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Aviation History
1931
1931 - 0863.PDF
FLIGHT, AUGUST 14, 1931 SCHNEIDER CONTEST, 1Q31 'HE Royal Aero Club announces that, after con-sultation with the Air Ministry and Admiralty, it has been decided that this year the SchneiderTrophy Contest shall be competed for over a triangular course over the Solent and Spithead on Septem-ber 12, with the turning points in the following positions: The western pylon will be on the Ryde Middle, thesouthern pylon will be off St. Helen's Point, and the eastern pylon on the foreshore of the eastern side ofChichester Harbour. This circuit provides a course of 50 kilometres (26.98sea miles, or 31.07 land miles), and will be flown round anti-clockwise seven times, the speed contest, therefore,being over a distance of 350 kilometres (188.86 sea miles, or 217.47 land miles). The Club has decided on thiscourse after the most careful consideration of all the factors involved. For the safe operation of high-speed seaplanes such ascompete in the Schneider Trophy Contest, it is essential that the waters on which they operate shall be calm andprotected with suitable tidal conditions, and an investi- gation of other localities in the British Isles has shownthat the Solent and Spithead is the only place which pro- vides a sufficient expanse of protected water with therequisite conditions, and at the same time is easily reached by spectators both in England and from abroad. Further-more, the locality lends itself to the efficient organisation and conduct of the contest owing to the immediateproximity of the naval port of Portsmouth and the Royal Air Force Base at Calshot. The work of marking thecourse with buoys, providing destroyers for the two sea- borne pylons, allocating and supervising the berthingareas for yachts, etc., and the patrolling of the course is all undertaken by the Royal Navy, and Calshot Air Stationis eminently suited for the accommodation of the compet- ing teams, who have to be based close to the scene ofthe contest for some time beforehand in order to obtain the necessary practice over the actual course to be flown. This year's contest differs from that held in 1929, inthat the " preliminary trials " immediately precede the speed tests and form part of one continuous contest. Thepreliminary trials consist of a take-off, a climb to approxi- mately 150 feet, a landing and taxying test of about twominutes' duration. The competitor then proceeds direct to the starting line and enters the speed course. In the interests of safety, it is essential that the areawhere the preliminary trials take place shall not be over- lapped by the speed course. Whilst racing, the aircraftfly at a comparatively low height, at times as low as 100 or 150 feet, and a risk of collision would exist werethey to pass over the same area as that in which the air- craft are taking off and landing in the preliminary trials.The most suitable expanse of water of sufficient size for the preliminary trials is that stretch of water south of theentrance to Southampton Water off Calshot Castle ; east St Helen's Fort o_ l_2_3_-^5_6_'£_8 MILES THE SCHNEIDER CONTEST: Sketch Map of the 1931 Course. Note that the Eastern Turning Point is on land. of Gurnard Bay and Stone Point ; and west of the RydeMiddle. This area, therefore, will be reserved for these trials and for the landing of each aircraft after comple-tion of the contest. The unrestricted use of this water has been made possible by the co-operation of the shippingcompanies and the Southampton Harbour Board, who have generously agreed to adapt the sailings of all ships onSeptember 12, so that both this area and the course itself shall be free of shipping between 12.30 p.m. and 4 p.m.The port of Southampton will, therefore, be closed during these hours. In order to leave the preliminary trial area clear, it hasbeen necessary to plot the speed course to the east of it, and the triangular course chosen is that which, whilstaffording the best course from a flying point of view, also gives the public an admirable view from several points ofvantage. In 1929 a quadrilateral course was chosen, but, with the increasing speed of racing aircraft, a triangularcourse is preferable, as the legs are longer and the pilots have only to find three pylons instead of four. The pylon on the foreshore is easily found by the pilots,since it is close to the entrance to Chichester Harbour, and the harbour itself at high tide would provide an ex-panse of water for an emergency landing in the event of an engine failure on the turn. It will also be observedfrom a glance at the chart that the turning point off St. Helen's Point is also easily found, since it is in a directline between the Ryde Middle pylon and the conspicuous Nab Tower to the south-east. Experience in 1929 has shown that Ryde pier providesadmirable facilities as a starting and finishing line. It enables the aircraft, after completing the preliminary trials,to enter straight on to the left-handed course without crossing it, and the communication facilities are sufficientfor all purposes. The contest has been timed to begin at 12.30 p.m., inorder to obtain the best tidal conditions. Between the hours of 12.30 and 4 p.m. there will be plenty of waterover all the sand banks and in Chichester Harbour, and conditions will be practically identical for both the firstaircraft to start and the last. In the event of postpone- ment owing to bad weather, the time of starting mayhave to be advanced, the hour depending upon the day on which the contest is held. GENERAL REGULATIONS 1.—The Contest will take place on Saturday, September12. Particulars of the Preliminary Trial Area and Speed Course are shown on the attached Official Chart.2.—The competing aircraft shall be at the position desig- nated by the Clerk of the Course near the starting ship,H.M.S. Medea, in time for the start of the first competi- tor at 12.30 hours 3.—The first competitor will be started at 12.30 hours,and the other competitors at intervals of 15 minutes there- after. In the event of any competitor retiring from theContest, the time of departure of subsequent competitors may be advanced and all competitors shall be held to beprepared for such advance. 4.—The order of starting of the first competitor of eachteam will be drawn by lot prior to the day of the Contest. The sequence drawn for the first of each team will befollowed for the second and third of each team. 5.—Each competitor will be started by a signal gunfrom the starting ship. Five minutes before the firing of each gun a preparative flag signal will be hoisted. Onenational flag will indicate the forthcoming start of the first competitor of a team, two flags the second and threeflags the third. Each flag hoist will be hauled down simultaneously with the firing of the gun. 6.—Each competitor will be allowed 30 minutes in whichto carry out the preliminary trials as defined in rules 12, 13 and 14. 7.—If a competitor is still within the defined preliminarytrial area at the expiration of 15 minutes from his start he must give right of way to the next competitor started.8.—If a competitor has not succeeded in carrying out the preliminary trials and in leaving the defined prelimin-ary trial area within the 30 minutes allowed, he will be deemed to have failed and must retire from the Contestand leave the trial area as expeditiously as possible. 809
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