FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1949
1949 - 0734.PDF
?,&, - -. •*><*' April 2%th. 1040 FLIGHT mBritish Transport Aircraf Airspeed Ambassador A Survey of Types in Operation or on Test CCOUNT is taken in the following pages of British aircraft which can justly be termed "current," that is, those already in service, on test, or likely to be available for operation in the discernible future. No pur- pose, it was felt, would have been served by the inclusion of such types as the Avro Lancastrian and Handley Page Halton (both adaptations of wartime bombers) nor even of the Avro York, which, with the Lancastrian and Halton, has proved a veritable godsend in the trying post-war years. Nor are the very newest designs, which by no stretch of imagination could be described as "current," to be found here; to these, and to some general observations on the next generation of transports, due attention is paid elsewhere in this issue. Constituting another category of aircraft, which might lay claim to consideration, but which must be dismissed with honourable mention, are the smaller charter and air-taxi machines—the Percival Proctors, the various Miles designs and the Austers—all rendering exemplary service and contributing tangibly to the pro- gress of civil flying in many lands. Airspeed Ambassador. Experience with two proto- types of the Ambassador has confirmed a belief, which underlies the basic design, that speed is obtainable without recourse to a high wing-loading, provided that the closest attention is paid to aerodynamic refinement. The remarkable effici-s ency of the Ambassador (two Bristol Centaurus 661 engines) will benefit yet further from the decision to proceed with the development of slotted flaps—a decision which, coupled with the effects of the in- creased seating capacity planned for B.E.A's 47-49-seater version, has led to the modification of weight and performance figures. With the new flaps, the runway length needed for compliance with future I.C.A.O. requirements, at 52,000 1b gross weight, is reduced from 1,700 yd "to 1,480 yd. The maximum pay- load now possible is 11,645 1b; this follows an examination of accom- modation and reconsideration of reserve fuselage strength. Naturally, the payload will vary with equipment carried and with seating required by different operators; weight allowance is made, however, for two stewards and a normal flight crew of three, which, in areas where radio facilities permit, could be reduced to two. The payload for a stage distance of 900 statute miles, on 60 per cent METO power is 9,450 1b; at this power (47,500 lb mean weight) the speed is 282 m.p.h. at 20,000 ft. Equipment includes a Smiths A.D. Mk. 1 automatic pilot. The air-conditioning system has been designed by Airspeed with the assistance of Normalair. Airspeed Consul. The airframe being basically that of the proven Oxford trainer and the Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah X engines having an inter-overhaul life of 1,250 hours, the Consul continues to give satisfaction in numerous roles and in exacting climates. Of variants in service, the most familiar is the 5-6 seater, to which modifications (e.g., for photography) can be made to order. Especially appealing is the Consul Convertible, which, with its larger door, is truly a general-purpose aircraft. The five seats can be folded against the cabin sides to give clear floor space for freight. Cruising at 127 m.p.h., with pilot, four passengers and 120 lb of baggage, the Consul has a range of 870 miles. The' Sperry A.L.I Pilot Aid is a valuable fitment for long flights. Airspeed Consul
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
