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Aviation History
1961
1961 - 0878.PDF
CARVAIR'S MAIDEN FLIGHT REGISTERED G-ANYB, the first Aviation Traders ATL-98Carvair took off from Southend Airport at 8.26 on themorning of June 21 on its first flight. At a weight of 54,0001b the run was a mere 300yd. The Carvair landed exactly 2hr later,using only 3,500ft of the 5,265ft long 06 runway. The only snag reported was a sticky microswitch on the undercarriage uplock.The pilot was Mr D. B. Cartlidge, one of Aviation Traders (Engineering) Ltd's two senior pilots, and Capt R. Langley acted asfirst officer and stand-by pilot. Mr Don Cartlidge is a graduate of the Empire Test Pilots' School and Capt Bob Langley is anexperienced DC-4 route captain with test-flying experience. Capt Langley is managing captain of Channel Air Bridge. The thirdmember of the test team was Mr K. W. Smith, Aviation Traders' flight test engineer. A company release issued on the day of the first flight states thatduring most of the flight the behaviour of the new passenger-and- vehicle transport was watched by Capt L. P. Griffith, the company'sother senior test pilot, flying an accompanying Cessna 310D. Also on board the observation aircraft was a technical director ofAviation Traders, Mr J. R. Batt; the chief designer, Mr A. C. Leftly; and the chief inspector, Mr C. W. Murrell. "Auto-observer and camera equipment is carried in the prototypeCarvair," the report continues, '" and there are trace recorders to measure control-surface angles, stick forces and trim-tab deflections.Provision is made for water ballasting and jettisoning by means of tanks installed in the fuselage, but on this first flight the aircraftwas flown at a mid-c.g. position and at the light weight of 54,0001b at take-off. "During the first flight the pilots carried out a preliminaryassessment of handling qualities. In particular, they studied aero- dynamic effects of the pronounced hump on the forward fuselagewhich enables up to six cars to be loaded through the nose. Wind- tunnel tests have already been carried out at the College of Aero- nautics, Cranfield, on a model of the Carvair, and, for comparison,on a model of the DC-4, of which the Carvair is a modification. These tests were satisfactory. "Flight tests this morning were conducted at heights between2,000ft and 6,000ft, with the aircraft flying at speeds of up to 210 m.p.h. Control circuit friction and control effectiveness wereassessed, and the aircraft was side-slipped through small angles for a first check on the extended fin and rudder. Subsequently CaptCartlidge flew the aircraft below 97 m.p.h. and at a low power- setting to examine the behaviour near the stall—in particular, the The views on this pags show aspects of the Carvair which stamp it as an aircraft of character if not of pulchritude
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