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Aviation History
1957
1957 - 0346.PDF
348 FLIGHT, 15 March 1957 Mr. H. Summons, managing director of D. Napier and Son, Ltd., presents the Company's Trophy to Roy Blanchflower (see report below). THE INDUSTRY Napier^Apprentices' Prizegiving FOUR hundred apprentices, their parents, and others interestedfilled Acton Town Hall when D. Napier and Son, Ltd., held their 12th annual apprentices' presentation at the end of what wasdescribed as "the best year, academically, in the history of the company's apprenticeship scheme." Mr. J. F. A. Radford, chief of personnel and training, said thecompany were training 45 graduates and special trainees, 87 students and 295 trade apprentices—a total of 427. The numberof technicians and technologists now under training was three times that of 1951. Reporting the academic achievements of Napier apprentices inthe year just ended, Mr. Radford stated that of those who had sat the various examinations more than 73 per cent had passed. Hewent on to name several who had particularly distinguished them- selves. In the Ci'y and Guilds courses, A. Carey, W. Edwards,R. Leggett, J. Salmon, G. Shankster and R. Young had averaged between 74 and 80 per cent. In the Ordinary National Certificateexaminations, A. G. M. Davis, B. V. George, R. A. F. Williams and M. E. Ward had all attained more than 80 per cent; and Georgehad gained 100 per cent in mathematics. Students who had obtained more than 80 per cent in the Higher National Certificateexaminations were B. R. Davies, G. Evans, P. Hensby, J. Seddon, F. J. Thomas and W. H. Walker. Francis Thomas had beenawarded a James Clayton Prize, and Colin Blarney had had his name placed on the reserve list for a State scholarship. RoyBlanchflower had gained a first-class honours degree, and Tom Collins a second-class honours degree, from NorthamptonEngineering College. The guest-speaker was Maj-Gen. C. Lloyd, C.B., C.B.E., T.D.,B.Sc, F.Inst.P., director of the Department of Technology, City and Guilds of London Institute, and Mr. H. Sammons, C.B.E.,Napier managing director, also addressed the assembly. Technical Publications Service ""•""HOUGH most of the larger firms in the industry maintain•*• their own technical publications departments there are occa- sions when design or production pressure makes it desirable to"farm out" work to a competent organization outside; and in the case of many of the smaller companies the need for such assist-ance is more or less continuous. A firm specializing in work of this kind is Studio Irwin Techni-cal, Ltd. (8 Breams Buildings, London, E.C.4), who state that they offer a complete service for the engineer, including prepara-tion of instructional material, handbooks, and sectioned and "exploded" illustrations in line, half-tone or colour. An elec-tronics section is equipped to deal with any type of circuit diagram or other illustration required in this particular field. Studio Irwin Technical, who emphasize that they are not anadvertising agency, have recently taken over large premises and increased their capacity. They are contractors to H.M.Government. : -: Dielectric Test Set YI^ITH the aim of determining the electrical qualities and" " behaviour of plastics and other materials under the extremely high frequencies used in present-day radar systems, a dielectrictest set has been developed by Microcell Electronics, a division of Microcell, Ltd., 56 Kingsway, London, W.C.2. One applica-tion of the dielectric set is for testing such materials for use in aircraft radomes. It measures electrical characteristics attemperatures comparable with the high surface temperatures— which may rise by more than 150 deg C—generated by supersonic aircraft. Controls have been kept to a minimum in the Microcellequipment and critical adjustments eliminated, so that personnel without detailed knowledge of electronics or experience of micro-wave measurements can use it. The instrument is stated to give direct reading of permittivity and loss tangent for smallsamples of resins or plastics at fixed-spot frequencies in the 8,500-9,600 Mc/s band. An oven is provided to enable thetemperature of the sample to be increased to a maximum of about 500 deg C while measurements of permittivity and loss tangentare carried out. New Flexible Ducting A NEW range of lightweight flexible ducting, under the name"Flexflyte," has lately been marketed for the aircraft industry by Avica Equipment, Ltd., of Mark Road, Hemel Hempstead,Herts. Three types are produced, as follows : — Flexflyte U, recommended for conveying air, either hot or cold. Con-struction: Single-ply; galvanized steel wire helix covered with coated glass-fibre or coated cotton, cemented and bound with coated glass-fibre cord; coatings available, neoprene, nitrile or p.v.c. Flexflyte L, for use where stronger mechanical construction, smootherbore and higher insulation values are required for conveyance of hot or cold air. Construction: Two-ply, inner ply coated on one side withglass-fibre or double-coated cotton; helix as above; cementing as above; coatings available, neoprene, nitrile or silicone rubber.Flexflyte LR, for conveying oil-saturated air, or air carrying abrasive matter. Construction: Two-ply, inner ply of neoprene sheet; gal-vanized steel wire helix; outer ply, neoprene-coated glass-fibre or coated cotton; cementing as above.In each case, extra-ply reinforcement is provided at the cuff ends. The ducting is available in a wide range of internal dia-meters, and general advantages claimed include the following: light weight; extreme flexibility, permitting close-radius bends ofup to 180 deg yet maintaining internal smoothness; pressure- resistance (standard grades) of up to 70 lb/sq in internal and15 lb/sq in external; temperature-resistance from —120 deg F to 650 deg F without loss of flexibility; and good flame-resistance(the material will char 3 but not support combustion). IN BRIEF Mr. S. Rymell, who, as reported in these columns last week, has been appointed general manager of Folland Aircraft. Ltd. For the past three years he has been the com- pany's chief inspector, and before that was with Westland Aircraft. The new Sciaky "Rapid" range of spot welders is illustrated anddescribed in a brochure issued by Sciaky Electric Welding Machines, Ltd., Falmouth Road, Slough, Bucks. * * * Aeronautical Trades and Manufacturing Co., Ltd., formerly ofCamberwell New Road, moved on March 1 to Aero House, 1 Wyndham Road, London, S.E.5 (Rodney 7209). * * * A book of data sheets providing concise tabulated informationon the treatment, characteristics and typical applications of light alloys has been produced by Sterling Metals, Ltd., Coventry. * * * A very small, 400 c/s high-performance axial-flow fan hasbeen produced by Woods of Colchester, Ltd., for aircraft applica- cations, chiefly for cooling electronic apparatus. Designed tocomply with the DEF. 5000 and K. 114 specifications, it is a downstream guide-vane fan, with an impeller of 2.4in diameterand an overall length of 3 in. Its weight is under 1 lb. Mr. Henry F. Spencer has been appointed chairman of theBoard of the R.F.D. Co., Ltd. Managing director of Richard Thomas and Baldwins, chairman of the South Wales TinplateCorporation and life vice-president of the British Institute of Management, he became a director of the R.F.D. Co., Ltd., lastNovember. Mr. A. van Beugen Bik, who acted as temporary chairman until Mr. Spencer's appointment, will continue to serveas managing director.
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