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Aviation History
1947
1947 - 2010.PDF
566 FLIGHT NOVEMBER 2OTH, 1947 which may have had a not inconsiderable influence upon ultimate results. A welcome proof that the lesson has been taken to heart, and that where there is a will there is a way in spite of obstacles, is afforded by the manner in which the design of the Vickers Viscount has been tackled (pp. 568-571). The British European Airways Corporation has spent large sums of money on the development of the Viking, and to have any hopes of seeing this outlay back, the Viking must remain in operation for another four or five years at least. This fact has given the Corporation an opportunity to go into great detail in its discussions with Vickers-Armstrongs about the Viscount, and it is probably true to say that not since de Havillands de- signed the Dragon specially for Mr. Hillman has a new type been produced in such intimate collaboration be- tween manufacturer and user. Airscrew-turbine power units are the main uncer- tainties in the present Viscount plans, but the building of three prototype aircraft, one for each of the units contemplated, should result in reducing the testing period to a minimum. The three engine firms concerned were also brought into close consultation, so that it does appear that in the Viscount we have an example of co- operation which deserves to be followed in the future. The result cannot fail to benefit all concerned. Stalls and VanesS OME months ago we referred to the re-invention in America of a stall-warning device. Re-invention is the right word, for in this country there was available more than twenty years ago the Savage-Bram- son anti-stall gear which not merely indicated that the aircraft was stalling but actually pushed the control stick forward. Even earlier than this there was in France the " Girouette Constantin," which was after- wards developed to include lateral control as well. It seems that the American device, produced by the Safe Flight Instrument Corporation of New York, has "caught on." Already more than 1,000 of the instru- ments have been fitted in private aircraft, and the first airliner type to be so equipped is a Convair 240. After tests, it is expected that all the machines of this type will have the device. That will mean its use on Pan American, American Airlines and ten other routes. In addition, the S.F.I, has been used extensively on CONTENTS Outlook • First Flight of the A.W.52 - - - Introducing the Viscount - That 3,000 Hours per Annum Here and There Light and Ultra-Light from Italy - Internal Air Lines Engine-off Landings - Seats for the Mighty and the Million - Civil Aviation News Correspondence - - • Service Aviation ------ Forthcoming Events, page 590. 565 567 568 571 572 574 577 582 585 586 590 £91 Navy fighters during tests on flight characteristic *« M. Georges Houard, editor of our French contfc,^-* porary Les Ailes, has recently been fighting a war with the authorities, who, like Queen Victoria, '' are not amused." They tested the Constantin vane and agreed that it did all that was claimed for it on relatively slow aircraft, but was not quite so satisfactory on fast types. Since M. Constantin first produced his scheme, the auto- matic pilot, it is argued by the Service Technique, has become generally adopted and has given full satis- faction. We confess that we have a good deal of sympathy with M. Houard in his campaign for a re-trial of the "Girouette Constantin." The American stall-warning device is, apparently, satisfactory on high-speed types, and if it will sound a buzzer and light a lamp, there does not seem to be any obvious reason why it should not equally well operate a relay valve. It appears to us that merely to use the vane in a warning device is going only part of the way. It cannot be argued that to make the vanes operate the actual flying controls would entail a great deal of weight and complication. The Savage-Bramson anti-stall gear was fitted experimentally in one of the late Major Jack Savage's sky-writing S.E.5 biplanes. True, it operated the elevator only, but its weight was something like five pounds! Its component parts were few and simple: a bottle of compressed air, a double-acting pneumatic relay, a working cylinder, and the release valve operated by the vane. DEBUT AT 8OSCOM8E : First of several jet-propelled tailless commercial designs to be completed, the Armstrong Whitworth 52 last week took off from Roscombe Down on a highly successful maiden flight. This outstand- ing British near all-wing experimental mailpiane has two RollfiJ$pYce Nene gas turbines and is intended for high-altitude, higi^0e!fopeSation. \'*\h
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