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Aviation History
1949
1949 - 1459.PDF
26th August, 1949 223 On releasing the brakes the Viscount accelerated rapidly (the weight being only about 38,000 lb) and without any sign of swing. Within a third of the runway length we were airborne, and with wheels up and flaps coming in at their own speed, the climb was so rapid that the needle remained on the 2,500 ft/min maximum reading of the indicator for some thousands of feet. The declared climb with full load at the best speed of 140 kt is 1,800 ft/min. Take-off figures for the Viscount to clear 50 ft at maximum weight are 1,030 yds on four engines and 1,300 yds on three. The 700 will take about 100 yds more in each case, the all- up weight being 48,000 lb compared with 45,000 lb. Once we were airborne, the fine-pitch-stop override switch was put to off and its small red indicator light went out. The four pale-blue fuel-flow lights remained steady during flight. The fine-pitch stop is withdrawn automati- cally by a contact on the undercarriage, when there is weight on the wheels, and this permits the pitch to fine-off to zero. For take-off the undercarriage switch is over- ridden and the flight 22 deg fine-pitch stop comes into operation. The red light warns the pilot to cancel the override switch before landing again. Failure to do so would probably cause excess jet-pipe temperature through trying to idle in too coarse a pitch. We climbed to 12,000ft above the cloud and there formated with a Valetta flown by W/C. George Lowdell to enable our photographer, L. McLaren, to .obtain the ac- companying photographs. While we were cruising around I spent a few minutes walking about in the furnished afttjr cabin (the forward cabin now contains the usual test and recording equipment), and was once more astonished by the smoothness of flight in the Viscount. It might be likened to the penetrating, liquid smoothness of a great liner in sheltered water rather than to the light, butterfly movement of a sailplane. It is inaccurate to say, however, that it is silent; exceptionally quiet—yes. No engine noise is apparent, and one can talk easily across the cabin, but there is a just-audible mixture of remote noises. We were not using pressure, although first tests are ftow being con- Pressurization explains the presence of the new ventral scoop. The cockpit of the prototype, comfortable and methodically planned, carries more instruments than will be required on later machines* ducted at 4J lb differential. The system is designed to pro- duce 8,000ft conditions when flying at 25,000ft. .Returning to the controls, I decided on looking round this prototype cockpit that everything is handy and neat. The seats are comfortable and have adequate adjustment, and there is plenty of room. I have been in cockpits from which I could see more, but do not think the size of the windows would corne in for much serious criticism. While I was flying, F/L. Bryce tried the now well- known demonstration of balancing a half-crown on its edge ; in this case he did it on the control pedestal (instead
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