SLOW-MOVING AEROPLANES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 31 July 1924, Page 3

SLOW-MOVING AEROPLANES.

TEST OF A NEW INVENTION. At Edgeware, London, a- De Havilland aeroplane, D.H. GO, was flown with a new wing flap eonstrivance designed for the purpose of reducing the speed for landing, or of carrying gieater load, at some sacrifice of speed says the .Daily Telegraph. The flaps are practically the rear portion of 'the wings, hinged so that they can lie depressed, and thus increasing the curve of the wing (as seen from the side). Normally, however, they are part of the natural curve, or camber, of the wing. Similar flaps have been used on some of the Fairey aeroplanes for many >ears, but these are actuated by the pilot. In the De Havilland machine the action is automatic. As the speed of the machine is reduced, either by reducing power or by climbing, the "flaps lower themselves. As the speed increases the hinged trailing edge rises against the action of a spring until it is a continuation of the normal wing curve. The machine flying during the trials did not “stall” until its air speed was Jess than forty miles per hour. Having completely “stalled” its head slowly dipped, and the aeroplane picked up spead and resinned its normal flying attitude. Such a contrivance obviously may prove of great value, enabling an aeroplane to drop into a small field. Against quite a gentle breeze its forward speed w r ould be quite low.