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Aviation History
1949
1949 - 1773.PDF
FLIGHT, 20 October 10,49 537 CORRESPONDENCE The Editor of - Flight" does not hold himself responsible Jot the views expressed by correspondents in these columns, addresses of the writers, not necessarily for publication, must in all cases accompany letters. The names and HANDICAP AND FASTEST SPEED THE report on the Cleveland races made very interestingreading and I agree that handicapping as used in this country is far more interesting than the American '' Race- Horse " system. However, I fail to see Colonel Preston's reason for sug- gesting that a prize equal in value to the one received by the winner should be granted to the pilot of the fastest aircraft. After all, in the majority of handicap races, the result as far as the highest speed is concerned is a foregone conclusion and does not necessarily reflect any credit upon the pilot. Even in the likely event of a Magister racing in company with an assortment of Austers and a few Tiger Moths, the Magister pilot would need to be exceptionally clumsy to avoid receiving the prize. DAVID F. OGILVY. Windsor. :i, -• FRANK OBSERVATIONS MY usual interest on opening my copy of Flight for October6th was increased when my eye fell on the intriguing sub- heading, "Some frank observations by B.E.A.'s Deputy Chair- man." Thoroughly interested, I was settled down to read what Mr. Jack Keeling, our Deputy Chairman, had to say when I was startled to find that it purported to be a report of an informal talk which I gave recently before the Aircraft Recog- nition Society. I was further embarrassed and annoyed when I read the report in detail. Not only did it distort what I had said but also omitted to qualify a number of observations, many of which were thereby rendered totally misleading. No one has a higher regard for Flight than I have, and I know that Flight is as aware as anybody in the business of the misunderstandings which can arise from inaccurate or incom- plete accounts of remarks about individual aircraft or their performance. It is, therefore, the more unfortunate that your contributor, having omitted to observe the '' off the record '' nature of such an informal talk, went to transpose into it the answers to various questions, has led to a thoroughly garbled version. I should be as sorry as some of the victims to have pinned on to me some of the frank observations" contained in that "Transport Picture." PETER G. MASEFIELD, Ruislip. . . ' Chief Executive, B.E.A.C. [The report referred to was contributed by a member of the Aircraft Recognition Society and any wrong impression con- veyed is regretted.—ED.] ........ _. ' COMMUNAL OWNERSHIP THE new regulations relative to Private Pilots' Licences (asdistinct from Student Licences) mean that, at the current minimum of £3 per hour solo and £ , 15s dual, the better part of ^200 is required for flying time alone. To this must be added about ^50 to cover the cost of a simple flying kit, a few text books and log, travelling expenses to and from the club headquarters, landing fees for cross country flying and buying some gen on map reading, navigation and meteorology, licences, medicals, etc. These figures are arbitrary but not excessive. Now to £250 from the old figure of £30 is quite a jump, and will write off hundreds of potential "A" pilots, unless, as I foresee may happen, small bands of enthusiasts get together and purchase their own aircraft and complete their own organi- zations on a community basis. This is done extensively in the U.S.A. and to a much lesser degree in this country, and one can, by careful organization, set up one's own communal club and fly for around 10s per hour and be a joint private-owner in the bargain. This is one way in which the ordinary person will be able to get cheap flying and obtain his " A " licence in the future. These private groups, community clubs, companies—call them what you like—are a very healthy growth when built up around a nucleus of people with a flair for organization— especially ex-R.A.F. pilots with a keenness to keep their hand in, one or two engineers, etc., with a band of keen enthusiasts who intend to make a go of it. Of course, there is a tremendous amount of work attached, if costs are to be kept to a minimum, and many setbacks and B 3I obstacles will be encountered, and it takes several months to get an organization going; but it would be a magnificent answer to the apathy of our present Government's attitude to club and private flying, and growing support for these schemes would focus attention from official quarters. The writer has h^d considerable experience of this type of group ownership and its formation, both at home and in the U.S.A. and (if written to c/o the Editor) would be glad to help anyone with information and advice E. V. P. Bristol. . ......•.„. MAN.POWERED • TIs view of the recent experiments in America, by the A.A.F., -L of ornithopter flight, I think it should be placed on record that 40 years ago I made what I believe to be the first full- sized ornithopter (span 38ft 4in, length 15ft 6in). It certainly was not very successful, but I did actually get off the ground, if only a few inches. That it was not more successful was not, in my opinion, due to the design, but rather to my know- ledge of woodworking being almost nil, and my finance some- thing similar. The scale model of that machine that I possess (it was exhi- bited at the recent model exhibition) is a replica of the full- scale one, but for very minor exceptions due to its small size. The statement that a man is not powerful enough to fly by his own efforts is totally erroneous. A very simple apparatus can be constructed in any ordinary carpenter's shop, in a few hours, that will prove without the possibility of a doubt that a man possesses more strength than is necessary, provided it is properly applied. It is a question of straight mechanics. When the Americans have succeeded in flying with only a pair of wings which, of course, they will do now that they have started, the world will say "why couldn't we have thought of that before? " The answer is we did but nobody wanted it here. ORNITHOPTERIST. London, W.14. ..•"..- . , AVRO TUDORS ONE of the accounts of the British Airways Corporationspublished to-day refers to "the failure of the Tudors" and as manufacturers of the aircraft we deplore the continued attempt to cast doubt on the qualities of the aircraft. This is all the more regrettable when it is realized that some versions of the Tudors are now operating as passenger-carrying airliners holding British Certificates of Airworthiness. One aircaft has, in fact, recently completed a journey to South Africa carrying over 60 passengers on a route for which the aircraft was deemed uneconomic by a British Corporation. A recent survey of the number of hours flown by all marks of Tudor shows that up to the end of September a total of over 17,600 hours had been flown and, at an average speed of over 200 m.p.h., this indicates a total mileage of well over 3J million miles. The inexplicable loss of two Tudor 4s was followed by a most searching enquiry conducted by leading scientists and experts into all aspects of the design, production and operation of the aircraft. The enquiry failed to reveal any evidence of faulty design or workmanship which could be definitely attributable to the disappearance of the aircraft. We, there- fore, reiterate our unshaken faith in the Tudors and refuse to accept the inference that the withdrawal of the aircraft from service stigmatizes them as failures. This confidence, we firmly believe, is shared by the Government as a number of Tudors are being used for research and an additional six aircraft fitted with gas turbine engines are scheduled for similar purposes. A. V. ROE & CO., LTD. Manchester. GAP IN THE RANGE I AM reluctant to criticize the British aircraft industry at atime when so many new and interesting types are being shown to, and receiving the appreciation of, the world's opera- tors. But I feel that one side of the industry has been deve- loped far too slowly, or maybe has been completely overlooked. I refer to personal or executive aircraft. In my duties as executive pilot to my company, I am required also to act as technical adviser, especially in the light of future aircraft re- quirements. I find it regrettable, therefore; that American
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