FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1949
1949 - 1378.PDF
142 FLIGHT AUGUST 4TH, 1949 FINNISH BABY: Basically a Grunau Baby this experimental ultra-light aircraft is referred to in some detail on this page. On the left, the P.I.K.-IQ, as it is designated in Finland, is coming in to land with the airscrew stopped as is the normal procedure. In the centre can be seen the Aubier and Dunne 17 h.p. engine and on the right the simple cockpit lay-out. Instruments include an A.S.I., altimeter, turn and bank indicator and a cylinder-head temperature gauge. Civil Aviation News flights, and 1,060 others including solos and cross countries. Eighteen pilots received ab initio training and qualified for their " A " licences, and 24 other pilots obtained " A " licence renewals. The flying time for the year was 448 hours on club aircraft, a total which was equalled by private owners on their own machines. Dual instruction was given by the honorary instructors, Messrs. B. V. Hewes, A. E. Coatman and F. D. H. Radford. * * * CAMBRIAN AIR SERVICES, LTD., have bought theairfield at Pwllheli, Caernarvonshire, and club flyers and private owners will be glad to know that in future no landing fees will be charged. A nominal charge of 5s per aircraft for handling will be made to charter companies with one shilling added for each passenger embarking or disembarking. The entire local flying rights have been taken over from Butlins and there are already available one Rapide, an Auster and a Fairchild Argus for private hire or charter. The airfield is, of course, by the sea and surrounded by beautiful country which should appeal to those within range. Mr. Kenneth Davies, managing director of Cambrian Air Services, Ltd., hopes to form a flying club at Pwllheli, with the usual amenities, before the end of this season. •:...'- ' IN order to bring the rationing of aviation fuel for privateflying into line with present allowances for motorists, owners of private aircraft who receive fuel for business will be able, with effect from May 1st, 1949, to draw in addition the "standard" allowance based on two hours flying per month. In future the standard ration will be included automatically with the business ration, if applications are appropriately endorsed. The standard allowance for private flying will be increased for the months of June, July and August to corre- spond with the "summer bonus" for private motor cars. In other words, the allowance will be doubled and granted on the basis of four flying hours per month for those months. Owing to the short notice which has been given the coupons will be valid beyond the end of August but special application for the double allowance should be made forthwith to the Ministry of Civil Aviation (Supply 2c), Tolcarne Drive, Pinner, Middlesex. • * « AN interesting experiment has been made in Finland in anattempt to produce an ultra-light aircraft or powered glider. The Finnish Technical University Flying Club (P.I.K.)recently modified a Grunau Baby sailplane and installed a 17 h.p. Aubier and Dunne V2D motor taken from a pre-warPou de Ciel. Under the design number P.I.K.-10, but norm- ally referred to as the Motor Baby, this light aircraft has com- pleted some 15 hours flying and was recently seen being flown by members of the Helsinki Gliding Club. The specification is as follows: Span, 44ft Oin; length, 18ft nin; height, 6ft 4m; empty weight, 457 1b; payload, 178 lb; loaded weight, 670 lb. The 17 h.p. engine has a speed of 4,000 r.p.m. and the two blade 28m pitch and 5ft 3m diameter airscrew is geared down to run at 1,600 r.p.m. Fuel consumption is i.g gall per hour; oil, 0.95 pints per hour. Cruising speed is reported to be 49.6 m.p.h.; maximum speed, 59 m.p.h.; land- ing speed, 34 m.p.h.; and rate of climb, 252 ft/min. U.L.A.A. REPORT AT the annual general meeting of the Ultra-Light AircraftAssociation held recently, "the president, Mr. Peter Mase- field, said the requirement of 40 hours flying for a Private Pilot's Licence would promote the use of economical ultra- light aircraft and emphasize the necessity for having both two-seat and single-seat types. He stressed the need for great care and watchfulness on the part of all members in respect of safety since so much good work could be undone through acci- dents. He concluded by saying that the motto of the Asso- ciation might well be '' The Lord helps them that help them- selves," and would the Minister of Civil Aviation please note. G/C. E. L. Mole, chairman of the design sub-committee, disclosed that the Association had acquired two 51 b.h.p. Zundapp ultra-light engines, one of which had been installed in the Zaunkoenig. It is an inverted four-cylinder in-line air- cooled engine of 1.98 metres capacity with a compression ratio of 6.2/1 and which weighs less than 150 lb. An English firm was interested in the manufacture of the engine in this country he said, and negotiations were in hand with the German manu- facturers for production. G/C. Mole was hopeful that the required financial support would be forthcoming so that a 50 b.h.p. engine would at last be available. He also reported that Mr. D. E. Bianchi, manager of Personal Plane Services of Ashford, Middlesex, was building a ground trainer known as the Ladybird. This trainer had a span of only 15ft and although intended only for use on the ground it was con- trollable about all three axes. The prototype, powered by a 599 c.c. Harley Davidson motor cycle engine arranged as a tractor, operated safely up to speeds of 35 to 40 m.p.h. Mr. Bianchi hoped to supply the complete machine with A.S.I, and turn /bank indicator for less than /ioo. A resolution was passed at the meeting that the U.L.A.A. should draw up a design specification for an ultra-light two-seat trainer and use every endeavour to get the design undertaken and a prototype produced by a source other than the Association. It is understood that the response to a suggested ultra-light rally and flying week-end has been poor. The dates have been fixed, hoWeVer, for the week-end September 9th to nth. c 16
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
