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Aviation History
1950
1950 - 0462.PDF
FLIGHT, 9 March 1950 Sturdy and manoeuvrable, the new Auster will make a good club trainer. It has much in common with the Autocrat. AUTOCAR In the Air Impressions of an Economical Four-seater with Gipsy Major Engine No. 36 OF THE SERIES By THE EDITOR [Illustrated with " Flight" Photograph* IN these penny^^mmmmmmm*^*™™™ aor more practical answer could have been found tothe aircraft needs of our harassed and harried clubs and private pilots than the Auster Autocar. During the last year or two it has been a necessity, not a choice, to place the accent on economy in everything to do wirh private- enterprise civil aviation. For economy, therefore, the Autocar makes use of as many existing components as possible, and it is offered with a war-surplus Gipsy Major I engine of unquestionable reliability, having an overhaul period sufficient to give most private owners jome seven years of flying with no more than an occasion il routine maintenance outlay. The Autocrat, with which the Auto car has much in common, has shown that maintenance and C. of A. costs can be kept low by simple and sturdy design. Finally, the cost price of £1,500 for a quite lively four-seater is undoubtedly modest for the scale jf produc- tion to be anticipated in this country. Most potential Autocar owners, we feel, will not be par- ticularly interested to read a collection of figures and aero dynamic details; rather will they wish to know <-omething of handling characteristics, performance and costs. It is of interest, however, to record briefly that the Autocar has the sturdy military Mk 6 undercarriage (wheels and brakes are interchangeable with those of the Autocrat); a modified T.5 fuselage ; Autocrat wings and struts with modifications in the root bays; Autocrat tailplane and elevators; and an enlarged fin and rudder which, even so, are basically- standard Auster structures. When the Autocar made a brief first appearance at Farnborough last year, it had Autocrat vertical tail-surfaces. The new fin and rudder with horn balance (containing also the mass balance) has much improved the stability and handling. A steerable tailwheel is no longer a standard fitting, nor is it considered necessary. However, -both steerable tailwheel and Goodyear self- aligning main wheels would be available as extras. Both the metal airscrew and the silencer are standard fittings. It has not escaped attention -that the silencer is unsightly, and more compact versions have been examined. None of these will be fitted, however, until they have been developed and proved as reliable as the present standard type. An electric starter and wind-driven generator are bought-out extras costing the quite dispro- portionate price of £160. Those with experience of Gipsy Major installations will welcome the incorporation of a small oil cooler of the type used on military Austers. Non-technical features deserving comment are the cabin with increased headroom, pleasantly curved and domed transparent rear enclosure, and back seats with some 8in more width than in the Autocrat. Behind the rear seat, incidentally, is a hatch giving access to a tray intended to carry any of the small standard V.H.F. radio sets now on the market. For deliver ' flights or special long-range duties, an extra internal tank would be recommended. An external tank is not considered desirable, nor would the standard Autocrat long-range tank fit under the Autocar's curved belly. Standard tankage is for 32 gallons, one rigid 16-gallon tank (with fuel gauge) being located in each wing root. With the fuselage tank-free, smoking is permitted. The Autocar is not very easy to get into or out of, although with practice the process should present no great problem. There are, of course, only two doors, and the usual small step is provided. To get into the back seats one must step over or slide backwards dver the front seats, the backs of which fold flat. The doors now have hold- open catches. The panel and control layout—neat and simple— resembles that of other Austers. Dual control is provided, and the throttle is on a central quadrant. The compass with reflector mirror is located centrally in the roof. Illustra- tions of the panel and controls appeared with other Autocar photographs in our January 26th issue. On a pleasant winter's afternoon last week I spent about Four men fit quite comfortably into the Autocar two-door cabin.
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