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Aviation History
1948
1948 - 0641.PDF
MAY 6TH, 1948 FLIGHT 507 Correspondence pays like payload " and, to get a good load off the ground,this demands the maximum from the engine; which maximum power must be as high as possible, consistent with reliability.Therefore, the petrol engine, with its higher specific output than the diesel, has the advantage. On the score of cruising fuel consumption, the diesel showsup well, but only on a flight of 6 or 7 hours' duration or longer. It is estimated that it would take 10 years to develop a dieselengine which would give about the same performance as the present-day petrol engine. But the writer considers it mostunlikely that the diesel would actually meet the petrol engine on the grounds of high specific power output and, in the sametime or less, the petrol engine could be developed to give a fuel consumption almost equal to that of the diesel. Pleasedo not ask why this has not been done! There have been other more important problems. I The writer submits that there are very few iorced landingsof civil aircraft due "to engine failure and, although he agrees that the stalling speeds of aircraft have steadily risen as themaximum speeds have increased, he feels that the immediate and most important thing to do is to improve the navigationaland flight-control facilities, so that aircraft do not hit hills m> full flight and can be brought safely on to the runway in zerovisibility. It is, however, the writer's opinion that the gas turbine,when it has proved itself in civil aviation, could well use a high flash point fuel and, although such a fuel would not beavailable in sufficient quantity for military aircraft in time of war, there should be no difficulty in providing it for all turbineengines used in civil aircraft. But it would be little, if any, cheaper than present-day 100 octane fuel. F. R. BANKS. London, S.W.i. AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE Practical Examinations for Grant of Licences '"THE motives of your correspondent, Leslie W. Crawford1 (Flight dated April 15th, 194CS) are not easily followed, and 1 should like to record that the Society of Licensed AircraftEngineers does not associate itself in any way with the opinions expressed by Mr. Crawford. The Society is satisfied that, since the cessation of hostilities,the policy pursued with regard to the licensing of aircraft engi- neers aims at the protection, advancement, and we hope it willultimately raise the status, of the licensed aircraft engineer. Regarding Mr. Crawford's statement of facts, it is pointedout that the -annual renewal fee of one pound (not one guinea) is a statutory fee and the licence is an Aircraft Engineer'sLicence, the term "Ground Engineer" being obsolete since March, 1946. I understand it is the policy of the Air Registration Boardto distribute Notices to Licensed Aircraft Engineers in unsealed envelopes for reason of economy. It is also their practice tocontinue distribution for at least six months after a licence has fallen due for renewal, in order to cover cases of absentminded-•ness. hi. the writer's expenence, the Board does not follow "un-imaginative and negative procedure " in its Notices to Licensed Aircraft Engineers and to Owners of Civil Aircraft. If anycriticism is due, it is that the Board does not issue a sufficient number of Notices of an informative character. I feel it mayrightly be assumed that a Notice directing attention to a par- ticular weakness in an aircraft or an engine is in itself areflection on British aircraft and, therefore, something to be deplored and certainly not advertised throughout the world. However, cases of need do arise and it is obvious that theBoard has not shirked its duty. Your correspondent's ignorance of his subject is clear in hisreference to the source of recruitment of Air Registration Board staff, although 1 know a number of its surve3rors who servedwith the Force? during the war and who have now rejoined the Board. The Society is especially interested in examination procedurerelative to the issue and extension of licences, and in its con- sultations on this subject has found the Board very willing torevise its procedure to meet current conditions. A practical "snag-finding" examination was considered, but it has beenruled out as impracticable. In its place, the Board has laic1 great stress on practical experience of the right sort being jpre-requisite to the acceptance of applications for licences. The approved maintenance schedule and approved instruc-tion manual schemes were incorporated solely for the protec- tion of the licensed aircraft engineer because it was consideredthat, with the increasing complexity of modern types of air- craft, and the greater scope given to licensed aircraft engineers,some guidance from the' operating organization and the manu- facturer was essential. These schemes are heartily endorsed by the majority of engi-neers because they' do ensure that they are provided with information about a particular type of aircraft, engine or pieceof equipment. In so far as the maintenance schedule is con- cerned, it does not destroy the initiative of the individual engi-neer because each item defined by the schedule has been accurately determined in relation to a period of flying hoursand leaves the normal engineering inspection to the intelligence of the inspector. The different aspects of civil aviation during the last yearhave been severely criticized from all sides, but I think it fair to say that little criticism has been levelled at the maintenanceaspect and, in turn, little has been merited by the Air Regis- tration Board and the licensed aircraft engineer.E. C. ROGERS, B.Sc., General Secretary, The Society of Licensed Aircraft Engineers.London, E.C.2. THIS AIR TRANSPORT BUSINESS Neither Extravagant Nor DangerousT HE editorial of April 8th tore down the erroneous conten-tions of J. B. Matheson and also was just in its agreement with him regarding more concentration of effort on safety. I am prompted to reply to Matheson's letter for two reasons:(a) my views are diametrically opposed to his; and (b) as a humble component part in the aircraft industry, I do notwish to be mistaken for him, i.e., similarity of name and initials.He asserts that '' when considered economically ... it cannot appear anything but an extravagant activity." Is this true?No, decidedly not. The most accurate connotation of the word economic is surely not the narrow one of immediate and visiblegain. His (Matheson's) view is essentially the short-term view. Furthermore, as a testing machine for new materials, air-craft have already given an immense amount of useful economic data to those forms of transport which he (Matheson)commends. Finally, I must deal with the fallacy of excessive dangerin flying compared with other modes of transport. To me it always seems the genesis of this fallacy is deeply rooted inthe very prevalent modern thought heresy, that is, the over- simplification of the complex. If all the factors are comparedin air and surface transport, flying has yet to be conclusively proved to be more dangerous. J. G. MATHIESON.Guildford, Surrey. FORTHCOMING EVENTS May May May May May May May May May May May 8th. llth. 17th. 19th 19th 21st. 22nd 24th 27th. 29th 29th , R.Ae.S. (Glasgow) : Visit to Prestwick Airport. . R.Ae.S. (Graduates and Students) : " The Light Aeroplane and the Future of Private Flying." P. G. Masefield, M.A.. F.R.Ae.S. .—Cannes International Air Rally, to 28th.—Engineering and Industrial Equipment (Home and Export) Exhibition, i—Aircraft Recognition Society: "Aircraft Photography.' John Yoxall. . . . .—Institute of Navigation : Meteorology in Aviation : Is it Obsolete?" Francis Chichester. and 23rd.—Shannon Aero Club Rally, to 29thv—Aircraft Exhibition Cardiff. —Royal Aeronautical Society : Wilbur Wright Memorial Lecture. A. Gouge, B.Sc., F.R.Ae.S. and 30th.—Netherlands Aero Club Invitation Rally, Ypenburg, Holland, and 30th.—Butlin's Week-end Air Rally. Speeton, Filey, Yorks. June 5th.—Cardiff Air Display. June 12th.—Wotverhampton Aero Club " At Home." June 12th and 13th.—Butlin's Week-end Air Rally at Ingoldmells, Skegness. June 13th.—Henri Bardel Cup for model aircraft with mechanical motors. June 19th to 21st.—Royal Aero Club Week-end for Foreign Guests, London. June 26th and 27th.—Butlin's Week-end Air Rally. Broom Hall, Pwllheli N. Wales. July 3rd to 5th.—Private Air Rally for members and associate members of the Royal Aero Club at Deauviltc, France. (Guests of M. F. Andre.) July 3rd.—R.Ae.S. (Glasgow) : Visit to Blackburn Aircraft Ltd., Dum- barton. July llth to 17th.—Swiss International Gliding Competitions. July 17th.—Southend-on-Sea Air Rally. July 24th to 26th.—Private Air Rally for members and associate members of the Royal Aero Club at La Baule-Escoublac, St. Nazaire. (Guests of M. F. Andri.) July 31st.—Aero Club of Orange Air Rally.
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