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Aviation History
1950
1950 - 0916.PDF
594 FLIGHT, II May 1950 FOR CAREFREE TOURING A "Fitting-out" Guide to Obligatory and Optional Equipment for Light Aircraft WHEN a standard light aircraft is delivered by itsmanufacturers it carries all essentials for good-weather, visual-contact flying, but there is a large number of desirable and useful details of equipment which some owners may like to acquire. If the aircraft is to be flown at night or over water, or is to be used for overseas travel, several items are either obligatory or strongly to be recommended. Many such accessories are taken for granted by the users of military and larger commercial air- craft, but need to be specified by the club or private owner or by the charter operator. Under the general heading of " extras " there are several subdivisions, one of which is, of course, radio equipment. As this important subject has been dealt with in detail on s more than one occasion recently, it will be omitted from this feature except to mention the special radio kits for use after ditching or a forced landing in remote country. The equip- ment usually comprises a transmitter, waterproof bags and a kite aerial. The weight is about 20 lb. Reference should be made to FHght dated January 19th, 1950, for an appraisal of radio-communication and radio-navigation sets for light aircraft. Of first importance for everyday flying in this country is blind- and night-flying equipment. In addition to the standard types of turn-and-bank indicator and altimeter, most pilots endeavour to obtain a full complement of blind- flying instruments which, of course, includes an artificial horizon, directional gyro and sensitive altimeter, and (less often to-day) a climb-and-dive indicator. These costly instruments are more or less essential for sustained bad visibility or night flying, although, strangely enough, a pilot who is questioned about radio facilities is seldom asked if he has a full blind-flying panel before being given clearance in bad weather. Names of makers of instruments are listed at the end of this article. The principal gyro instruments cost new approximately £50 each, and an engine-driven vacuum pump about the same. For night flying, navigation and identification lamps are required, also panel and cockpit lighting, and a landing light is desirable. It is difficult to give a price for the small lamps, and in some aircraft wiring may already be provided even if the lamps are not fitted as standard. Landing lamps cost around ^20, and interior and navigation lamps between £2 and £5 for each one fitted. An electric torch is well worth its small weight and cost, and in addition to the everyday type obtainable almost anywhere, specially protected flameproof and/or floating versions are produced by such companies as G.E.C., Vidor, Ltd., and the Con- cordia Electric Safety Lamp Co., Ltd. Much of the equipment, and in particular the radio, depends upon an adequate electrical power supply. If in- creased demands are likely to he made upon power supplies it may be advisable to fit an accumulator of greater capa- city or add a second one. More than one company special- izes in the production of such units, and names are listed under the heading of electrical equipment. Generators, which are by no means a standard fitment on light aircraft, may be engine-driven or, occasionally, wind-driven. Rotax are a company particularly well known as manufacturers of all kinds of generators Another class of special equipment may be referred :to under the heading of safety apparatus, survival, first-aid and fire-fighting kit being included. For the many pilots who each year fly to Ireland, the Continent, the Channel Islands and Scandinavia in light aircraft, this sort of equip- ment is of special interest. Most pilots who undertake sea crossings like to have either personal life jackets of the Mae West or a rather more simple type, or a dinghy. Many kinds of such flotation gear are produced by the R.F.D. Company, and also by Siebe Gorman and Co., Ltd., and others. Jackets are not cumbersome to wear, and when folded into a small roll (R.F.D. 4m diam., 8|in long, R.F.D. life-savingjacket, shown packed (above) andunpacked for wear. 1 lb 14 oz in weight) are easy to stow away in the aircraft. A small inflation bottle is provided, also a valve for blow- ing up by mouth. A torch, a whistle and in some cases a fluorescine block dye sea-marker are provided in the jacket. A representative price per unit is £3 10s. Gieves, Ltd., supply a neat " windbreaker" type of jacket, primarily intended for yachtsmen, but equally suitable for flying; made of gaberdine, it has an inner rubber envelope lining containing buoyancy material of the Kapok type. Dinghies are naturally heavier and bulkier than life jackets, but can nevertheless be kept well within the carry- ing capacity of a very small aircraft. War-surplus single- seat " K" dinghies have become familiar playthings at swimming pools and the seaside. One version for single- seat Service aircraft is packed into cushion shape and the pilot sits on it. The latest type of "K" dinghy and the three-seater " M " dinghy are both suitable for carriage in light aircraft. For anyone contemplating an ambitious flight in a light or medium-sized aircraft involving exten- sive sea crossings, it is of interest io note that the R.F.D. Company have estimated that the weight of complete instal- lations of sea rescue provision are as follows: One person, 10-16 lb; two persons, 41 lb; three persons (including radio transmitter), 85 lb; four persons (including radio trans- mitter), 100-110 1b. For Channel and similar crossings the (Left) G.E.C. safety and standard electric torches. (Below) Vidor rubber-sheathed waterproof torch. (Right) Neat tail navigation-light by Rotax.
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