DIRECT-CONTROL AUTOGIRO

Evening Star, Issue 21640, 8 February 1934, Page 5

DIRECT-CONTROL AUTOGIRO

LANDING ON EVEN KEEL if The type may be iu use in fairly large numbers by midsummer, and a demonstration of the normal method of handling ?t given at Hanworth afforded striking evidence of its stated the aeronautical correspondent of ‘ The Times when referring to a demonstration of the capabilities of the new direct-control autogiro. . “ A few weeks ago the more spectacular feats were demonstrated. To-day Mr xt. A. C. Brie flew it as it is intended that private owners shall fly it. His landings, instead of being made with the nose well up, were made on an even keel, all three wheels touching the ground at the same time. The landing run in no case exceeded syds, because the last 3ft of the descent were made practically without any forward speed. The process demands a nice judgment as to distances, but, given that, the aeroplane responds admirably. “In a landing with the engine stopped a similar process was applied. The aeroplane lost height in a steep glide with a forward speed of perhaps 60 miles an hour. Then the forward speed was checked and the machine was allowed to sink on an even keel, keeping a forward speed of about 15 miles an hour. The last movement of the control was made a few leet above the ground. This tilted the rotors slightly more to the year, so that they might be used rather like an umbrella, os an air brake. The result, if there had been sufficient forward speed to give them normal lift, would have been to put the nose up; at slow speed the effect was to take most of the way off the aeroplane and reduce its landing run to about syds. “It is possible to glide the autogiro on to the ground in much the same way as an ordinary aeroplane is landed, flattening out just above the earth. In that case a rather longer run is needed, hut even so the final movement of the rotor standard must render it an air brake, and the fine technique demonstrated by the test

pilot should not be difficult to acquire. To-day’s exhibition has answered certain Questions concerned forced landings. It may bo concluded that the latest autogiro could be set down safely in small fields which an orthodox aeroplane could not use. It might not be able to get out of them afterward, since more room is needed tor tho take-off than for the landing, but many pilots have been thankful to get down safely in emergency, and glad to pay tor their escape by removing the aeroplane on a lorry.”