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Aviation History
1950
1950 - 0463.PDF
FLIGHT, 9 March 1950 This particularly pleasing photograph shows the Autocar family four-seater near Windsor Castle With the 130 h D GJDSVMajor I engine, and all essential equipment, the price is £1,500. The silencer, a standard fitting, is bulky but effective. an hour trying out the Autocar, having first asked (a little rashly, perhaps, as will appear) S/L. Ranald Porteous to take me up and put the aircraft through its paces. After a convincing demonstration of the normal flying charac- teristics I was subjected to a loop-roll-half-roll-stalled-turn- and-roll-off-the-top more or less in one continuous manoeuvre, without negative g, of course, and then deposited back at Fairoaks airfield to have a go myself. One thing I had noted as soon as we had started up was the smooth tick-over of the Major in this installation. It is well above average. Taxying is a simple procedure, and although use of the rudder alone produces virtually no effect, the separate heel brakes (which I personally accept but do not favour) were quite smooth and effective, pro- ducing an immediate response for positive directional control on the ground. Because the pneumatic-cushioned seats are set higher, the forward view is better than on the Autocrat, even though the engine is a little larger. The ground was rough and furrowed, but the springing proved quite adequate. Take-off, two up, feels much as it does on the Autocrat, but there is appreciably more urge. Under the circum- stances (rough, heavy ground and light wind) it was better to leave the tail down for most of the run, and as a result the Autocar flew off a little early on my first attempt. There was, however, no tendency to flop back on to the ground; in fact, with only about 45-50 m.p.h. on the clock, the air- craft was anxious to climb away with a feeling of speed and control in hand. The larger fin and rudder make for good directional control on take-off but in any case there was no particular tendency to wander. As is customary I used one-third flap, and the trimmer (in the roof, as on the Autocrat) was set at a fraction nose-heavy. Later take-offs, made solo, indicated that there is no danger in holding the stick well back and letting the Autocar fly off, when ready, at speeds as low as 45 m.p.h. I-A.S. The run is only about A new rear-fuselage line and larger tailsurfaces make the Autocar rather better looking than the familiar three-seatAutocrat. A metal airscrew is fitted. 120 yd, and if trimmed correctly the aircraft will climb steadily hands-off as soon as it is airborne. This is a big advance in stability over the Autocrat. Actual figures with full load show that the Autocar climbs best at 70 m.p.h. and takes no more than 200 yards to unstick from grass in a 5 m.p.h. wind. The rate of climb is about 580 ft/min, although when flying solo it is. nearer 1,000 ft/min. Once in the air, the difference in feel between Autocar and Autocrat is immediately noticeable. The Autocar both feels and is demonstrably more stable. All controls are nicely harmonized and just a little heavier than the three- seater; this is, in my opinion, an advantage. An impres- sion is gained of being in a more substantial Auster, though not one lacking in liveliness. Medium and steep turns call for no special comment, except perhaps to remark that the new roof and higher sitting position seem to give a better view over the inside wing when banked. Rear-seat passengers can see very well indeed. As an additional stability check one can try making medium turns with feet off the rudder. The Autocar does really require some rudder, but turns can be initiated and a change-over made by using ailerons alone, with no more than 5 deg of slip or skid. Slow flying, right down to the stall, is so well controlled that one never need fear to stooge-on in thick weather or put down in a small field. I tried all sorts of stalls with and
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