FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1959
1959 - 0183.PDF
84 FLIGHT, 9 January 1959 Correspondence The Editor of "Flight" is not necessarily in agreement with the viewsexpressed by correspondents in these columns. Names and addresses of writers, not for publication in detail, must in all cases accompany letters. Cockpit Conservatism AFTER reading Cdr. Goodhart's article "Conservatism in the- Cockpit" (Flight, December 26), I find that with the exception of his reference to sloping instrument-panels, I disagree with allthe other points made. Firstly, it must be agreed that some controversy has existed as towhether the orthodox rudder works in the natural sense, but I have long been under the impression that the majority of pilots agreethat this is, in fact, the case. In this respect I recall that whilst attending one of the Air Ministry's first gliding courses in 1944this very point arose. Out of something like 14 cadets, none of whom had ever received any form of flying training before, onlyone was found to have a natural inclination to "push the wrong way," and this at a time when we were all riding motor-cycles orpedal cycles. Concerning the position of the control column, it seems evidentthat Cdr. Goodhart's remarks are directed at Service aircraft, for there must be very few modern commercial aircraft with centrallylocated columns; even the Dakota, going into production a quarter of a century ago, was provided with controls that gave easy "accessto and egress from" the seat. Last but not least, we have the fact that the anti-collision rulesare contrary to the accepted convention that the pilot actually flying the aircraft normally (but not always) occupies the left-handseat. This point has been raised personally during the oral tests for the senior licences, but the fact is that the left-hand seat conventionwas accepted long before Schedule II of the A.N.O. was drafted; so why don't we first change the rules and not the seats—it's somuch easier? Rhoose, Glam. B. A. SPARROW. THE comments of Cdr. H. C. N. Goodhart ("Conservatism in theCockpit," Flight, December 26) are most welcome and interest- ing. The questions he puts forward relating to the left-handcommand position and the left-hand circuit prompt the general reply that this is a subject in which half the aviation fraternity arenot interested, because they are content to leave well enough alone, whilst the other half enters into heated debate on the reasons why.I think that really to answer such questions we have to go back into history; further back than the start of flying and even furtherback than the dawn of transport. Most religions, or superstitions, taught that the right side and hand of man predominated over theleft. When ships with sails and steering oars appeared it was assumed that the steering oar and the right hand of the helmsmanshould be on the right side of the ship, because by custom that was the stronger; hence starboard ("steerboard"). By jumping the inter-vening centuries we come to the first aircraft, particularly those in which the pilot sat on the centre line. The principal pole, wheel orstick was either put to his right hand or was so arranged in con- junction with other controls that it was more natural for him to FORTHCOMING EVENTS Jan. Jan. 13. R.Ae.S.: "Stress Corrosion—the Engineer's View," by P. H. Wall. 15. British Institution of Radio Engineers (Scottish Section): "Satellite Development and the Moon Rocket," by P. H. Tanner (at Glasgow; repeated on Jan. 16 at Edinburgh). Jan. 15. R.Ae.S.: Presidential Address. Jan. 16. Institute of Navigation: "Blind Landing Problems," by W. J. Charnley. Jan. 17. Aircraft Recognition Society: All-England Contest. Jan. 21. Manchester Metallurgical Society (Institute of Metals): "Investigation of Metallurgical Failures in Aircraft," by D. A. Ryder. Jan. 26-29. Institute of the Aeronautical Sciences: 27th Annual Meeting. Jan. 27. R.Ae.S.: "The Noise Problem in Relation to Engine Design," by P. Lloyd. Feb. 5. R.Ae.S.: First Halford Memorial Lecture, by J. L. P. Brodie (at Hatfield Branch). Feb. 6. Helicopter Association: "Some Engineering Aspects of Helicopter Assessment Trials," by H. J. Webb. Feb. 7. British Interplanetary Society: "High-energy Fuels and Rocket Propulsion," by Dr. F. Fitzgerald. Feb. 9. R.Ae S. Guided Flight Section: "Theoretical Studies of Guided-missile Contro! Systems," by E. G. C. Burt. R.Ae.S. Branch Fixtures (to Jan. 16): Jan. 12, Henlow, "Vertical Toke-off and Landing," by D. Keith-Lucas. Jan. 13, Boscombe Down, "Experiences on the Trans-Antarctic Expedition," by S/L. J. H. Lewis. Jan. 14, Brough, Young People's Christmas Lecture; Chester, "Development of the Civil Avon Engine," by E. Eltis; Christehureh, "The Rotodyne," by Dr. G. S. Hislop; MancAeirer, "Nuclear Reactors for Power Production," by T. M. Greenlees. Jan. 15, Glasgow (Graduates' and Students' Section), question night and film show. Jan. 16, Cambridge, lecture by Dr. N. A. de Bruyne. RETROSPECT From "Flight" of January 9, 1909 Sirj—J was much interested in Mr. Moore-Brabazon's letter in TheAutomotor Journal of January 2nd. It is a standing rebuke to Englishmen that he can advise—and with good reason—any experi-menters to go to France. In Paris one feels the beating pulse of a new era. It causes no surprise if, on looking up, one.sees a "direagable"performing graceful evolutions; picture postcards of all the aeroplanes command a ready sale; aeroplanes in flight forms one of the chiefadvertisements for many of the cinematograph entertainments; and on the evening following Wilbur Wright's sensational high flying inconnection with the "Height Prize" I saw it reproduced on the cinematograph at a lecture given by the Comte de la Vaulx on the"Conquete de l'Air". The humble enthusiast is not regarded as an "amiable lunatic" in France. I was in Paris for a little over three months recently, and, not beingblessed with too much time or money, I had to wait for an opportunity to visit Le Mans. At last it came—October 31st; a friend was going toLe Mans on his car. I was doomed to some degree of disappointment. A new carburettor float caused trouble by not being a free iit on thespindle; a tyre punctured, and an exhaust-valve spring broke; with the result we arrived at Auvours just as Mr. Wright finished his flight forthe day. To add to our disappointment, we had come via Chartres, and had also missed M. Bleriot's cross-country flight near that town. I am afraid that I have trespassed on your valuable time, but I mustwish you every success with your new venture. Flight, and hope that it will do something to "wake up England."—1 remain. Sir, yours faithfully, G. H. CHALLENGER. effect primary control with the right hand; there were exceptions,but the general tendency was that way. Having settled, or unsettled, the problem of "left hand, righthand" we come to the circuit direction. It has been suggested that in the early aircraft it was much easier to make an approach to landwith one's head and body inclined to the left, either when side- slipping or to improve the view ahead, because in that attitude theright hand on the controls was not restricted in its movement by the body. All this might have encouraged a predilection for theleft-hand circuit. In this connection I was disappointed that Cdr. Goodhart did not have anything to say about aircraft-carriercircuitry. In addition to the avoidance-of-collision rules, the rules of the air include right-side separation on airways, so that the captains ofaircraft sit on the "passing" side—as also do road drivers. Cdr. Goodhart's reference to the difficulty of the trainee pilot ingetting used to the unnatural way in which the rudder bar moves is interesting. The original choice might have been influenced bythe tiller-rope arrangement of a rowing boat. Incidentally, the original R.A.F. Valetta, as you will no doubtrecall, had the principal pilot's position on the right-hand side, as also did some of the early Fokker transports.London, N.W.2. L. F. E. COOMBS. Independent Operators and B.O.A.C. WE refer to your news-item "Challenge to B.O.A.C.—2" on" page 956 of your December 19 issue [concerning Air Charter's application to operate inclusive tours to New York for anall-in charge of £165]. In this connection we would like to draw your attention to thefact that Eagle Aviation originally applied for an inclusive-tour scheduled service on the north Atlantic route as long ago asFebruary 1957. This was rejected, and we subsequently applied again in June1957, July 1957, June 1958 and November 1958, all of which applications have been similarly rejected.As you will be aware, no reason is given for rejection, but since B.O.A.C. objected to all of the above applications it is fair toassume that the Corporation was able to convince the Air Trans- port Advisory Council that such services would cause materialdiversion of passengers from their own services. London, W.2. EAGLE AVIATION LTD., G. W. Pitt, Director Unidentified Objects OTHER readers may be interested, and able to offer helpfulcomments, on the following. At between 10 and 10.30 a.m. on December 30 I saw three B-52s flying north over Esher, Surrey.They were at about 20,000ft, and contrailing, and a good pair of binoculars showed two of them to be carrying, in each case, an-object some 30ft long (about the length of Rascal) under the star- board wing, between the inboard and outboard engines. Themissile (if such it was—I am certain it was not a drop tank) was painted a bright, possibly fluorescent, red. Two friends of minealso saw the aircraft. Tolworth, Surrey. T. N. SIMPSON.
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
