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Aviation History
1956
1956 - 0783.PDF
FLIGHT, 15 June 1956 785 CORRESPONDENCE The Editor of "Flight" is not necessarily in agreement with the views expressed by correspondents in these columns; the names and addresses of the writers, not for publication in detail, must in all cases accompany letters. Executive Aircraft: A British Firm's ExperienceW E enclose a newspaper cutting concerning our company's utilization of business aircraft, and the following more detailed account may be of interest to your readers. As you are probably aware, we have been operating aircraft in connection with our refrigeration business for the past nine years, during which time we have gained considerable experience. Originally an Auster Autocrat appeared quite adequate to meet our needs, and then as business expanded and our export market developed it was necessary to add a Miles Messenger with a four-channel V.H.F. radio to cover us for Continental flying. This combination was maintained until 1952, when it was decided to replace the Autocrat with its new big brother the Autocar, equipped with 23-channel V.H.F. Although this new aircraft gave us the opportunity of widening our range of operation, our export business had spread even wider, and after visiting Greece and Cyprus in 1954 it was decided that we had reached die economical limitations of single-engine aircraft for business purposes. Early last year we purchased a Gemini 3A with two Gipsy Major 10 engines, equipped for blind and night flying. It must be the most elaborately equipped Gemini in die country and carries 10-channel V.H.F., Marconi 7092A auto- matic radio compass, standard beam approach, fan-marker receiver and M.F. Widi this aircraft we visited twenty-six different countries during 1955 and covered over 30,000 miles. We are now seeking a second plane and are looking for a good secondhand Aero Commander which we know would again considerably boost our potential. A field adjoining our factory was used during the early days as a landing ground, but as our needs and experience grew a hangar was erected and a fuelling point installed. Recently, land drains have been laid, and an unpleasant depression in the field has been filled. We now pride ourselves widi a useful litde airfield, with well kept grass runways of 800 yards and 500 yards in length and excellent approaches in all directions. The airfield is situated only half-a-mile from the delightful seaside resort of Bognor Regis, and is marked on the I.C.A.O. Southern England maps. Details are published in the U.K. Air Pilot and an I.C.A.O. code has been allocated to facilitate fixed telecommunications. We would like to convey to your readers diat visitors by air are always welcome and that no charge is made for landing or parking. At a time when the exportation of British products is foremost in the minds of business men in this country, we feel that in our own success-story the intelligent operation of business aircraft has contributed considerably to the expansion of our overseas markets. Bognor Regis, Sussex. LEC REFRIGERATION, LTD. G. A. Farley, Chief Pilot. [The newspaper cutting mentioned by Mr. Farley quotes an article in the monthly bulletin of the London and Soudi-Eastern Regional Board for Industry. Says one paragraph: "These machines, piloted by members of the executive and staff, have proved dieir worth and earned immense prestige for the company and British Industry. . . . The staff pilots are also fully qualified refrigeration engineers and salesmen. . . ."—Ed.] Aviation Medicine in the TwentiesT HE statement on page 404 of your issue for April 6 that the R.A.A.F. School of Aviation Medicine which has been estab- lished recently at Point Cook, Victoria, Australia, is the first of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, is erroneous. In 1928, in the then Netherlands East Indies, the Army Medical Service established an aeromedical department for which a modern labora- tory was built at Andir Air Force Base, Bandung, Java. Lt. J. Chr. Hubach, M.C., who in 1923 got his pilot's licence (on Avro 504 and D.H.9) was put in charge of the new department, which had to take care of the aeromedical examination and super- vision of the military, naval and civil flying personnel in the Nedierlands Indies. In 1931 he and his wife inaugurated die big low-pressure chamber of the laboratory by making an "ascent" in it to 35,OOOft. In 1935 he took his M.D. with a dissertation on the examination of pilots at a simulated altitude of 16,000ft (altitude classifying). In die 'thirties several Australian medical and civil audiorities paid a visit to mis laboratory. Dr. H. trained several Army and Navy medical officers as flight surgeons. After World War II, when the Netherlands armed forces had to abandon Indonesia, Lt-Col. Hubach and die greater part of his staff returned to Holland and were recommissioned in die Aero- medical Service of the Royal Nedierlands Air Force. Soest, Holland. J. CHR. HUBACH. Con-di Pro and Con TN an article in Flight for May 25, discussing the tube wind -*• tunnel, die term "con-di" is used to describe a type of nozzle that has for a long time been known as a Laval nozzle. It would be interesting to learn die arguments justifying the use of this neologism. It can hardly be argued diat the form of the word suggests its meaning, since before attempting to deduce diis "con-di" must first be recognized as an abbreviation. Even if "con-di" were used by the original translator of Dr. Ludwieg's paper diere can be litde justification for retaining it, and if die writer objects to the term "Laval" die alternative adjec- tive "supersonic" immediately suggests itself. Painswick, Glos. R. M. BASS. [It would be of interest to take a census on diis point, as it would in the case of "angle of incidence" and "angle of attack," which are today often used synonymously.—Ed.] Flight-refuelling AirlinersI N reply to Geoffrey Dorman's question—what prevents die use of flight refuelling by airlines? (see Flight, June 1, page 691) —may I put forward a few of the possible objections to such a procedure? Apart from compromising the present endeavours to improve the separation standards it will require some form of radar to ensure 100 per cent interceptions. Unfortunately, die weight and expense of radar equipment has retarded its extensive use in civil aviation even for cloud-and-collision and navigational functions, let alone as an interception set. Unless die receiver's probe is on die outer wing it will have to be in die nose, diereby, requiring a large-diameter, lengthy fuel- pipe passing through die pressurized hull on its way to die wing tanks. Surely not a safe practice? In addition to die purely technical aspects of flight-refuelling a large civil airliner diere will be problems of flight planning in accordance widi die fuel requirements of die Air Navigation Order. London, N.W.2. L. F. E. COOMBS. IN BRIEF Mr. J. L. Dixon, who prepares brief squadron histories for R.A.F.A. members, writes to say diat he has a few copies of histories of Nos. 62, 104, 110 and 249 Squadrons left over. His address is 11 Rickaby Close, Bridlington, E. Yorks. * * * We have received from die Ultra Light Aircraft Association of Australia an inquiry for constructional drawings of the Stomo 3 light aircraft, a pre-war German design sponsored in diis country in 1949—by, we believe, Messrs. Patrick C. Ireland and Max B. Storey. Letters will be forwarded. June June June June June June June June June 15-17. 16.16-17. 16-18. 20. 22-24. 23. 23. 24. June 28-30. June June J June 29- July 1 29- luly 13 30- Julyl June 30- July July July July July July July Sept. July 2 6-147-9 14-15 14-15 14-25 15 15 3-9 FORTHCOMING EVENTS Palermo Aero Club: Eighth Tour of Sicily. R.N.A.S. Eglinton, Northern Ireland: At Home. Popular Flying Association: National Air Rally, Shoreham. Federation of Belgian Aero Clubs: International Rally. Institute of Navigation: "Crossing Antarctica," by George Lowe. Navigation problems outlined by S/L. John Lewis. Roval Netherlands Aero Club: Air Tour of Holland. R.N: Air Electrical School, Worthy Down, Winchester: At Home. Elstree Flying Club: At Home and Flying Display. Royal Netherlands Aero Club: Seventh Competition for Free Balloons, Nijmegen, Holland. Aero Club of Massa Apuania: Air Rally. Pescara Aero Club: Fourth Annunzio Trophy. World Gliding Championships, St. Yan, France. Aero-Club de Basse Normandie: Ninth Air Rally. Royal Aero Club: Private Rally, La Baule. OSTIV: Sixth Congress, St. Yan. Royal Aero Club: Private Rally, Deauville. Aero Clubs of Trento and Bolzano: Eighth International Tour of the Dolomites: Dusseldorf Aero Club: Air Rally. International Gliding Competition, for the Coupe Jacques Coeur, Bourges. Royal Belgian Aero Club: International Gliding Competi- tion. R.Ae.S.: Garden Party, Wisley. S.B.A.C. Display, Farnborough ("Public" days, 7th, 8th, 9th.)
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