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Aviation History
1949
1949 - 0507.PDF
MARCH 17TH, 1949 FLIGHT 325 ence as they are at present, is there any possible justi- fication for accepting the dictum that "nothing can be done about it"? If the indications from the American research workers are accepted, the rrecessary conclusion is that, as aircraft get larger and fly higher, so will this problem become more acute. Is this not, then, the ideal time to learn from present-day experience, so that in future design, manufacture and operation of aircraft it will be possible materially to alleviate, or maybe one day com- pletely eliminate, this nuisance? This is particularly im- portant in view of projected schemes for using parts of the aircraft skin-plating as aerials. Quite obviously such a study cannot be undertaken by an individual operator or even an individual country. If any headway is to be made at all, the problem must become the subject of a world-wide investigation. At the present moment one finds that most pilots are of the opinion that the whole thing is a perfectly natural occur- rence—"it's not dangerous and there's nothing you can do about it, so why bother to report it?" On the other hand, it would be a reasonable gamble that if every inci- dent anywhere in the world had been the subject of a com- prehensive and accurate report, and if all these reports were available to a panel of investigators, there would be suffi- cient evidence on which to base some really effective modi- fications to aircraft or their operation. The author of the article mentioned above suggested that use of the cloud-and-collision-warning radar device might enable pilots to dodge dangerous cloud formations. While the use of this device would undoubtedly lead to a reduction in the number of incidents it should be remem- bered that there are many reports of incidents occurring in apparently perfectly innocuous stratus formations. To one who is a layman in radio matters, some modifica- tions appear to be long overdue. They include such things as the total abolition of that ever-present nuisance, the trailing aerial ; the provision of an effective earthing device for whip aerials ; and the production of a static-discharging device which, while effectively and silently drawing off the charge, will not require constant maintenance. The Anglo -American Conference Twenty Papers Will Cover a Wide Field I HE second Anglo-American Aeronautical Conference is to take place in New York from May 23rd to June 4th. The first of these conferences, held jointly by the Royal Aeronautical Society and its American counterpart, the Institute of the Aeronautical Sciences, was held in London in 1947. This year the American society is organizing the con- ference. The number of papers necessitates simultaneous reading of several in order to get through them in four days. The same procedure was followed here in 1947; it is an arrangement which has its drawbacks, in that there may be occasions when a delegate would like to attend two papers which are being read simultaneously. However, the subjects are so diverse that such clashes may not be very numerous, and the saving of time will enable a programme of visits after the technical conference to be carried out within the period set aside. Visits to the following factories and establishments are planned : Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory, Virginia ; the U.S. Navy's Air Test Station, Patuxent, Md.; the Naval Aircraft Factory, Philadelphia; Republic Aviation Corpora- tion ; Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation; and Curtiss- Wright Corporation, Engine and Propeller Divisions. The following papers are being presented: — BRITISH Tin- Relative Merits of Auxiliary Power Systems:—Hydraulic, by H. G. Comvay (British Messier). Electric, by R. H. Woodall (Rotux).'Pneumatic, by H. R. Haerle (Hymatic!. Turbine-engincd Transport Aircraft', by G. R. Edwards. (Vickers-Arm strongs). Research on Helicopters at the R.A.E., with Special Reference to Stability of Multi-rotor Helicopters, by H. B. Squire (Royal Aircraft Establishment). Materials from the Designer's I'oiitt of View, by A. E, Russell (Bristol Aeroplane Co.). Operational Use of Propeller Gas-turbines, by F. M. Owner (Bristol Aeroplane Co.). Application of Materials from the Manufacturer's Point of View, by Maj. P. L. Teed (Vickers-Armstrongs). Relative Efficiencies of Large Landplanes and Flying Boats, by D. Keith-Lucas (Short Bros, and Harland). Life of Aircraft Structures, by H. A. Wills (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research) (Australia). Flutter Problems of High-speed Aircraft, by E. G. Broadbent (R.A.E.). Operating Factors Affecting Design of Civil Aircraft, by C. Dykes (B.O.A.C.). v. -' ..-,•.• •• AMERICAN Heat Transfer and Skin Friction for Isobaric Laminar BoundaryLayers,, by H. J. Stewart (California Institute of Technology). Resume of High-speed Aerodynamics, by Walter Vincenti (AmesLaboratory, N.A.C.A.). Utilization Factors and Maintenance of Civil Aeroplanes, by WarrenAlbers (United Air Lines). The Turboprop Engine, by W. G. Lundquist (Wright).Recent Design Refinements in Turbojet Engines, by N. Burgess and J. C. Buechei (G.E.C.").Aerodynamically Boosted Surface Control as Applied to the DC-6, by O. R. Dunn (Douglas).Transonic Aerodynamic Results from Flight Testing of Dropped Bodies and Rocket Models, by F. L. Thompson (N.A.C.A.).Operational Expedience with Helicopters, by Clarence M. Belinn (Los Angeles Airways). PATHFINDERS IN PEACE • Marshals of the Royal Air Force Lord Trenchard and Lord Tedder were among the guests at the Pathfinder Association's dinner in London last Friday and they appealed in their speeches to members of the Association to help in educating the public to appreciate the needs of Bomber Command, and the R.A.F. in general, for men and material. In this photograph are seen (left to right) Mr. J. Johnston (Pathfmder Association), Viscount Trenchard, WjCdr. J. C. MacCowan (Pathfinders, chairman), Lord Tedder, A. V.-M. D.C.T. Bennett (speaking) and G!C. D.F.E.C. Dean. A report of the gathering will appear next week. B 23
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