AIRCRAFT RESEARCH WORE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17663, 27 December 1920, Page 6

AIRCRAFT RESEARCH WORE

SEEKING NEW ENGINES, POSSIBILITY OF THE TURHXF At ihe recent A'v 'Conference in l."i don, a large number of dele;;a!i:S listened ,o Air Vice-Marshal Sir E. \i. liHingloi •■ paper upon the present pos'Lion of Vd J• craft research and contemplated de>c)o|ments. Aircraft development, he said, baj gene i long way ahead of research. Two ne'A engines were being (iiveloped, quite different from the normal aeronautical engine. One of these was the steam turbine. 3o far the solutions of all the problems of a steam aero engine lure not been ound, the main diflkulty being the de. ; i:;i of an efficient, condenser within perfflisijble weights. Of amphibians he declared that their recent appearance was an event Of tome importance from the point ol ' v ' eH ul civil transport. Discussing t!;« question of engine development, lie showed the ultimate great divergence that must tuko place in the designi! between the military and the evil , machines. One particularly interesting develop Bent to increase aeroplane efficiency was ivhat is knoffii aa "forced induction for the engine, combined with a propeller with adjustable blades. The leea nas this. When th,> aeroplane ascend;. tfo air in which it moves becomes mof? rarefied; there is less oxygen for the cylinders end power strokes. By forcing more air in, more oxygen is present 101 combustion, but no very satisfactory combination had yet been arrived at. Solution of "the fuel problem, he believed, would be found either in the application of a mcaas to use heavier ui 1 fuels or the use of the steam turbine. Regarding airships, he said the surrender of the German ships L7l an'l W gave them an opportunity for comparison with British vessels. The weight of their gas bags was much less than we had been able to constrict. " Very thorough investigations are being mado by us in the East as to the most suitable material for airship fabrics iu the tropics, and tho moßfc promising idea seemed to be to treat'the gas bag with \. bright aluminium substanco." Experiments carried out last year showed that airships can remain at a masthead in all conditions of weather. and only six men are required a& c.i«' in Sight airs to bring the airship to her moorings. A mora complete design of mast has been develop?*!, and one is ibeu: to be erected at Howden fitted with lifts, hauling tackls, and perm&oent petrol, gas and water mains. With this mist it is expected that the operation of mooring', even in bad weather, will be possible with the assistance of quite a small landing party. The c-nly obstacle: now to ths use of aircraft at all time:!, day or night, was fog and mist on tho landing ground, iiixperiments am being made for the dispersion of fog and for tho illumination of landing grounds. Developments are aUo going on to increase the aafety of the crew and passengers by preventing rirc3 and in the use of parachutes.