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Aviation History
1959
1959 - 1868.PDF
FLIGHT, 21 August 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 Names and addresses of writers, not for publication in detail, must in all cases accompany letters. Inside the Vanguard ON July 3 Malton Airport had a very welcome visitor fromEngland, the Vickers Vanguard G-APEA, which for the pre- vious two days had been in Montreal giving demonstrations toofficials of Trans-Canada Airlines. Although this aircraft is the first for B.E.A. most of the markingshad been painted over with Vickers' own titles, except the trim on the fuselage. Being an employee of T.C.A. I am extremelyinterested in the Vanguard, and I was delighted to have the oppor- tunity of going aboard to inspect the aircraft. The major portion of the passenger cabin was taken up withflight-test equipment, but aft of the rear door the seats were set up in a first-class arrangement of four abreast. It is my job withinT.C.A. to sell seats to the travelling public, and so I gave them a good testing. I found that spacing, leg room, and angle of recline,etc., were very much to my own liking. On certain types of aircraft I never know what to do with my legs, and bearing in mind thatG-APEA is still in test form passenger comfort of the Vanguards when in service should be second to none. Inside the cabin, forward of the aft door, there is a frosted-glasspanel, with a motif of the original H.M.S. Vanguard in full sail. Among other things that took my eye were pink window blinds,pulling up from the bottom of the frame. Head-room in the cabin, I found, was ample. The most amazing point about the Vanguardis that in spite of the room in the passenger cabin there is a large cargo hold, which in this case contained spares, including a Tyneeugine, Take-off seemed to be quieter than our Viscounts. The pilot and co-pilot were G. R. Bryce and Mike Lithgow,and also aboard were Sir George Edwards, Capt. G. Lothian, superintendent of flying for T.C.A., Capt. A. S. Johnson of B.E.A.and various other officials and engineers. The route to Montreal from London was via Prestwick, Iceland and Gander, and I wasinformed that it was covered in approximately ten flying hours. The Vanguard in my opinion is not as attractive to look at assome of today's airliners, but the fact we must bear in mind is what it is going to do revenue-wise for T.C.A. and B.E.A. Thereis a saying: "Never judge a book by its cover" and this is one instance where it is true. Toronto, Ontario. L. E. FULLER, A.T.A.I. Light-aircraft Powerplants FURTHER to the letter from Maj. Jack Stewart some monthsago (March 13), he is, of course, quite correct in saying that we are not fully equipped to produce modern light aircraft or heli-copters in this country until a more suitable engine of British manufacture is available. The success or failure of an aeroplanedepends to a large extent on the suitability of its engine, not only in power output and weight but in frontal area and in fueleconomy, not to mention other desirable factors such as relia- bility, accessibility and cost. As the designer of the Cirrus Minor, an engine which is stillgoing strong, and several other engines both here and in the U.S.A., I feel that now is the time to get moving again and toproduce something which will fully satisfy the projected light aircraft now on the drawing boards of several firms here andabroad. The small personal helicopters, which are bound to come in time, and the requirement for various ground power services,also argue well for an engine that will be suitable for all these functions, and for which there will be a larger market than thepessimists think. Maj. Stewart, in his prophetic letter, thinks that an engine ofthe horizontal type on the lines of the small American engines would be suitable. If the so-called Monaco engine was revivedtoday, with certain modifications, it would prove a winner. Owing to the kindness of Lord Brabazon of Tara, I am now the solepossessor of this engine, having had all the drawings returned to me now that my previous partner, the late P. R. Monkhouse, haspassed on. Although the revival of the Monaco would fit the bill very well for present requirements, I have a much more in-teresting scheme for an entirely new type of engine on the com- pound principle. There is no reason why an engine in the one,two or three hundred h.p. class should not have a field of activity, especially if it is made simple, using only one blow-down turbinefor power recovery. I claim at least twelve technical features for my new arrange-ment, which has received favourable comment from eminent people in science and industry. I feel that it represents the nextstep in the development of the piston engine, saving as it does about 25 per cent of the 47 per cent energy wasted through theexhaust. This invention is covered in my Patent 734,359. 51 NORTH AMEBiCAN DC8UT VANGUARD Seen on the Vanguard by Mr. L E. Fuller (letter, col. 1) Returning to the Monaco, I would like to point out that thisengine, although in advance of its foreign rivals in several re- spects, did not come into production because it was felt that thetime was not ripe for mass production, as the market was small due to Government discouragement of private flying, and notbecause of any trouble with the product (which had years of experience behind it, the writer having worked on the originalLycoming). It is known that there is considerable activity abroad these days in the lightplane and helicopter field, especially inFrance, Germany and Italy, and it would be a shame if Britain —the home of the lightplane—should be allowed to fall behindbecause of short-sighted policy. Our ability as a nation to supply the larger aircraft is beyond dispute, but given the necessary finance this is no reason why our native genius should be allowedto wane where the smaller machine is concerned. St. Albans, Herts. H. R. MAYES,(Capt. H. R. Mayes, M.Inst.P.I., A.M.S.A.E. [U.S.A.], R.A.F. retd.) Brazilian Helicopter T REFER to your brief description of our Beija-Flor two-seatx helicopter published on page 453 of Flight for April 3 and would like to correct a statement concerning the personnel. The Beija-Flor was initiated by Prof. Focke, who shordyafterwards returned to Germany although remaining a consultant director to our rotary-wing and aircraft department. The bulkof the work on the Beija-Flor has been effected by a group of German engineers led by Herr Hans Swoboda. In November1958 Prof. K. L. C. Legg, previously head of the structures division (and formerly of Short Bros. & Harland Ltd.) wasappointed head of the rotary wing and aircraft department in succession to Prof. Focke. We should also point out that the maximum cruising speed of187 m.p.h. quoted in the leading data is, of course, in error; it should be 87 m.p.h.Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil. Colonel ALDO VIEIRA DA ROSA,Director, Institute of Aeronautical Research and Development. Finger Trouble T> OGER BACON, on page 779 of your issue of June 5, is sadlyA*- out of date. It is at least twelve months since applicants for United States visas had to "undergo finger-printing".Weybridge, Surrey. (Mrs.) K. B. GILBERT. FORTHCOMING EVENTS Aug. 23-29. International Air Tour of Switzerland. Aug. 27-29. British Interplanetary Society: Spaceflight Symposium, London. Aug. 27-30. International Swedish West Coast Air Rally. Aug. 29. R.A.F.A. (Midland Area): Flying Display, Wolverhampton. Aug. 29. R.A.F.A.: Flying Display, Colwyn Bay. Aug. 30. Oxford Aeroplane Club: At Home, Kidlington. Sept. 5-6. British Women Pilots' Association: Flying Weekend. Sept. 5-6. Popular Flying Association: Rally. Sept.7-13. S.B.A.C. Display and Exhibition, Farnborough. Sept. 10. Helicopter Association: Annual Dinner. Sept.11-13. German Aero Club: Rally, Baden-Baden. Sept. 13. Newcastle-upon-Tyne Aero Club: At Home, Woolsington. Sept. 14. Institute of Transport: Brancker Memorial Lecture, "World Peace through Air Transportation," by Capt. E. V. Rickenbacker. Sept. 15. Battle of Britain Day. Sept. 19. International Spherical Balloon Concours, Zurich. Sept. 20. British Gliding Association and Gliding Club: National Glider Aerobatic Contest, Dunstable. Sept.24-25. AGARD: Ninth General Assembly, Aachen. Sept.26-27. Genoa Aero Club: Rally. Oct. 4-16. Seventh Anglo-American Aeronautical Conference, New York. Oct. 6. IATA: Dr. Albert Plesman Memorial Lecture. "Supersonic Flight," by Hall L. Hibbard, at Delft, Netherlands.
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