COMPOSITE AIRCRAFT

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXI, Issue 4566, 8 November 1937, Page 3

COMPOSITE AIRCRAFT

FIRST EXPERIMENT SHORTLY. NEW ZEALANDER ONE PILOT. London, October 2. The first experiment is to be made shortly in flying the Mayo composite aircraft and separating the two components in the air. The pilot of one of the machines is Mr. H. L. Piper, formerly of Christchurch.

The composite will take off with the Mercury firmly attached on the back of the Maia, and all eight engines pulling. Mr. Lankester Parker will pilot the Maia and will control the combined pair of machines. Mr. Piper will pilot the Mercury. His controls will be locked until the separation takes place. While the machines are attached the two pilots will be able to communicate with each other. It is expected that the separation will take place between 5000 and 7000 feet up. The important point is to prevent a collision immediately after the two have separated, and elaborate safeguards have been provided. Nothing will be done until the Mercury begins to lift on its own account and to try to drag the Maia upwards. Gauges will tell both pilots when the necessary degree of lift is in operation. Then the separation will take place in three stages. First of all Parker will pull his lever in the Maia. Then Piper will pull his in the Mercury. But there will remain an automatic coupling, and if at the critical moment the Mercury loses any of its lift this coupling will hold. Only if the Mercury continues to struggle upwards with the necessary energy will the automatic coupling be released. The two machines will then fly clear of each other.