AVIATION

Hokitika Guardian, 23 March 1928, Page 2

AVIATION

Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.") AIORE SPEED TRIALS. LONDON, March 21. The Air Alinistry has decided to again attempt to make a sliced record. Calsliot, the coming two months’ pilot, was not selected. DELIBER ATE C R ASHES. SAFETY UNDER-CARRIAGE FOR AEROPLANES. RUGBY, March 20. Same daring tests were made yesterday by Captain Geoffrey do Haviland, an aeroplane designer and a director of the tie Haviland works, lie used a Alotli aeroplane to demonstrate the remarkable efficiency of the new slotted wings, through which spinning dives, which have so often proved disastrous. can be avoided. The slots are automatic and open when the air speed falls below lort.v | miles an hour, which is the speed at which a Moth not fitted with slotted wings heroines out of control. When the slots are open the Slow of air round the wings is so altered that the ailerons become effective again and the pilot can correct- the machine at will. At the first test the Aloth was put up to a stalling position at eighty feet, but tbe slots opened and at once cheeked it. This was repeated three times. The nose ol the Moth was then pulled up until all forward speed was lost. Alter a short drift; the machine - gradually recovered its Hying speed. Demonstrations were also given ol the Aloth’s ability with a special undercarriage to c orrect the pilot’s tnisjudgment in landing before flattening out. ■ During the final flight, in which the ■ shock-taking under-carriage was again ■ being demonstrated by an almost verticaf landing from 200 feet, the machine in its descent clipped slightly, owing to the pilot avoiding a landing in a neighbouring field. As a result the i -Aloth, although it fell square, struck - the ground with sufficient velocity to i damage the machine, hut the pilot was - uninjured throughout the whole ser- . ics of intentional “crashes.” This alone was not wholly succcss- - fill, hut a rearrangement of the ballast - would have obviated the slight mishap which occurred.