A "ROBOT" PILOT

Hokitika Guardian, 12 September 1932, Page 3

A "ROBOT" PILOT

ACCURATE STEERING. -

MANY DETAILS REVEALED

" LONDON, August 27. An entire squadron'of big multi-en-gined. bcmbiug.aorop.aines.;in- the ltoya’l:' ; Air Forte-, impkjp; the '‘-‘robot--.pilot,; . .an uncanny. mechanism - which -str^r’S; an aircraft with superhuman accuracy on a set course., “George” or tTroh Mike,” to quote two of the nicknames ? bestowed by the- airmen on tbeir irietal allyy js a'ltsio included iri the crew of: the Fairey long range monoplane, . which .recently flew non-stop’. .from .England; to' Egypt, and. is, - expected sometime in the autumn to attempt a ffiglii' without intermediate' alighting tvel'fhe 0000 miles separating Cranwellv aerodrome, Lincolnshire, ■ from Cape Town v u, .Many times “Gedrge” has steered large 'lland-pinnes and flying boats uh-;. erriugly-over distanoes up to 400 miles He ./detects deviations from' the set ..course-so slight that no human pilot' would notice them, and corrects them instantly, Some idea of his' method, of reasoning* and working is*;, given, in structural! details now revealed for ’the first time'.by his suppliers, the famous firm of Smith’s aircraft instruments. “George” applies just the degree' of movement of rudder and elevator needed to return a'n aeroplane to , its correct attitude after, a deviation ,- his hriirian colleagues, must perforce proceed more gradually by.a less. efficient process. For .example, the human pilot cannot exactly estimate the precise - movement required to ,correct a deviation. He will undershgot or overshoot. Further iftanual corrections must; be applied to . correct the ne'y 'deyiationg thus. arising, and tjhe result: is that the; course of the aircrafit for jap appreciable period of time is-along a zig.-zag Mne.i And in nijsty weather, wli.en.no 1 .visible horizon is there.to 'guide, the human- pilot, “George” sccrrsi : still 5 more heavily' than in fair weather ftyI ing. Ilia brain needs no visual assistance ; the spinning gyroscope record's more,exactly than the eye any change of attitude and is. independent of climatic , conditions. He brings other benefits. Fresicion of flying -increases the range of an aeroplape gnd gUgments fuel eppnomy., The., human 1 nrew, .having , no piloting to bother about -for long periods, maj , -eyote* palmer minds to- problems of navigation. ,or’/observation, The. hpman pilot ; may leave his seat and, attend to such ...duties pH necpiirc ,attention,; , the ’ pilots of the ~ long, range monoplane shaved, and., wa.sfted during.,their, flight to 'Egypt, white. “George” took comchapge.' In, l a| Jl P)-thp i hunjah Ipijot ps'.,relieved of the need -to . demote ;his miricl v SQle)y to m.uscuitar moyemerits,. .rar.d-.jhOooines .a .iriorq .versatile,.apd, yah . Uabl^,.. con trolling,, forpe ,in any aerial qiyil or .military.. Ari. pV vious ..use for contrpt’, in qommapoiai ayjation . is• jn air isuryiey ..where., precise /flying, over a ,givgn line ,ia essential,. ...... , u>.: ; ?./ In ,broad detaiis “George” works on . the principte that any ..dpviatjpn , jfrpra a line defined ip. space ,may.be. ; detected by means of a gyroscope—-an. instrii^ gs/pousiating- of, a spin-,- . riirig, jyjreei; frealy .piypted,; ip a frapie 1 .. and unrestrained,, ig a n y : direction. ‘ Such, ,ii,: #eei,; r when; rotating at;, high ggn maintain its "'.direction ]of in; the .same .aeroplane wftile the jframe is,, rotated. Thus, thepe cap j:*e ...relative movements between, the. gyyor ’ scope, and thp. r franm; iri the Smjth ..automatic, pilot this movement is. pmpfoypd to operate riyo piston ; valves, , the pistons . being connected ; to Y' e ~gyroscope rings,whie.tlie. cylinders .cayried' top- tbe;,,f;rame.i, ! liV’he / n the aeroplane,.changes attitude from: the ( set: course,, the .relative', movement, b'/tween wheel,, and, frame operates the whicl) .in turp;. cqnf 01. actuating cylinders 'linked with the aircralt flying controls. The- motive power ejn* ; ployed, its,, compressed, lah,. supplied by ;a. small wind mi! !-dr iven compressor, At,n,eed course or,.attitude ,of/- the. air/ craft..d’rib.-be .varied' by simlp , . ments of devices., oonnected With., the OU'tolpatifi control, h w