AIR FUELLING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 August 1939, Page 5

AIR FUELLING

DEMONSTRATION GIVEN IN BRITAIN

AID TO FLYING-BOAT EFFICIENCY.

MEANS OF INCREASING USEFUL LOAD.

(British Official Wireless.)

RUGBY, July 31

The flying-boat Cabot, which will probably carry the second load of British mails across ihe Atlantic, has carried out a successful demonstration over Southampton, including a process of fuelling in the air. This method is to be used this year in the new British air mail service westward across the Atlantic. For the fuelling the tanker plane takes up a position about 100 feet above and slightly to the right of the air liner, from the stern of which is trailed a grapnel on a line. From the tanker an ejector system flings a projectile attached to a cable into the arc of the trailing line, and by an ingenious contrivance an automatic connection is ensured.

At the Southampton demonstration only 200 gallons of fuel were transferred. The ordinary amount would be some 350 gallons, weighing 60001 b., and its transfer would take less than 10 minutes.

In the view of experts, refuelling in the air is considered to be a practicable operation in any conditions in which a flying-boat can ascend. The commercial value claimed for the system is that it enables aircraft to carry a very much greater load than would otherwise be possible.