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Aviation History
1963
1963 - 0326.PDF
FLIGHT 310 International, 28 February 1963 Front view of the Peak 100 two-seat high-performance sailplane, immediately after its first flight at Cranfield on February 5. ("World News," February 14). The wingspan is 60ft Increasing Aviation Safety There was a pat on the back for flying clubs and their staffs from the MoA Parliamentary Secretary, Mr Neil Marten, at the recent ABACC annual dinner. He emphasized that sound basic training at civil flying schools and clubs, where future pilots received their initial instruction, was one of the surest means of increasing aviation safety. In this, the flying instructor was a key figure, said Mr Marten; and he felt confident that the Association approved of measures taken to standardize examining methods and test all instructors at regular intervals. Mr Marten looked back to the 1930s "as perhaps the heyday of private flying in this country," but reminded his hearers that the days when anyone anywhere could step into an aircraft on the spur of the moment and follow railway lines were gone for good. The growth of airline traffic and the increased demands which modern aircraft made on pilots had combined to make this pleasant activity increasingly difficult in large areas of the UK. For the future, business or personal flying in one's own aeroplane must be treated as a serious undertaking. The private flier who wished to make a cross-country flight of any duration needed to be a competent pilot in a properly equipped aircraft and to know the rules. One Thousand Cherokees Delivery of the 1,000th Piper Cherokee took place on January 24 at Piper Aircraft Corporation's Vero Beach plant in Florida. The machine, a 180 h.p. AutoFlite model, was purchased by Ponte Inc, a Chicago cosmetics firm, and will be flown by the company's president, Mr Walter Bergmann. Distinctive registration for the Cherokee is N1000P, which has been transferred from the first Piper Apache. SPORT AND B U S 1 N ESS to rudder and power, and had a bolt sticking*below the saucer- shaped tail ski to provide some stabilization and drag. Both types turned in wide slithers so that the turn had to be cautiously planned to avoid any obstacles. A burst of power produced an initial change of heading followed by a rather longer sideways slither, which could produce a sharp bump against the frozen edge of a rut. In softer snow, the behaviour would probably be rather better, so long as deep snow did not tend to bog the skis down. Sharp-edged skis would improve turning, but accentuate rut-bumping, just as in human skiing. The novelty and the singular scenery make ski-flying very well worth attempting, and the effective heater in the Cub makes it comfortable too. The remarkable short-field capability of this type seems to remain virtually unaffected, making its use for winter reconnaissance and rescue particularly attractive, the more so because of the simplicity of the conversion, which does not disturb the existing wheel undercarriage. c. M. L. Ski Flying at Redhiil Snowy weather being even worse for flying than normal English conditions, it is difficult to assess a ski-fitted aircraft except in restricted circumstances. Nevertheless a brief session on the Tiger Club's Super Cub and a Turbulent at Redhiil recently proved well worthwhile. In misty conditions giving a near white-out, it was barely prudent to leave the circuit. Straight hops were begun, but over-enthusiasm on the throttle of the Cub soon led to an unscheduled and rather groping circuit. The Turbulent later made several circuits, being less troubled by high-wing "invisibility." Since ski flying necessarily involves flying over snow, the white-out problem Jn hazy conditions, specially with a low winter sun, is worth bearing in mind. Normal summer runway markers also tend to disappear from sight, while remaining a serious obstacle if struck. The handling and performance in the air of the ski aircraft at Redhiil appeared to be virtually unaffected, and the take-off and touchdown were completely straightforward using any of the no rmal techniques. The main problem was taxying. First, if the aircraft was allowed to stop it froze to the ground. A spare crewman to shake the machine free is essential if the Cub is operated away from helping hands. The Turbulent has such a powerful rudder that it can be prized loose unassisted with full rudder and full power even after some minutes at standstill. On the crisp, frozen snow at the time of our flights, both aircraft tended noticeably to crab downhill when taxying across a slope which one would not normally notice in summer. This was disquieting during the faster portion of the landing run when braking was minimal and the runway markers had to be avoided. The Turbulent responded much more strongly Tiger Moth conversion for the Seaplane Club being carried out by Rol- lasons at Croydon. The aircraft is a gift to the club from Norman Jones ; the Edo floats are off an Aeronca, and the conversion is being done from drawings of original Tiger Moth conversions from the de Havilland archives
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