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Aviation History
1962
1962 - 2565.PDF
716 FLIGHT International, 1 November %y LETTERS . . . drift sight and its computer just a continuous DR position indicator. As such, it is an excellent navigation aid which can be used by a navigator to back up the normal navigation to provide more accurate track maintenance, thus enabling a possible reduction of present separation standards. This is the type of operation used, for example, by TCA, i.e., navigator-monitored Doppler between frequent astro or Loran fixes, cross-checked by "pressure pattern" drift. The present TWA method, on the other hand, can only bring about an increase in the lateral separation standards, because of the ever-increasing "circle of uncertainty" associated with this type of DR navigation. (Actually an elongated ellipse in this case, where the heading error is appreciably greater than the groundspeed error.) What would the reaction be, I wonder, if it were decided to dispense with pilots as soon as the all-weather landing systems—such as the Sud-Lear which has proved so success ful in the recent Caravelle trials—are brought into operation ? Present day autopilots can fly the aeroplane better and more accurately than the best human pilot in the world, and the automatic landing systems can land the aeroplane under conditions which make it impossible for the human pilot even to take over for an overshoot in case of failure! Anybody who honestly believes that the navigator can be replaced by a dual installation of Doppler must also be prepared to replace the pilots by a dual installation of auto pilot plus auto-landing. The only crew member then needed would be an electronic engineer; or if triple installation is used, even he can be dispensed with. The sky, like the oceans, is often described as a "vast open space," but we need only recall the Andrea Doria tragedy to realize what can happen when too much reliance is placed on "modern, fool-proof electronic devices." Surely now is the time to put a stop to all this. Let the qualified man do his job with all the best aids that modern technology can supply, let safety predominate in these labour disputes, let commonsense prevail before a mid-air collision over the North Atlantic results in a tragedy far greater than that of the Andrea Doria. Teddington, Middx A. L. SEGALL, Technical Vice-Chairman, International Airline Navigators' Council [The arrival of this letter confirms the prediction in the con cluding sentence of the article: "The human problem of dis posing of navigators belongs, at the moment, to TWA alone, but the prospects of reducing Atlantic separations are univers ally attractive and of major importance to all operators. It remains to be seen whether the equipment will ultirmtely be judged adequate for this purpose. There are still many who will hotly protest, even in the face of TWA's experience."— Safety Without Penalty SIR,—In answer to Mr Maurice Austin's questions (Letters, August 23), the Warren-Young design was not inspired by Kitchen's biplane, embodying ring-shaped wings, which was built about 1910. Nor was it based on the machine of Cedric Lee, who joined with Tilghman Richards to produce a monoplane with an annular wing, around 1912. It was reported that Kitchen made no progress with his machine and it may be assumed that it was not successful. The Lee- Richards aeroplane made many successful flights and proved to be remarkably stable. The aerodynamic characteristics of the Warren-Young wing depend upon the properties of planes of opposite sweep, joined together by a common tip surface. This form of wing, combining sweepback and sweepforward, is dissimilar in shape to the annular wing and is, I believe, much more efficient. The Edwards Rhomboidal biplane of 1908 was unknown to me until I applied for my patent, when the examiner requested me to demonstrate in what respect the Warren- Young differed from that design. That I was able to satisfy him is proved by the grant of a patent (No 508022 of Decem ber 23, 1937). Incidentally, I understand that the Edwards machine never flew. I cannot place Mr Austin's unidentified plane. Could it possibly be the Willoughby Delta of 1938? This, however, was very unlike the Warren-Young and came to a sticky end early in its life. My aeroplane was not inspired by any of these flying machines, but was the result of a search for an unstallable wing. My early flying experience had taught me the menace of the stall; in fact, I lost several friends, all experienced pilots, who were killed in stalling accidents. I realized that the conventional aeroplane was (and still is) a potential killer. There was little theory to guide me in those early days (1926), but I carried out many experiments with models. I tried the wing-form, now known as the Warren-Young, which showed exceptional stability in flight and had an almost vertical glide-path. The discovery was one thing, but the achievement of a full-scale aeroplane was quite another. My aeroplane certainly looked very odd and that condemned it. In those days, and indeed up to recent years, wing-shape had to conform to a strict convention and nothing could overcome this prejudice. So the Warren-Young was not built, and it is only within the past year or so that the design has attracted the attention of responsible aeronautical engineers. It is extraordinary that it has taken thirty-six years for aircraft design technology to catch up with the Warren-Young. Torcross, S. Devon NORMAN HALL-WARREN Whitworth-Gloster History SIR,—I am compiling, with the approval of the company, a book covering the history of all aircraft constructed by Whitworth-Gloster. While being assisted in every way by the company, I would be grateful to hear from any readers of Flight Inter national who have any data, historical records, etc, of proto types or production aircraft produced by the company. 77 Caerleon Road, T. I. GLOVER Newport, Mon FORTHCOMING EVENTS Nov 1 RAeS: "Launching Vehicles for Satellites and Space Probes,'" by D. Burden. Nov 1 RAeS London Airport: "Communication Space Satellites," by Capt C. F. Booth.* Nov 2 RAeS Rotorcraft Section: "Flight Requirements for the Operation of Rotorcraft," by J. Scanlon. Nov 3 British Interplanetary Society, Midlands Branch: "Reconnaissance Satellites," by G. P. Coates. Nov 5 RAeS Main Lecture at Derby Branch: "NATO's Firstborn, the Breguet 1150 Atlantic," by Capt Rene. Nov 5 British Interplanetary Society: One-day Rocket Course for Teachers. Nov 6 RAeS and IEE: "Electrical and Electronic Problems in Service Aircraft," by an RAFjRN Team. Nov 7 RAeS Christchurch Branch and IEE: "Power in Satellites." Nov 7 Kronfeld Club: "Paratroop Operations in the Oman" by Brig Tony Deane- Drummond. Nov 7 British Interplanetary Society: Symposium, "Ground- support Equipment." Nov 7 Society of Environmental Engineers: "Mechanics of Instrumentation," by R. G. Boiten. * RAeS London Airport Branch announces a change of venue for this lecture, which will now be held in the lecture hall at Fairey's Hayes works.
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