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Aviation History
1964
1964 - 0136.PDF
FLIGHT International, 16 lanuory 1964 93 8PORT AND B U 8 I N E 8 8 on the production aircraft is the tow release. All pivots in the con- trol systems have been fitted with either sealed aircraft bearings or p.t.f.e. plastic bearings, which should not require further lubrica- tion after the aircraft leaves the factory. One feature which has not been seen on Slingsby designs since pre-war days is the all-flying tail. This is positioned at the base of the fin and is neatly faired into the rear fuselage lines. Double anti- balance tabs are provided to give feel for the pilot, and these can be pre-positioned by the cockpit trimmer control for speed trim- ming in flight. Although only limited performance checks have been completed, the aircraft gives a marked impression of having a high perform- ance. In the early stages of the flight testing a flight was timed from release at 3,OOOft; after a series of stalls and runs up to 90kt, the total duration of the flight gave an average sinking speed of 2.3ft/ sec. A short comparison flight was made with a popular continental design, and the company's impression was that the T.51 was markedly better over a wide speed-range. In flight, the aircraft is reported to be very quiet, and pleasant to handle at all speeds. In spite of the comparatively high wing loading the machine has pleasant slow-flying characteristics, and the controls are smooth and well-harmonized. At speeds around 70-90kt the aircraft is still quiet and smooth to fly. Aileron control is very responsive and produces a rate of roll which should be ade- quate for any purpose. The elevator control also is smooth and well-damped, and there is little tendency to hunt due to over- control either on the tow or in free flight. One point that the designers are dealing with at the present time concerns the com- paratively low elevator-loads. Modifications are being made to the anti-balance tabs to provide more feel for the pilot with change of speed. Pilots report that the stalling characteristics of the T.51 are much as one would expect from this type of aircraft. With the e.g. between the mid-position and full-forward the aircraft will not perform a full static stall. The nose of the aircraft can be raised to quite a high angle, at which point it proceeds to wallow and will not always drop into a full stall. When the stall is approached more quickly the nose comes up and falls away straight. As the e.g. goes further aft than the mid-position the aircraft can be made to stall by bringing the stick slowly back. In this configuration there is a tendency for one or other of the wings to drop and, as the e.g. moves to the full- aft position, this becomes more marked. Controls are fully effective right up to the stalls and recovery, either after a straight stall or with wing-drop, is rapidly obtained. In a spin the nose is well down and the rate of rotation quite high. The recovery is effected by normal actions within one-quarter of a turn. Slingsby Sailplanes Ltd has not yet decided on a name for the Type 51. Whatever name is finally chosen, it seems certain that this sailplane will rapidly become well-known in the gliding movement throughout the world. A high initial rate of production is being organized at Kirbymoorside, and 70 orders have been received. Auster Accident The establishment of "a simple qualification enabling private pilots to extricate themselves easily from tempor- ary IMC situations" is recommended in the official French report into the accident to Auster J.1N flown by Mr Holland Birkett at Stella Plage, near Le Touquet, on July 8, 1963. Mr Birkett and his wife, who was a passenger in the aircraft, were killed in the accident. Mr Birkett took off from Berck at 3.45 p.m. GMT for Deauville, with good weather over the land but fog over the sea. He had been advised not to fly via the coast, but flew over the sea after take off. Encountering the fog he tried to return to Berck, flying low along the coast, but passed Berck without observing the aerodrome and crashed on attempting to land on a beach. Under the heading "Causes of the accident," the investigating officer (the airport commandant at Le Touquet) states:— "It seems difficult to determine with certainty the real cause of this accident, which appears to have been brought about by a side- slip followed by a stall at low altitude after the pilot, whose first thought was to land on the beach, had lost control of the aircraft. It is, moreover, certain that the pilot did not have adequate visual reference to the ground at the time of the accident. The sea fog was thick and came down to the surface of the water. "In view of the advice which he had received it seems obvious that Mr Birkett took risks in resolving not to wait for an improve- ment in the meteorological conditions over the sea, since about 15 minutes after the accident the fog had cleared. "Mr Birkett's aircraft was suitably equipped for a flight in IMC, but this equipment was recent (installed about a month earlier) and Mr Birkett appears to have been inexperienced; otherwise it would have been easy for him to climb above the fog layer, the thickness of which was not more than 1,000ft. "There is no doubt that the underlying cause of this accident was the imprudence of the pilot, who persisted in continuing his flight without having exact knowledge of the meteorological condi- tions along his route. In addition, he could have taken off towards the east and flown to Deauville on a route parallel to the coast. The pilot was also undoubtedly lacking in experience. "This accident, which is practically the same as two accidents which occurred on the same day, April 15, 1963, at Berck, gives rise to the following conclusions:— "1. The necessity of reinforcing the regulations as regards clearance for the departure of private aircraft; "2. The advisability of establishing a simple qualification enabling private pilots to extricate themselves easily from temporary IMC situations, for example by climbing above the cloud layer in order to find VMC." First flight of the Moynet 360 Jupiter push-pull executive twin was made from Villacoublay on December 17. Powered by two 200 h.p. Lycomings, the aircraft was flown by Andre Moynet and Lucien Tieles. Developed by Engins Matra, the Jupiter accommodates 4-5 people; a 6-7 seat version (two 290 h.p. Lycomings) is envisaged
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