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Aviation History
1956
1956 - 1114.PDF
260 FLIGHT AIRCRAFT CONTROL SYSTEMS . . . high speed lateral control, when ailerons tend to be subject to unsteady forces as well as high operating loads, Douglas call upon the assistance of hydraulically operated air brakes situated on the upper surface of the wing. For this use they function as lift spoilers. These various additions are refinements rather than essential components and Boeing's Tex Johnston has publically stated that the aircraft can be flown under all normal conditions with the "extras" inoperative. The difference is in the degree of effort required. Douglas made similar declarations. It seems, therefore, that the case for a power assisted primary system has collapsed in the face of care and diligence in design, supported by practical experience and backed by adequate resources. This is not intended to imply that the end of the trail is in sight. The day may eventually dawn when aircraft will attain speed and size of such magnitude that long proved methods will no longer be applicable. Then (it will probably not be until the 1970-1980 ; ariod) surely all existing practices will be aban- ALL THE GENT WO enterprises in tracing and collating Air Force slang are being undertaken, one in this country and one in the United States. At Maxwell U.S.A.F. base, Alabama, a dictionary has been prepared (according to a Washington report) of words and slang used by the U.S.A F. In a foreword, the editors carefully explain that "although the language of Air Force men is indeed English, a certain part of it is in the nature of a special usage." Thus, an "amiable cluster" does not indicate a friendly gathering of humans but "a cluster of bombs, especially fragmentation or incendiaries, held together so as to be aimed and dropped by ordinary bomb methods" (we should question the spelling of the adjective—amiable or aimable—in this context). "Dawg" means "dynamic war game" and "bingo"—also used in the R.A.F.—is a radio call to a forma- tion leader, signifying that a previously agreed fuel state has been reached. Meanwhile, two professors from Cologne University are in doned and new concepts instituted? Power as a primary source of control is hardly likely to fit into a system evolved during some 70 years of manual experience and based safety-wise upon the infallibility of steel cables, or push-pull rods. It is any man's guess what will be fitted in 20 years' time. But the pointers at present are indicating two lines of thought. One, that the control surfaces will have -to be split into multiple units both for control sake and for safety reasons. Each unit would be entirely independent as to actuators, fluid supply (if any) power sources, etc., and they would have to be so designed that adequate control could be maintained with two units inoperative in much the same manner as adequate thrust for a four engined aircraft can be maintained with two engines out. Or, more likely, control surfaces as we know them today, will be scrapped along with the linkages to them and the atomic powered flying machines of the future will obtain their manoeuvr- ability and stability in space by reactive jet forces. So far only thrust is supplied by this principle, but lift and control could well follow suit—engineers on both sides of the Atlantic are already experimenting along these lines. England trying to trace the origins of R.A.F- slang. They are Professors H. Bueckendorf and Buchloh; and before-leaving Ger- many they supplied H.Q., 2nd A.T.A.F., with a glossary of war-time German Air Force slang. FRANCO-BELGIAN CO-OPERATION ' I 'HE French S.N.CA.S.O. company has announced an agree-x ment with the Belgian S.A.B.C.A. (Societ* Anonyme Beige de Constructions Aeronautiques) covering the production of cer- tain unspecified S.O.40S0 Vautour components by the Belgian concern. The agreement has been reached "within the frame- work of European co-operation" through the Association Inter- nationale des Constructeurs de Materiel Aeionautique. The Belgian company's work is to occupy several hundred workers and components will be destined for all Vautours ordered both by the French government and from abroad. Co-operation may eventually extend to new projects now being studied. HORSE-SHOE AND MAPLE LEAF—A T-33 SILVER STAR OVER NIAGARA FRAMED by the stupendous horse-shoe falls at Niagara is this Canadair-built Lockheed T-33 (known in Canada as the Silver Star) wearing the maple leaf insignia of the Royal Canadian Air Force. The engine is the Rolls-Royce Nene, and to date Silver Star production totals over 550. Further orders are in prospect tor this excellent U.S./Canadian/British jet trainer. ** "*•£
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