AVIATION

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 31, 31 October 1929, Page 15

AVIATION

THE MOTH AMPHIBIAN A NEW DEPARTURE (By “Tailskid.”) Designed and built to the special order of Mr. J. Scott-Taggart, the wireless expert, by Messrs. Short Bros., Rochester, a special undercarriage applied to the M<\th represents a completely new departure in light aircraft. According to the manufacturers the performance imparted to the Moth by the Gipsy engine is not to any great extent affected by the added weight and resistance, while the advantages of amphibian qualities; especialy for operation in and around New Zealand, with its irregular and indented coast line, needs no < iphasis. The general working of the gear will be gathered from the illustration. Passing at rightangles through the main central float is the horizontal axle for the landing wheels. When if is desired to land on water, the axle is caused to rotate from the cockpit, when the .wheels swing upwards and forwards, above the level of the float. Landing is effected on the central float, which carries a water rudder and spring tail-skid combined. The small wing floats function as “jockeys,” the machine heeling over on to one or the other when moored.. r

CIVIL AIRCRAFT DOMINION REGISTRATIONS. The following is ; a list'of the civil aircraft at present in the. Dominion, with the correct registration markings recently allotted: — . - Moth, Z.K.A.A.A., Marlborough Aero Club. Moth. Z.K.A.A.8., Hawke’s Bay Aero Club, Hastings. Avian, Z.K.A.A.C., Captain K. AV. J. Hall, Hororata, 'Moth, Z.K.A.A.D., Air Survey and Transport Company, Auckland. Moth, Z.K.A.A.E., Auckland Aero Club. Avian, Z.K.A.A.F., Goodwin and Chichester, Aviation Co,, Ltd. Moth, Z.K.A.A.G., Hamilton Airways, Ltd. Moth Z.K.A.A.H., Canterbury Aero Club. Moth, Z.K.A.A.1., Canterbury Aero Club. . • ' Moth, . Z.K.A.A.J., Marlborough Aero Chib. Moth, ZK.A.A.K., Auckland Aero Club. Sloth, Z.K.A.A.L.. Auckland Aero Club. Sloth, Z.K.A.A.SL, Marlborough Aero Club. Avian, Z.K.A.A.N., Goodwin and Chicchester Aviation Coy., Ltd. Sloth, Z.K.A.A.O, Air Survey and Transport Coy. Simmons Spartan, Z.K.A.A.P., II .F. Mase, Aviation, Ltd., Auckland (crashed in France). Blackburn Bluebird, Z.K.A.A.Q., D. S. Cattanach,-Auckland. ’ Sloth, Z.K.A,A,R„ Captain J. D. Hewett, 194 Ranfurly Road, Auckland. Sloth, Z.K.A.A.S., Hamilton Airways, Ltd., Hamilton. Sloth, Z.K.A.A.T., Air Survey and Transport Coy. Sloth, Z.K.A.A.U., Air Survey and Transport Coy. Sloth, Z.K.A.A.V.,. Air Survey and Transport Co. ' w' Sloth, Z.K.A.A.X., New Plymouth Aero Club. Simmons Spartan, Z.K.A.A.Y., Hawke’s Bay Aero Club. THE “BLIMP” AIRSHIP HOW IT GOT ITS NAME: Recently there were published in “The Dominion” two photographs of the first flight of the 150 ft. long private airship Adi, owned by The Airship Development Co., England. . Non-rigid airships of this type are usually called dirigibles and, more familiarly “blimps.” < The best British npn-rigids used during the war were designated as B type of limp airship, as distinguished from the rigid airship. Quite naturally B-limp ships were popularly contracted into blimps by the public, and this name has stuck. Dirigible literally means a balloon that is equipped with motors and steering, apparatus to make, it dirigible or directable, ’so that any motored lighter-than-airship can be called a dirigible. The term is correct, but the designation airship is preferred. . , , The airship is further distinguished from the heavier-tlian-air plqne by the fact that it floats in the air iis a surface ship does in the water, while the aeroplane keeps aloft by the fact of rapid forward motion and the lifting effect ot the air; on the slightly tilted plane ot its -wings. ' ... nix. The non-rigid mrship : is. so called to distinguish it from the semi-rigid, winch has a metal keel from nose to tail, and from the full rigid, which has a complete metal skeleton framework in which the bags of lifting gas are placed. There is no metal reinforcement in the nonrigid ship, and its shape it kept by its being inflated with gas. Since all gases expand with heat and contract with aiold, a smaller bag or bailed net filled with air is placed inside the ship. Then, as tlie gas with which the ship is inflated

expands, air is forced out instead of gas. If the gas contracts'air scoops placed at the back of the. propellers arc opened and the air stream is forced into the bailed net. Thus the bag is kept taut nt all times. • . Failure of the motors on a small rigid does not entail the forced landing, as it does with an aeroplane. Recently the pilot’ pf tlie Goodyear blimp Pilgrim found that vibration of the motor had jarred loose a connection on the petrol tank, with the result that the whole fuel supply was suddenly lost. The motor stopped, and the pilot, seeing What had happened, drifted till be found an open clearing, valved just enough helium to start tlie ship down, let out his drag rope, called to some farmers nearby to pull the ship down, landed it. secured the connection again, borrowed some petrol from a farmer, and then flew on. »■