AVIATION NOTES

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 210, 18 August 1933, Page 14

AVIATION NOTES

LOCAL CLUB’S BUSY WEEK SEVERAL GISBORNE ELIGHTS. HELPING THE MAYOR’S APPEAL. (By "Loop.”) The weather conditions have remained good for the last week and the H.B. and E.C. Club machines have been kept steadily busy providing tuition for pupils and practice for those who have obtained their licenses. Napier Flying. The 'drome at Napier is in an improved state and the amount of flying done there slowly but surely increases. Four new pupils are taking lessons today. They are Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Wakeley and Mr. F. Wilson, all of Napier. It would appear that the instructor will have to visit Napier on another day during the week in addition to Thursdays and Sunday mornings. Gisborne Trips. The elub had the pleasure of conveying a distinguished passenger by air to Gisborne on Monday last. This was Mr. T. A. C. Hislop, the popular Mayor of Wellington. His Worship is also president of the Wellington Aero Club. He encountered favourable winds on his trip and Gisborne was reached 40 minutes after leaving Napier. Al Pereira, the wrestler, also flew to Gisborne on Wednesday to keep his engagement there with George Walker that night. Pereira was piloted by Mr H. C. Curlett, in the club’s Moth ZK—ABB. George Walker also flew to Gisborne in Pilot R. Kirkpp’s sports Avian. The machine called in at Hastings yesterday and was looking very clean. It has been painted light blue since it was here last. Mayor’s Belief Fund. The club has been requested by His Worship the Mayor (Mr. G. A. Maddison) to assist in augmenting the Relief Fund. The club, therefore, decided to award two long free flights to the two persons who collect the most money next Saturday. The club is also going to donate six free flights to the recipients of six pamphlets (marked to that effect) which will be dropped with several thousand others from the air over Hastings on Saturday next at 2.30 p.m. The lucky persons receiving these six specially marked pamphlets can receive their free flight on presenting the pamphlets at the Aerodrome at Longlands. The pamphlets will be dropped only in the main streets so that those desirous of

obtaining one of them should be in the streets just before 2.30 p.m. next Saturday. New Hangars. At the monthly committee meeting of the H.B. and E.C. Club held last night, it was decided to proceed as soon as possible with the erection of a new hangar at the new aerodrome at Bridge Paji. This will be a hangar of modern design with gable roof and sliding doors. It will be 45 feet wide and 60 feet in depth, and will house the Desouttcr and six Moths comfortably. A large workshop, store, and office are also provided for. > Tea Rooms. It was also decided to proceed with another structure. This is a building for the serving of afternoon tea and light luncheons to the public. This will have an iron roof and open aides around which will be lashed canvas on windy days. It will also serve as an emergency hangar during pageants, etc. Two Visitors. Squadron-Leader Isitt, commanding Hobsonvillo Air Base, at Auckland, passed through last Saturday in an Air Force Moth. Ho hud Major W. Stevens, N.Z.S.C., as passenger, and was proceeding to Wellington tn attend a defence conference. Cross-Country. Pilot T. Hall, of the Wairoa branch of the club, flew to Auckland on Saturday last in the club’s Moth ZK—ACY. He returned yesterday. This is his first really long cross-country flight, and he acquitted himself well. New Aeroplane "Family.” Produced in the first place as * lowpowered training aeroplane, the Avro "Cadet” has shown qualities of effortless control and efficient performance which have led its designers to plan an entire "family” of similar machines. Three new models, meeting the demands of the owner pilot, the Hying club and commercial operator respectively, are now being built. They have identical wings, under-carriage and tail unit; the main difference! reside in the arrangement of the fuselage. In flying qualities all of the "Cadet” group are precisely alike, which means that they are exceptionally pleasant to fly and possess no "vices.” Standard power installation in each machine is an Armstrong Siddcley, 140 h.p. "Genet Major” radial engine, though other motors of comparable power output may be fitted if desired. The "Cadet Trainer” conforms closely to the special requirements of service training. Heavily-staggered wings, which are not arranged to fold, provide unrestricted upward view and facilitate parachute exit from the front seat. The "Club Cadet” has folding wings and much less stagger; this type is obviously to be preferred to the "Trainer” by flying clubs which possess generally only limited hangar accommodation, and by the owner-pilot. The elub model has a large luggage locker behind the rear seat. Next, the “Cadet Three-seater” carries pilot and two passengers, who sit side by side in the front cockpit. The fuselage is necessarily wider than in the other models. Finally, a cabin "Cadet” provides room for pilot and two or three passengers. New Flying Boats. Elimination of forced landing risks because of engine failure and discovering how to cure the tendency, common to most large flying boats, to rock longitudinally when moving over the water at high speeds, were main ••asiderations in the design of the new four-engined Short "Singapore” boats, for which the Air Ministry in England has just placed an order. Within the spacious hull is carried comprehensive equipment for all demands of movement through tho air and on the water. The cockpit right forward in the bow is fitted with machine-gun armament and a bombing position; on the water it can be employed for mooring routine. Aft of this cockpit and forward of the pilot’s cabin, is a compartment for the stowage of ground anchor, ropes, mooring gear and signals for use on the water. Aft of the pilot’s compartment is ths "chart room,” occupied by the radio operator, navigating officer and engineer. Then comes the crew’s quarters, fitted with folding bunks, and aft again is the kitchen, with cooking stove and food cupboards, and the two amidships gunner’s cockpits, which are staggered one on either side of the hull. In tue extreme tail of the hull is another cockpit, which commands an extensive field of fire behind the aeroplane. Power is derived from four RollsRoyce 525 h.p. "Kestrel” motors, arranged in tandem fashion in two nacelles which are located between the wings. The original boat of the kind, styled the "Singapore II.” has a maximum speed at a height of 2000 ft. above sea-level of 138 m.p.h., and its normal cruising range is 1100 miles. Certain detail improvements which will be incorporated in the craft to be built for the Air Ministry, known provisionally as the "Singapore III.,” will ameliorate these performances. Further, the great size of the water radiators which must be carried ad- • verscly affects performance; much weight would be saved and performance considerably improved if steam cooling were adopted. Fully laden, the "Singapore JI.” weighs normally 27,7501 b. If necessary the craft may be loaded up to 32,0001 b. For abnormal long-range work a special "overload” fuel tank may be readily fitted to the top of the hull.