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Aviation History
1962
1962 - 1632.PDF
302 FLIGHT International, 30 August 1962 Letters The Editor of" Flight International" is not necessarily in agreement with the views expressed by correspondents in these columns. Names and addresses of writers, not for publication in detail, must in all cases accompany letters. Space and Airspace From Sir Frederick Tymms, KC1E, MC, FRAeS SIR,—In your editorial of July 26 ("Behind the Headlines") you refer to the "artificial divisions between aeroplanes, spacecraft and rockets." I assume that you do not mean this to be taken literally or to be read out of its context of the X-15 and similar craft (which are intended to be convertible from aeroplane to spacecraft). Even in this context I suggest that the treatment of the difference (or division) between aeroplanes and spacecraft as artificial may be dangerously misleading, as may also be the apparently convenient term "aerospace plane." The danger is that the idea that the distinction is artificial may be extended to the separate regions in which these craft operate; and on the maintenance of a clear perception of the real distinction between the two depends the development of international law in space—a matter of vital importance. A number of false trails have been followed in the voluminous legal writings on the subject —based on wrong technical concepts. As a guide to the law-makers, it would seem wise to emphasize that an "aerospace plane" cannot be both things at the same time. An aeroplane (or aircraft) cannot be sustained, as such, in space; and a spacecraft cannot pursue its normal routine (as for example, remaining in orbit) in the airspace. The whole of the airspace is subject to national sovereignty—except over the high seas and a few other areas —because it was found impracticable to divide it into layers. This principle was established for security reasons, but it entailed social and economic consequences in regard to the airspace which no one could contemplate extending any further, even were it not manifestly absurd. The fact that it is impossible to draw a precise boundary to the airspace and therefore to define where one regime of international law ends and the other will begin is not likely to give rise to insuperable difficulties if the real distinction between aircraft and spacecraft is borne in mind. The region of doubt is not very large. After all, how big is the whole airspace? In the scale of space, it is nothing but a thin film on the surface of a speck of dust. Farnham, Surrey F. TYMMS Naming the ACV SIR,—Following your interest in establishing a generic name for air cushion vehicles or GEMS, I would like to suggest SKIMMER. The US Navy Bureau of Ships coined the word HYDRO- SKIMMER for the over-water version. Similarly, the over land version would be called TERRASKIMMER. The amphibious type, which might be of interest to the Marines or serve as a lighter, would be called LITOSKIMMER (litus = beach, shore). A preferable, more euphonious, alternative is ORASKIMMER (ora = boundary or coast). Ridgewood, NJ, USA E. K. LIBERATORE SIR,—Having noted others* attempts to find a name for this three-year old "animal," I could contain myself no longer when Mr Guy Greenous Flight International, August 2) said what most people have thought all along— namely that the air cushion vehicle might as well be called a hovercraft, for it's been called that generally for the past three years. At this point in time, I suggest, it is too late for it to be called anything else, HOVERCRAFT is, and will be, the generic name for this type of machine whether it be registered or not, and Britons and others are going to go on calling The model referred to in the letter below from Mr G. Woolls, "Safety without Penalty" it this in the same way that they refer to most vacuum cleaners as Hoovers. As a matter of interest, the name AIR CUSHION VEHICLE was adopted by James Hay Stevens when he wrote an article on air-riding vehicles for Aeronautics of July 1961. There will doubtless be general agreement with his point that this is cumbersome. (He abbreviated it to ACV.) I like Mr Steed's suggestion though (Flight International, August 9) that these craft are air-riders, and should be called so. (I love that HIGH RIDER!) AS a point of interest, a magazine devised by me and dealing with these machines would have been called The Air-Riding Vehicle. This was in mid-1961, and for reasons best known to me and its publishers was never proceeded with. Belated congratula tions to Flight International's supplement, anyway. London NW6 ROY ALLEN "Safety without Penalty" SIR,—The letter by N. H. Warren concerning the Warren- Young Skycar (Flight International, August 9) mentioned a large diesel-powered model. I enclose a photo of this model, together with a photo of a miniature all-balsa "Jetex" powered version [the latter is reproduced herewith—Ed], both of which were designed and built by myself. Flight tests of these two aircraft, together with those of . an earlier rubber-powered version, proved this design to be extremely stable, and to have pronounced resistance to any tendency to drop a wing should the aircraft be forced into a nose-up attitude by any sudden gust. This excellent feature was also exhibited if the motor cut out suddenly when the aircraft was in a steep climb. In this circumstance the aircraft would just drop their noses and take up their natural gliding attitude. Bristol GEORGE WOOLLS FORTHCOMING EVENTS Sept 3-9 SB AC Flying Display and Exhibition, Farnborough. Sept 8 British Interplanetary Society: Space Forum. Sept 13 Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators: Presentation of Trophies, Innholders' Hall, London EC4. Sept 15 RAF "At Home" Day. Sept 16 Tiger Club: Display, Fair Oaks. Sept 16 Wiltshire School of Flying: Thruxton Air Races. Sept 17-23 Grand Prix International de Bourges. Sept 19 RAeS Coventry: "Development of Seaslug," by C. Bayly and A. Lightbody. Sept 19-22 Second International Agricultural Aviation Con gress, Crignon, France. Sept 22 Air Display and Races, Shoreham. Sept 22 Elstree Flying Club: Flying display. Sept 27 RAeS Halton: "Operations of Special Duties Squadrons" by A. Firth. Sept 27-28 Aerodrome Owners Association: Annual Conference, Blackpool.
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