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Aviation History
1962
1962 - 0366.PDF
FLIGHT International, 8 March 1962 SPORT AND BUSINESS Mr J. N. Somers, director of London Aero Club, with the Rallye Club at Panshanger The Production Morane Rallye |ORANE SAULNIER will soon deliver their 100th Rallye— a 145 h.p. Super bought by London Aero Club, the British agents at Panshanger, Herts. A 105 h.p. Rallye Club, G-ARTT, is already in England. The main changes made since the prototype, subject of "In the Air" report No 133 in Flight for August 5, 1960, have already been described. The overall effect of improved fur nishing, larger cabin, new undercarriage and rearranged controls is favourable. Complete brochures list equipment and colour schemes available. Generator, battery, starter, fuel pressure gauge and electric booster pump are all standard, but the sight-glass fuel gauge is for some reason very inaccurate in the air. Steering by toe-brakes on the left rudder pedals is effective. In many American aircraft one finds the rather half-hearted and unpleasant safety-factor of an under-powered elevator which is simply not effective enough at low speeds to produce a full-blooded The standard Rallye Club cockpit, shown here, leaves plenty of room for more instruments and radio. Note the low coaming stall. The result is that one has to approach at a much higher speed than necessary to have enough elevator for a power-off round-out— or approach at a very shallow angle with power, or use some com bination of these two techniques. At higher speeds, strong longi tudinal stability often limits manoeuvring unnecessarily. Morane Saulnier have solved the problem admirably. They chose to provide full elevator effectiveness at the low speed end in com bination with phenomenal high-lift devices in the form of full-span slats and slotted flaps and ailerons. For the high-speed end of the range they have provided a high stick-force per g and strong longi tudinal stability. Add a degree of control friction which is surprising in a French aircraft (because the Centre d'Essais en Vol is said to be strict about this) and you have an aircraft which becomes rather solid to fly in bumpy weather. In smooth air heaviness of control is apparently not nearly so evident. In price, the Rallye is comparable with the group of 100 h.p. high-wing American types, but it can carry 2421b in the back seat- one rear-seat lap-belt is provided—and, as far as low-speed handling and visibility are concerned, the French aircraft is incomparably better. The new undercarriage is superbly smooth, although the nosewheel seems to let the propeller come very close to the ground on occasions. Heater and ventilator, together with additional vents in the canopy, provide good comfort; and the seats, though apparently rudimentary, are very comfortable. All the mechanical devices—flap lever, trim wheel, switches, canopy lock and parking brake—work firmly, but the canopy is just a little stiff to move at the end of its travel. I flew G-ARTT from Panshanger in a blustering, ice-cold 20kt wind, which threw me about in no uncertain fashion. Take-off. with or without flap, was extremely short and the rate of climb very good. Flap could be dumped with a jerk without causing sink. Pronounced longitudinal stability at cruising speed and control friction, combined with the very rough weather, made straight-and- level flying at about 100 m.p.h. rather hard work. But the controls did centre firmly when fully deflected and released, and the aircraft did fly hands-off as well as could be expected in strong turbulence. I renewed acquaintance with that quite remarkable stall, the descente parachutale, with the stick fully back at about 40 m.p.h. into which the Rallye soon settles even after a sharply accelerated stall. Above all, the low-speed handling was exceptionally safe and forgiving. The pilot can pick a very steep climb with the slats out at 62 m.p.h. or a faster climb with the slats in at 84 m.p.h. The rate of climb in both cases is the same. Rate of roll at 100 m.p.h. is very high and spiral stability is good. The cabin remained com fortably warm despite below-zero external temperature and a slighi draught coming in past the flap lever. VNE was placarded at 135kt, maximum speed for full control deflection at 104kt, maximum rough-air speed at 135kt and limiting g-loading 3.8g. The speeds are all above normal cruising. Although a notice forbade aerobatics, smart rolls were demonstrated in the original prototype and the Rallye is said to be aerobatic with one occupant. Turns could be initiated with either rudder or aileron alone, but little side-slip angle could be developed at low speed. In a very tight turn, the aircraft juddered at 80 m.p.h., but the slats then popped out and the turn could be maintained at 60 m.p.h. Slat extension occurred at higher speed with power on and a short increase in speed was necessary to push them in before settling into the 80 m.p.h. clean climb. Flap extension gave a slight nose-up trim change, but flap and slat together gave remarkable low-speed handling, and a very high rate of descent could be achieved at 50 m.p.h., with plenty of lift left for a firm power-off round-out. Recommended approach speed was 60 m.p.h. In the very strong wind, landing runs were never more than 30 or 40yd. After an overshoot the aircraft would climb with full flap down, but the flaps could be suddenly retracted quite safely and the aircraft thereafter accelerated very rapidly into the climb. The Rallye is cheap and simple, but it can be fully equipped, and it gives an impression of great safety combined with classic charac teristics and handling. Safety has not been achieved by quirks. With the 145 h.p. Continental, the Super Rallye, which also carries better standard equipment, should perform extremely well. MARK LAMBERT
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