "Caution, Runway-in-use " boards at the up-wind end of the runway. "No Entry" boards at runway intersections might be more trouble than their worth becausethere would be so many boards to move if a quick change of runway became necessary. All contractors' drivers should be briefed daily by the SeniorAir Traffic Control Officer or the Duty A.T.C.O.", and no driver should be allowed to take a vehicle on the perimeter withoutprevious briefing. I have had experience as Senior A.T.C.O. at several R.A.F. airfields where extensive constructional,repair, or maintenance work was in progress. It would appear from the letter that the Runway Controlleris an employee of the '' airport authorities,'' whereas the Air Traffic Control Officers are employees (if they will forgivethe word), of the Ministry of Civil Aviation. If this is so it is surely a ridiculous and inefficient system. The control of'Alltraffic on the perimeter should be the primary responsibility of the Senior A.T.C.O.It may interest you that I have over 5 years' experience as an R.A.F. Air Traffic Control Officer, under its varying titles,nearly four of them as Senior A.T.C.O., and I have a clean record. I was released in February this year. My applicationsfor employment in civil air traffic control, the first made in 1945, have been rejected without even an interview. I amnow 48 years of age, but far from decrepit. The normal upper age limit for engagement is 35. C. C. ALLINSON. BOOK REVIEW Immortal Memory. By Air Commodore E. L. Howard-Williams. C. D. N. Bamber and Co., Ltd. 25 6d net. AN earnest and, on the whole^ successful attempt is made inthis unpretentious little book to explain how the Battle of Britain came to be fought, The author outlines the happeningsafter Munich, notably the actions fought by the R.A.F. at Dunkirk, which were, in effect, dress rehearsals for events ofeven greater significance. An interesting point is that th&.a^T illustrations are of the Battle of Britain Memorial window^PWestminster Abbey and of Air Marshal Sir Keith Park who, Air Commodore Howard-Williams suggests, will be acclaimed byhistorians as the victor. Though the revised figures for R.A.F. claims and LufhMplosses are included there are technical inaccuracies which, at this late date, are hardly excusable and which, regrettably, arein danger of being accepted as accurate. For instance, more than once the author makes reference to an aircraft know"as the "He 113." Beloved of war .writers, this spurious type is credited with having functioned both as a fighter and as abomber. The fact is that the He 113 never really existed- Photographs purporting to portray it show a machine whichwas officially designated as "He 100," but which waf, in fact, never used operationally. Another fabulous machine isthe " Dornier 211," mentioned twice as having been in action at Dunkirk. Moreover one is strongly inclined to question theveracity of a statement by one of the author's friends living i" Kent, that within one mile of her house lay no fewer thaneight German wrecks.
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