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Aviation History
1937
1937 - 3437.PDF
DECEMBER 9, 1937. FLIGHT. 577 THE CODOS SOUTH AMERICAN FLIGHT Some Additional Details of the Flight and the Machine Despite its angles, Codos' Farman does well over 200 m.p.h. with four medium supercharged Hispano Xirs water~cooi«d engines. The radiator installation is a point of interest. INTENDING to study, first-hand, operating conditions over the South Atlantic and South American lines of the Air France system prior to the introduction of new equipment, Paul Codos (chief pilot of the company), as lecorded briefly in Flight last week, took off from Le Bourget on Novem ber 20 to fly by way oi Dakar, Natal and Buenos Aires to Santiago (Chile). He accomplished the 7,862-mile trip in 58hr. /jrmin. elapsed time and 5ihr. 45mm. flying time, which are equivalent to a commercial speed oi 133 m.p.h. and a cruising speed of 150 m.p.h. The machine used was a foui-engined Farman 2231 which was originally ordered by the French Air Ministry for entry in the proposed New York-Paris- race. This was subsequently abandoned and replaced by the Istres-Damascus event, in which the Farman took part with some distinction although outclassed by the Italian Savoias. For the South American trip it was christened Le Chef Pilot Guerrero. Le Bourget being more or less waterlogged, Codos decided lo take off with a comparatively light iuel load, making a landing at Istres (Marseilles) where the Farman was tanked up to capacity (2,600 gallons of petrol and 80 of oil). After successive landings at Dakar, Natal (after the Atlantic cross ing), and Buenos Aires, the Farman crossed the Cordillera Mountains at about 21,500ft., and landed at Santiago, Chile. A proposed landing at Rio de Janeiro was omitted to save time. Arriving al Santiago, Codos said that he had encountered fine conditions over Africa but that he had run into numerous rain squalls over the South Atlantic. Between Caravellas and Rio de Janeiro he climbed to nearly 17,000ft. to avoid violent thunderstorms, but found that the higher he went the more disturbed the air became, so he brought the Farman down to a lowei Wei. This phenomenon was directly opposite, accord ing to Codos, to what is usually encountered in temperate climates. The Machine The Farman 2231 differs more extensively than the better- known Centaure than is commonly believed. In the first plur.e it has a tapered wing of less area with single-strut bracing for the outer panels, the trailing edges of which are fabric-covered. The metal-covered fuselage has vertical sides and is only 4ft. 7in. wide. The tail has twin fins and rudders. Four Hispano Suiza 12 Xirs water-cooled moderately super charged engines are mounted in pairs below the wing close to the fuselage, two driving tractor airscrews and two pusher propellers. The maximum power of each of these units, delivered at 7,850ft., is 725 h.p. A Messier undercarriage and Ratier airscrews and propellers were specified for the South American flight. Data are: Span 109ft. 2in.; length 72ft.; height 16ft.; wing area 1,426 sq. ft.; approximate weight empty 8 tons; fuel o| tons; Ireight and crew ij tons; top speed 216 m.p.h. (at 7,850ft.); cruising speed 175-185 m.p:h.; range 5.000 miles. Advice on Aeronautical Employment pAPT. F. WARREN MERR1MAN, A.F.C., A.F.R.Ae.S., \~* whose work as an aeronautical consultant and adviser on aviation employment will be recalled by many who came in contact with him at West Cowes and elsewhere, is now re opening his bureau at 194, Above Bar, Southampton. A practical pilot from pre-war days (several officers who now hold high rank in the R.A.F. were his pupils) Capt. Merri- man has kept up his flying—he is a member of the Hamp shire Club—and is closely in touch with all branches of the industry. His energies are mainly directed towards giving advice on apprenticeship and training in civil aviation, and he places his clients on an employment register. Another Link Demonstration AN Tuesday of last week Air Comdre. Fellowes, of the J.V.W. ^ Coqwration, invited a number of instructors and interested persons to witness a demonstration of the Link ground instru ment trainer at Gatwick, where British Airways had placed theirs at his disposal. Alter lunch Air Comdre. Fellowes gave a short talk on the vir tues and values of this machine and one of the B.A. senior pilots Provided a convincing demonstration hoth of normal blind flying and of a Lorenz approach, under Mr. McMillan's guid ance. Thereafter, several people, including FJt. Lt. W, E, P. Johnson—who was largely responsible for the C.F.S. blind flying course—tried their hands at it. The weather was not too good and no doubt several instruc tors, who might otherwise have come along, were prevented from doing so Nevertheless, it was a little discouraging to see, so far as we could estimate, that only three outside clubs —Cinque Ports, Cardiff and Bournemouth—were represented. Death of Mr. W. L Avery F LIGHT deeply regrets to record the death, on November 22 of Mr. W. L. Avery, the designer of the Avery aircraft wheel and brake, of a non-priming coupling for use in hydraulic systems, and of other aircraft components. Mr. Avery was originally associated with the Palmer Co., where he made his mark in connection with the development of that company's Wheels and brakes. Some three or four years ago he left in order to work out his own design of brake, and eighteen months ago a company—Avery Equipment, Ltd., of Twickenham—was formed to exploit his patents. The latest Avery wheel and brake, though now well known in this country, has been developed to an even greater extent in Germanv. where many machines are equipped with it.
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