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Aviation History
1960
1960 - 1272.PDF
206 FLIGHT, 5 August 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 The names and addresses of the writers, not for publication in detail, must in all cases accompany letters. Getting Aboard the Supersonic Airliner '• fT HE expansion of commercial air travel has taken place largelythrough extended technical effort applied to the solution of a problem which has never been re-stated since the day of thefirst scheduled passenger flight. The approach has always been that we must design an aircraft which is able to arrive at a pointon the ground that is convenient to the fixed passenger or cargo facilities. This basic requirement has been applied to everypassenger aircraft design that has been evolved in the past and seems to be inherent in specifications for aircraft of the future. The concept of the aircraft meeting the passenger on his ownground remains unchallenged—and rightly so, when one considers the economics of operating subsonic aeroplanes. We have observed,however, that with larger aircraft requiring high utilization there has been a mild shift toward the idea of moving the passenger veryshort distances to loading ramps away from main buildings with a thought toward lessening aircraft-manoeuvre problems and groundturn-around time. Our next generation of supersonic aircraft will have all theproblems of subsonic aircraft operation magnified considerably. It is a well-known fact that a tremendous step forward in speedmust be attained in order to reach the same flight efficiency at which present Mach 0.85 aircraft operate. This new minimumrequired for the supersonic transport is in the order of three times the speed of sound. When we consider the cost to design an aircraftto operate over the range from "stopped for loading" to "Mach 3 cruise," we arc forced to reconsider the whole situation frombasic principles. My suggestion is that we airlift the passengers in a turbopropaircraft to a rendezvous with a supersonic aircraft in flight. An attachment is made and the full complement of passengers in thelow-speed aircraft would then embark on the supersonic airliner through a suitable pressurized tube. Fresh crew transfers couldalso be effected and in-flight refuelling might be considered as a simultaneous operation. Such a system in operation would lead to a simplification of thedesign of a supersonic airliner, increasing its reliability and pay- load and, in addition, would obviate the necessity for constructionof still longer runways. The nature of the aircraft suggests that we might consider operating all these machines from one location,for example, California. This location would serve only as an overhaul base. The aircraft would remain airborne continuouslybetween overhaul intervals, with routine inspection and mainten- ance carried out in flight. This arrangement would take fulladvantage of the supersonic airliner by virtue of operating at design-point conditions almost constantly. Zero-power landingand boosted take-off at the overhaul base would occur infrequently. This approach appears to be within the present ability of theindustry, but what of the economics? This is a difficult question to answer, but we can observe that, by this method, we are increas-ing the utilization and productivity of the highest single capital-cost item in our transport system. This feature alone may be sufficientto justify a proposal for in-flight passenger transfers. Winnipeg HENRY TUISKU NORTH,Assistant Professor, Dept. of Mechanical ..-.•-. Engineering, University of Manitoba Noise for Posterity From Air Cdre A. H. Wheeler, CBE, MA, FRAeSR EADERS of Flight will scarcely need reminding that aircraftnoise is at a discount. Members of the public living near large airports are woken up by it and in their turn wake up Ministersto tell them how unpleasant it is to be awakened from their—at one time—dreamless slumbers. Ministers and officials make pro-nouncements that in future the rules regarding aircraft noise will be enforced, admitting by implication that these scientific-ally thought out rules have, in the past, been ignored. One would assume, therefore, that selling aircraft noise wouldbe as near impossible as anything can be. Yet it has very recently been done. The Shuttleworth Trust have just come to an agree-ment with the BBC whereby the noise from historic aeroplanes in the Shuttleworth Collection will be recorded for all time andperhaps broadcast from time to time. Thus the noise has not only been sold but may be re-sold todelight the ears of the young who have never heard it and the old who, nostalgically, want to hear it again. These listeners willsoon be able to hear the uneven hiccough of the fan-type Anzani engine which Bleriot used when he first flew the English Channel.Although this engine has three cylinders it always manages to sound as though it is only firing on one. The later Y-type Anzanifitted to the 1911 Deperdussin gives a slightly more reassuring noise, but even with this in front of him the modern pilot wouldhesitate even to try to leave the ground. Advancing only one year in time there is the happy, even, purrof the little 50 h.p. Gnome engine fitted to the oldest British aeroplane still flying—the Blackburn Monoplane of 1912. Thebrilliant and revolutionary design of the Frenchman Seguin. it was this engine that first made flying a reasonably practicalproposition. By 1916 the Sopwith Pup with its 80 h.p. le Rhone—still in fullflying order in the Collection—was heard in large numbers in the skies of the Western Front: it can still be heard today anddoubtless will be in some radio programme. This is as delightful to the ears as it is to fly behind. It was one of the smoothest aeroengines ever built before Whittle produced the jet. All rotary engines had this virtue, but as they became more powerful someof the smoothness was lost. Coming to more modern designs, but still in the World War Iperiod, there is the Hispano eight-cylinder (two banks of four) developing 200 h.p. and very similar in layout to many moderncar engines. With its almost open exhaust it makes a staccato sound almost like tearing calico. Then the world-famous Rolls-Royce Falcon vee-twelve engine developing 275 h.p. with nearly twice as many parts as any other contemporary engine and (still)nearly twice as reliable; a quieter and more reassuring noise comes from the Falcon. Although larger multi-engined aeroplanes of that date are nolonger preserved in flying order it will be possible, by ingenious means, to simulate the noise of such famous aeroplanes as thetwin-engined Vickers Vimy in which Alcock and Brown made the first direct flight across the Atlantic. This can be done byrecording the noise of the Falcon (very similar to the later Rolls- Royce Eagle engine) running at very slightly varying speeds andthen superimposing one set of recordings on another, thus repro- ducing the "beat" as twin engines run in and out of phase. Perhaps in years to come other listeners, yet unborn, willdemand to hear, and delight in, the recorded noise of a four-jet airliner taking off from London Airport; but just for the presentthe public feel they can do much better without it. Twyford, Berks ALLEN WHEELER Defenceless? WHEN the Government White Paper on Defence was passedin April of 1957 it was announced that the Royal Air Force could no longer defend the British Isles in their entirety. Onlythe V-bomber and Thor rocket bases could be successfully guarded in the event of war. Now that Mr Duncan Sandys is no longerMinister of Defence, cannot something be done as regards re-estab- lishing the air defence of our cities and countryside? After all,we are told that the human being is still the most important object on this planet. I think I would be right in assuming that Americaand Russia—both nuclear powers—still maintain aerial defences over their cities and towns. The question arises: what about us?The twentieth anniversary of the greatest battle of history is near at hand—I refer, of course, to the Battle of Britain, when onethousand British boys smashed the Luftwaffe's attempt to smash us. How can we remember the men of 1940 with reverence, w.*ientheir descendants can't remember us in 1960? London NW6 ROBERT CARR Aug. Aug. Aug. Aug. Aug. Aug. Aug. Aug. Aug. 7-17. 10. 14 17. 20-21 21. 27. 28. 28- Sept. 4Sept. Sept. Sept. Sept. Sept. Sept. Sept. Sept. Sept. Sept. 3-5 4 5-U. 8-12. 9-12 11 12-16 12-18 25 26-Oct. 1. FORTHCOMING EVENTS Bulgarian Aero Club: World Parachuting Championships, Mousatchevo, near Sofia. Kronfeld Club: MTCA Air-miss film. Elstree Flying Club: Tea Patrol. Kronfeld Club: Talk on National Gliding Week. Pescara Aero Club Rally. Colman Aero Club: Alsace Wine Rally. Luton Flying Club Display, Luton Airport. Oxford Aeroplane Club At Home, Kidlington. Czech Aero Club: World Aerobatic Championships- French and Savoy Aero Clubs: International Centenary Rally, Aix-les-Bains. Wolverhampton Aero Club At Home. SBAC Display and Exhibition, Farnborough. AGARD and Instituto Lombardo di Scienze e Lettere: Seminar on Propulsion for Astronautics, Varenna. Popular Flying Association Rally, Cranfield. International Landing Contest, St Nicholas Maes. Institute of the Aeronautical Sciences: Second International Congress, Zurich. Battle of Britain Week. - . ... • . Milan Aero Club: Helicopter Rally. AGARD Structures and Materials Panel Meeting, Athens.
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