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Aviation History
1960
1960 - 0924.PDF
30 FLIGHT, 1 July I960 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in agreement with the views expressed by correspondents in these columns.The names and addresses of the writers, not for publication in detail, must in all cases accompany letters. Supersonics—and After ON both sides of the Atlantic military programmes for largesupersonic aircraft have been cancelled or cut back during the past year, and manufacturers are appealing to airlines andgovernments to support the design of Mach 3 passenger transports instead. On this side of the Atlantic they are urged on the groundsof Free World prestige. In Britain, patriots have called for no less than a national effort to build a supersonic Brabazon. (I still thinkthe best comment on this one was written by Robert Blackburn in the correspondence columns of Flight for April 3, 1959). You have mentioned more than once the cold remarks abouttrisonics by Mr Shenstone of BEA, who pointed out that the normal progression of technical development produces a new typeof transport about every five years, each with 40 per cent more speed than the last. That is to say, the next generation of trans-ports should be entering service around 1965, and fly at only 700kt (Mach 1.2). There the matter seems to have been left, but we canproject the argument much farther to see where we may be going. Doubling the speed every ten years, as in the past, means thattickets for Mach 3 travel will not be on sale in the Free (or other) World before 1975-1980. Ten years later we can expectgenuinely hypersonic airliners, cruising faster than Mach 5. Beyond this point, however, the important reference velocityis not the speed of sound (573kt in the stratosphere) but the low- level orbiting speed around the earth (15,35Okt). The presentwriter has proposed calling the ratio of flight speed to this latter reference the Sanger number (S), after the man who first describedits significance (1943). When flying at near-orbiting speeds the weight of vehicles and passengers, and thus also the aerodynamiclift required, decrease as the fraction «/(l —S3). The analogy with Mach number is fairly close, for aerodynamic lift in subsonic flightincreases as the inverse of \f(l— M2). Following this forecast to the year 1995, some transports willthen be flying at speeds of 8,000kt (S=0.37), at which speed the passengers will feel 7 per cent lighter. Presumably by that dateenough will be known about space psychology to keep their behaviour under control. Not until 2010, fifty years from now,will it be possible to buy a seat on a truly orbiting craft—by which time most of us will be happy to leave such travels to the youngerset. One may doubt, of course, the value of whirling around the world in 80 minutes, considered as "transportation," but thespeed will certainly be available for travel to somewhere. Of great importance to manufacturers and airlines alike is that,in spite of the rising traffic totals, the work-capacity of these high- speed vehicles is so great that ever-decreasing numbers will berequired. There will not eventually be room for more than one or two large aircraft manufacturers in the whole world, nor formore than one or two intercontinental airlines. Of course, this trend applies at the other end of the speed scale,too. A very small fleet of three or four turboprop-powered 3OOkt ferry-boats, lifting a thousand straphanging weekenders at a time,would put hundreds of nineteenth-century ships and trains out of business overnight—and it is a wonder to me nobody is doing it.Fairfield, Conn J. M. STEPHENSON The Challenge from FranceT HE June 17 issue of Flight is one of the most significant formany months. In it was detailed the new French challenge to Britain's aircraft industry. France is indeed revealed as a formid-able rival with whom we must reckon in our struggle to maintain the present level of our aeronautical exports. It is timely that we should now recognize this challenge andconsider our answer to it. The best answer seems to lie in our lead in the field of VTOL. The military leaders of the worldare beginning to appreciate the revolutionary implications of VTOL aircraft and the first nation to perfect them seems set fairto do business on a grand scale in the years ahead. If we strive to maintain our lead we have at our command the means ofmaintaining our industry at its present strength. To exploit this situation, however, we must abandon Mr Sandys's ideas about"co-operation" with Europe in this field. This "co-operation" seems to amount to a gift of British know-how to our Continentalcompetitors as a gesture of goodwill towards the Common Market six. This is politically naive and commercially suicidal. If ourtrump card is used to accelerate a flow of VTOL aircraft from factories all over Europe then, too, the outlook is darkenedconsiderably. On the more hopeful side, France is now seen to be thoroughlycompetent as a potential partner in the development of supersonic airliners. In this field Britain and France have equally much tocontribute and much to gain. Not only would the problems of financing development be eased but the expanded home market for such a project would see it off to a much surer start. The timeseems ripe for BOAC, Air France, the two governments and representatives of the two industries to get together and decidewhat is wanted and how and when it can best be provided. Surbiton, Surrey A. J. FEREDAY Aerobatic Take-offs ?S OME jargon is unavoidable, and it is even useful when it canemploy a short word or phrase to explain a more complicated concept. Other jargon is misleading, and sounds like an attemptby experts to keep their knowledge from ordinary mortals, perhaps with a view to blinding them with science! A fairly new example of the latter is "rotation," as applied totake-offs. When I read about the speed of rotation of a modern jet aircraft on take-off, I immediately think of the thing doingslow rolls or ground loops. The last thing that occurs to me is that reference is being made to a simple action of raising the nosewheelfrom the runway, a custom not peculiar to jets. Why not call it "nose-up" speed? This is self-explanatory, andit has one less syllable than "rotation." It can be abbreviated to VN instead of the VR which is now creeping in.Please can you use the influence of your columns to stop the insidious insertion of an ungainly usage into the English language? Rome C. B. H. BARFORD [Sorry, too late. "Rotation" has been widely adopted by the world'sairlines, and will soon be as firmly entrenched as is the word "alternate" when used to describe an alternative airfield.—Ed.] Landing-Accident Prevention WITH reference to a news-item (Flight, May 20, page 700) inwhich mention was made of a Comet 4 landing with wheels retracted: the undersigned, as a serving RCAF officer, has beengranted authority to patent a simple, foolproof system that will prevent virtually all inadvertent wheels-up accidents. This system could best be tailored to most training and fighter-class jet aircraft, as well as a few other types. Very likely it could replace the horn system on all aircraft. The device in no wayinterferes with normal operations; it merely lowers the wheels for landing whenever the pilot has neglected to do so, thus preventingthese accidents. Strong interest in this device includes the Services. Pendingthe appointment of a UK representative and the completion of patent action generally, the above preliminary facts may be ofinterest. Ottawa. A. P. HUCHALA, Sqn Ldr Flashback to 1947 AS a regular reader of Flight, may I observe that the BSAA• aircraft which, according to The Times report referred to in your issue of June 3 was missing since September 9, 1947, actuallydisappeared on August 2, 1947; and that this aircraft was not an Avro Tudor, but—according to all information published at thetime—an Avro Lancastrian. Berne, Switzerland ARTHUR FLURY [The report referred to the finding of wreckage on a mountain.—Ed.] JulyJuly July July July July July July July July July July July July JulyJuly July July July 1-4.2-3. 2-4. 2-10. 6. 7-10. 8. 8. 8-9. 8-10. 9. 9-10. 10. 10. 16.17. 23. 23-24. 24- August 1. July 30- August 7. July 31-August 7. FORTHCOMING EVENTS Palermo Aero Club: Aerial Tour of Sicily. Flying Doctors' Meeting, Vittel. Royal Aero Club: Invitation Rally, St Gatien, Deauville. West Aero Club of France: Gliding Competition, Angers. Kronfeld Club: "Introduction to Ballooning," by Kenneth Owen. International Light-aircraft Show, Venice. RAeS Astronautics and Guided Flight Section: a.g.m. and Lecture: "The US Space and Astronautics Programme," by Capt Robt. F. Freitag, USN. College of Aeronautics: Presentation Day and Ball. Royal Aero Club: Lockheed International Aerobatic Competition and King's Cup Race, Baginton. Italian Aero Club Competition. • ..- • -••''•• RAFA and Exeter Airport Ltd: Display, Exeter. Basse Normandie Aero Club Rally, Flers. Elstree Flying Club: Pilot's Rally, Elstree Aerodrome. Leicestershire Aero Club At Home, Leicester East/Oadby. Parachuting Competition, Woburn Abbey. Royal Aero Club Rally, Woburn Abbey. Army Air Corps: Open Day, Middle Wallop, Hants. Trento Aero Club: 10th Aerial Circuit of the Dolomites. Gliding Weeks: Yorkshire GC, Sutton Bank; London GO, Dunstable; Derby and Lanes GC, Camphill. Inter-Services GO: Gliding Week, Lasham. Bulgarian Aero Club: World Parachuting Championships, Mousatchevo, near Sofia.
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