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Aviation History
1961
1961 - 0586.PDF
596 FLIGHT, 4 May AIREDALE UNLEASHED . . . Systems Dual controls are fitted to special order only, thestandard single handwheel actuating a revised Auster-type yoke hinged from the fuselage sides. Aileron and elevator circuits bothfollow Auster practice, but the elevator cable is connected to a relay shaft in the rear fuselage. This operates a push-pull rodcoupled to a lever on the underside of the elevator. The rudder is cable-operated throughout its length from Auster pedals movedlin further forward than in previous designs. No foot-brakes are fitted, the pull-out hand-brake centrally placed under the instrumentpanel operating directly on to a Dunlop master cylinder. The lever is rotated through 90° for the parking position. Two systems which have been completely revised on the Airedaleare trim and flap actuation. Trim is now adjusted by a centrally mounted wheel just forward of the front seat. Full range is coveredin 1J turns, and actuation is by a continuous 18 s.w.g. piano wire operating an irreversible screwjack on the elevator hinge-line. Thetabs are operated through rods and bell-crank links. After many years, the overhead flap-actuating lever in the wingroot has been abandoned in favour of a central lever on the floor. Actuating cables pass under the rear floor and up the aft cabinbulkhead, to a cross-shaft in the cabin roof. From this point cantilever levers and push-pull rods rotate the flap torque-shaft.Flaps deflect through 15 for take-off and 40 for landing. An Auster-type lever is used in which the handle is pulled forward torelease the ratchet pawl. Other controls and instruments reflect the Beagle philosophythat a complete overhaul of previously accepted British standards was necessary in order that their aircraft could compete successfullyin overseas markets—or, for that matter, at home, where some 50 imported aircraft types are now available. The instrument panel is divided into an upper and lower sectionby a cross member bracing the cockpit sides. Only a venturi- operated turn-and-bank is standard, but a full blind-flying panelmay be specified for installation in the panel space facing the pilot, all instruments then being driven by an engine-mounted vacuumpump. Engine instruments are centrally mounted, the face of the recording tachometer being so arranged that the needle is verticalat normal cruise power. Provision for radio and navigation equip- ment up to full airline standard is made on the panel space in frontof the second seat. A Smiths Motorola 190-channel transceiver, with VOR and glide-slope facility, is likely to be the standard Aire-dale radio, supplied at extra cost. It is anticipated that the equip- ment will be approved to Class 1 standard. The whole instrument panel is covered by moulded plasticpanels, behind which are concealed bulbs for back-lighting the instruments. Many Smiths car-type instruments are used, includingfuel gauges, oil pressure and temperature gauges and an ammeter, specially developed with interior lighting. A P.6 compass isfloor-mounted on the port side of the cabin, and there is an optional stand-by compass in the centre of the upper panel. On either side of the central control box are mounted fuel gaugeselectrical switches, engine priming, carburetter and cabin-heat controls, and such optional equipment as a second altimeter andvacuum gauge. A point about the fuel gauges is that, as the auxiliary tanks are directly coupled to the main wing tanks, only two instru-ments are required. The stall-warning light and horn unit is located in the top panel. A Beagle feature is a starting console housed in a centralspine in the roof. From front to rear are the generator-field switch, master switch, toggle-type ignition switches (it is not practical toincorporate a key switch in the roof) and the starter button. All these services are enclosed in a hinged, moulded transparent plasticcover. Aft, to special order, can be fitted a radio loudspeaker. A roof A passenger door on the port side and a fully upholstered rear compi t- ment make the Airedale a full four-seater. Fuel for about SO still-air miles, and the full baggage allowance of 501b, can be car ed with all seats occupied light is standard. The console is hinged at the rear, and swings d( vnfor maintenance. Electrics Ample power for all radio and navigation aids shoulc beavailable from the standard 35A generator, which supplies curi nt to a 12V, 25A-hr battery mounted in a glass-fibre box on the i r-ward face of the firewall. The whole electrical system is gover ed by an electrical relay; there are no heavy-duty cables aft of hefirewall. All fuse boxes are in the engine bay on the forward face of the firewall, and all normal services are switch-controlled.Fuel system Total fuel capacity is 52 Imp gal, of which 16 aal are contained in each main tank and ten in each optional auxiliarytank. Fuel selection is by a two-way cock mounted on the floor under the pilot's legs. There is a priming pump on the panel, andsmoking is permitted. Cabin heating The basic Airedale includes a warm-air heatingsystem. An intake in the nose cowl feeds air through a flexible duct to a heater muff around the silencer. Air is fed to a regulatoron the firewall and distributed into the cabin through perforated BEAGLE-AUSTER AI09 AIREDALE One Lycoming O-360 AIA of 180 h.p., driving a McCauley 74in-diameiervariable-pitch metal propeller. Dimensions: Span, 36ft 4in; length 26ft 4in; height 10ft; wing area, 190 sq ft; wheel track, 72in; wheelbase, 70in. Wing incidence, root 3C45', tip 2°30'; dihedral, 2C; tailplane incidence, 1°. Engine offset, 3° starboard. Control-surface movements: Rudder^t 203; elevator, 30° up, 20° down; trim tab,± 20°; flap. 0", 15" and 40°: aileron, ±4.75in at trailing edge. Weights: Maximum, 2,7501b; empty, 1,6301b; disposable load, 1,1201b; max fuel (52gal), 3751b (32gal, 231 Ib); pilot, passengers and baggage, 7301b. Performance (with four occupants and about SOgal fuel): Max TAS, 148 m.p.h.; normal cruise, 5,000ft, 75% power, 141 m.p.h.; economy weak-mixture cruise, 7,500ft, 65 per cent power, 135 m.p.h. true; corresponding fuel consumption, 6.5gal/hr; stalling speed, flaps up, 60 m.p.h., flaps down. 52 m.p.h.; initial rate of climb, 750ft/min; time to 7,500ft, I5min; service ceiling, 14,900ft; take-off distance to unstick from runway, still air, 325yd; take-off distance from runway to 50ft, still air, 595yd; landing distance from 50ft on to runway, 425yd; on to grass 445yd; range with normal payload, 650 miles; max range with 5701b payload, economy cruise at 137 m.p.h. TAS, 1,050 miles. tubes. There is no special provision for demisting, this functionat present being served by ventilators in each wing root, which are pulled out and rotated to admit fresh air. An outside air tem-perature thermometer is an optional extra. All metal panels in the cabin are treated with a soundproofing compound, and interiortrim is lined with glass-fibre. Trimming, has been carried out to motor-car standards by the Pressed Steel Company (parent of theBeagle group), in plastics fabric and includes special vacuum- moulded trim panels. There is a soft crash-pad around the instru-ment panel, and the interior is fully carpeted. The whole aircraft is painted with a butyrate polychromatic finish in several standardcolour schemes. Equipment supplied to special order: Sun-blinds; auxiliary fuel tanks;dual controls; Z-harness; cabin floodlighting by lights in wing roots; cigar lighter; stand-by bowl compass; second (QNH) altimeter; artificialhorizon; direction indicator (vertical display); vertical speed indicator; vacuum pump and gauge; o.a.t. bulb;tstop watch; radio to customer'srequirements. This dimensioned drawing of the Airedale cabin makes possible a com- parison with any motor car—which is quite fair, for it is a Beagle- Auster claim that the aircraft has a "car-type interior". Dimensions, which are in inches, were measured by our artist DOORfPORT ONLY) SHELF LUGGAGE BAY
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