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Aviation History
1950
1950 - 0428.PDF
286 FLIGHT, 2 March 1950 AFT I REAR CABIN HOLD \(ZO SEATS) RADIO NAVIGATOR DOOR EMGMEER FREIGHT TOILET AND RRSTAO KIT ENTRY DOOR WARDROBE HERMES IV In the Air . . . netic compass and roughly between the pilots, carry (main panel) ignition switches, feathering and fire-extinguisher •__,,-_, buttons, switches for lighting and cabin signs; (subsidiary .4:':W panels) I.L.S. control unit, V.H.F. control unit, and & A.D.F. control unit. A few miscellaneous lighting switches, *t communication station boxes and windscreen wiper and •^de-icing controls are found at the cockpit side walls. The crew stations, illustrated overleaf, are also well and com- fortably arranged. Our first take-off with F/L. Broomfield, H.P. test pilot, at the controls, was made in a strong gusty wind at an " -all-up weight of a little over 70,000 lb. The ma-simnm take-off weight for the Hermes IV is 82,000 lb, and the maximum landing weight is 75,000 lb. On the Radlett air- field runways the safe limit for operation is about 70,000 lb. The aircraft, G-ALDG, was making its second flight and, though complete and with cabin fully trimmed, it lacked its special Vickers-built B.O.A.C. seats which will normally be fitted by the Corporation after delivery. • The eg. position was approaching the forward limit (34-35"* A-O.M.D.) of its travel, which amounts to nearly 20 per cent of the mean chord (see curve) and thus the fore-and-aft stick loads were probably not felt under the best circumstances. As soon as we had taken off, we headed for the South Coast, climbing at about 145 kt I.A.S. until 15,000ft had been reached. At the reduced weight, the rate of climb was well over 1,oooft /min. This compares with the full- load rate of climb of a little over 800ft/min for the first 8,000ft, dropping to about 6ooft/min at 15,000ft. Engine settings for the climb were for rated power, which is also the maximum climb power, and is obtained at 2,400 r.p.m. and 50m (10 lb/sq in) boost. While the change was made from M. to S. gear at about 8,000ft the boost was moment- arily reduced to 30 inches. Once clear of a layer of rough air and broken cloud near the ground the Hermes climbed smoothly and quickly, and it seems that crews will be little affected by the noise and vibration of the engines. It is not quite fair to judge a part-furnished aircraft on these qualities, but it seems that the Hermes will be about average for a machine of its size fitted with four large piston engines. As would be expected, the noisiest area is the galley, adjacent to the engines and airscrews; elsewhere noise varies directly with Interior details of Hermes accommodation. (Left) The galley, which is forward of the cabins, and (right) the
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