GLIDING FLIGHT TRIALS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2352, 8 November 1921, Page 1

GLIDING FLIGHT TRIALS.

MARVELLOUS EXPERIMENTS,

MACHINE 13 MINUTES IN AIR

One of the results of the prohibition imposed by the Allies upon Germany against building powerdriven aeroplanes Ims been to give a fillip to the resumption of experiments with full-scale gliders, says a recent issue of Flight. If Germany wished to make full-scale experiments, this was the only way in which she could do it. That German experimentalists are fully alive to the possibilities of full-scale experiments of this nature is proved by the fact that no less than 45 machines were entered for the soaring and gliding competition which has just been held in IJie hills of the Rhon district.

To go into details regarding the various flights made would occupy more space than is available for the purpose, but a few words regarding the manner of starting the gliders', may be of interest. Generally speaking, the procedure was, according to Mr Handley Page, who paid a visit to the Rhon district duriijg the competition, that two men are posted at the wing-tips of the machine. Two others hold a long rope passing over notches in the undercarriage or some other suitable part of the machine. This long rope has incorporated in it long pieces of rubber shock-absorbers. Before the start •these two men walk forward and .somewhat outward, as tar as the rope and rubber cords will allow. Then on the word go from the pilot the two men holding the wing tips lei go and the two on the rope start running forward down the hill.

Tif this manner a form of catapult is formed which accelerates the machine very quickly, and in a lew yards it is up to Hying speed and in the air, when, as it passes the two men attending to the rope, this tails out of the notches and is left behind.

Owing to the light wing loading, the machines get. off very quickly into the' wind, and then comes the glide, during which a skilful pilot lakes advantage of every gust to keep the machine up, or even to rise slightly. The method appears to be that the pilot, when a gust strikes the machine, will stand, and then, when the gust is dying down, lie Hattons out and continues the glide. * la this manner there were several instances of machines reaching heights considerably above their starting point. This Klemperer, on the Aachen monoplane, made a very long flight, during which lie reached a height, estimated as being at least 30011. above bis starting point. This extraordinary (light lasted for just over 13 minutes. He described (igurcs-of-eight, did sharp turns, and generally behaved more as if upon a power-driven aeroplane than using a glider. Ilis highest altitude was reached about six minutes after the start.

Another tiling to notice is the manner in which Klemperer followed the valleys and took advantage of the gusts, up-currents, etc., which were caused by the nature of the country. During the first part of the light, when lie had the wind against him, he made relatively small headway, although attaining a good height. Then, as lie turned across the wind, be gained speed, and the last half or so of the flight, which was down wind more or less, was covered in three minutes. Altogether, this is one of the most interesting flights ever made by man, and is in a small way an indication of what, with a little practice, we may hope to do in the way of powerless (light.

As regards the competition itself, many scores of flights were made i and there is only one serious accident to report. - This happened to Willy Lcusch, on the “Weltensegler.” It is not quite clear what happened, but it appears that, after an excellent start and after having been in the air for slSghtly over a minute, the machine was seen to ; swerve to the right, and it then go_t into a nose dive, and crashed, the pilot dying from his injuries later. Apart from this regrettable mishap, the competition was without serious accidents, although minor breakages were frequent enough, as was to be expected from machines so lightly built as these gliders must necessarily be.