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Aviation History
1954
1954 - 1938.PDF
f*1 W AIR( (SUV and AIRCRAFT ENGINEER First Aeronautical Weekly in the World Founded 1909 No. 2371 Vol. 66. FRIDAY, 2 JULY 1954 EDITOR MAURICE A. SMITH, D.F.C. ASSISTANT ED/TOR H. F. KING, M.B.E. ART EDITOR JOHN YOXALL Editorial, Advertising and Publishing Offices: DORSET HOUSE, STAMFORD STREET, LONDON, S.E.1. Telegrams, flightpres, Sedist, London. Telephone, Waterloo 3333 (60 lines). Branch Offices: COVENTRY 8-10, Corporation Street. Telegrams, Autocar, Coventry. Telephone, Coventry 5210. BIRMINGHAM, 2 King Edward House, New Street. Telegrams, Autopress, Birmingham. Telephone, Midland 7191 (7 lines). MANCHESTER, 3 260, Deansgate. Telegrams, lliffe, Manchester. Telephone, Blackfriars 4412 (3 lines). Deansgate 3595 (2 lines). GLASGOW, C.2. 26b Renfield Street. Telegrams, lliffe, Glasgow. Telephone, Central f265 (2 lines). SUBSCRIPTION RATES Home and Overseas: Twelve months £4 10s. U.S.A. and Canada, $14.00. IN THIS ISSUE: Return to Scampton - - S Rhodesia's Air Arm - - 7 Ferryfield 9 All-weather Defenders - 15 Airborne in the Hurel - - 19 Aviation and Art - - - 20 Leduc Ramjet Intercepted 24 A.R.B. Progress- - - - 25 What Noise Annoys ? W E do not recall having had the pleasure of meeting Alderman Sir Arthur Howard, chairman of the General Purposes Committee of the Westminster Council, but we would congratulate him upon some of his balanced and sensible answers to questions upon helicopter noise. He said that the "initial impact" of the helicopters landing on the South Bank rotorstation was disturbing and distract ing, but it was impossible to say "how long it may be before we may acclimatize ourselves to it." He also remarked that cars had to have silencers, and it might be appropriate to have something on these lines for helicopters, so as to reduce any possible nuisance to a minimum. Earlier he had stated that no member of the council would wish to stand in the way of useful and desirable development. The Alderman has a responsibility to residents and those working along the river side at Westminster, but he did not allow himself to take a narrow or one-sided view of the new noise problem. Having read many of the letters and articles on aircraft noise we have not found it difficult to sort chaff from grain. The newspapers contain a considerable number of valueless contributions from people whose lives have been largely devoted to the production of words on paper and who cannot get out of the habit. Other letters merely serve to indicate that there are quite a number of very selfish people who wish to push their portion of the nation's noise on to anyone else. Only a few face the problem squarely, fairly and try to make helpful suggestions. A glance at the address of Flight's offices will indicate that we have some right, as well as a duty, to discuss the helicopter noise problem from more than one standpoint. The South Bank site is only a few hundred yards away, and the river bank is even closer to our buildings. Let us consider again the remarks of Alderman Sir Arthur Howard. Is noise a thing one can get. used to? Most certainly it is; people all over the country learn to sleep well within a few feet of passing express trains, city-office workers in narrow cobbled streets soon become oblivious to the clatter and roar of traffic. Many a clerk in a factory works undisturbed in a glass-walled cabin surrounded by whirring and thrumming machinery. First then, let those now affected by helicopter noise along the river and in the Westminster area assume that it will have to go on and see if they cannot grow sufficiently accustomed to it in a reasonable time for it to become sub merged in all the other noises of city, road, rail and river. Many have already been spared the equally loud and irritating tramways noises, since these fearsome antiques were finally and belatedly removed. (Our apologies to Sydney, N.S.W., where new tracks are just being laid.) Next let those who are concerned with helicopter operations continue to study every possible means of reducing the noise nuisance by intelligent routing, height selection and siting of landing areas. Sound deflecting and deadening screens (landing pits, perhaps) may prove practical possibilities. Finally we would appeal to helicopter manufacturers to take this noise problem seriously—more seriously than some of them took our earlier requests and suggestions on the subject. (The leader "Hushing the Helicopter," Flight of November 14th, 1952, followed talks during which we advocated a degree of silencing—foolishly it seems— to almost deaf ears.) Aero engines cannot be silenced entirely without unacceptable power and weight penalties, but exhaust noise can be reduced. It has not passed unnoticed that the helicopters visiting London just now are small with less than 750 piston-produced horse-power each. Plans are in hand—and in fact future commercial developments depend upon—40-seaters with at least two power units of twice this output. As for blade tip-jets, they will produce another new, though not necessarily more penetrating, noise. If a cliche-cum-mixed metaphor may be pardoned, none of us can stem the tide of progress, so we must leave the hangar doors open and decide to become acclimatized. Alleviate the discomfort by any reasonable means, but put the red flags back in grandpa's garage. B
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