AIRPLANES OF 3 H.P.

Shannon News, 16 November 1923, Page 4

AIRPLANES OF 3 H.P.

AUSTRALIA MAKES A MOVE.

WILL NEW ZEALAND FOLLOW?

Is the motor-cycle plane coming to New Zealand soon ? v That depends on the Government, and the Government is keeping an eye on this department of aviation abroad. A remarkableaittle machine of only three horse-power—really a glider with a motor-cycle engine attached — will reach Australia in a week or two. ■ It is natural to ask when New Zealand is to see one of these machines, which promise to put aviation within the reach of everybody. Some time ago the Canterbury* Avia tion Co. imported a glider, with which some fairly successful flights have been, and are still being, made; but so far* nothing else has been done. in this country outside the realm or high-powered airplanes, seaplanes, and flying-boats. Machines of full size, with their powerful engines, heavy petrol consumption, and high cost of upkeep generally/are quite beyond the means of any but the wealthiest P rl * at " owner. They require large landing grounds, properly built hangars, and expert engine mechanics and riggers. A few' Australian millionaire - landholders and business magnates own airplanes, but for the ma*i outside the ranks of the super-wealthy they are impossible. 4 . ~._,,,. Experiments made lately with gibers and small changed the outlook. Within the last year such rapid P*o«~ n ** been made that before long plane in which a man can flr an hour or so is likelv to *£ <">.£? market at a price no higher thanthat of a motor-cycle or small motor-car. The Uttle machine which will won be flown in Australia weighs onlr 232 lb. without it* Pilot. motor-cycle type, with two horizontally opposed cylinders, and consumption of half a gallon an hour at most. The wings have 1 a span of 37ft, but are detachable 1 by the removal of only four bolts,- so that storage is a simple problem. pilot's seat is almost completely enclosed in the. body of the machine, and only his head .protrudes. DIFFICULTIES OF GLIDING. These motor-gliders, of which several types have been built, prove that very little power is needed to. keep a light weight machine in flight. Early, this year Alex. Maneyrolle, the French, glider-pilot, remained in the air for eight hours and five /minutes at Cherbourg without using an engine at all However, the wholly motorless flying machine is so 4 severely dependent upon the skill of the pilot and the existence of air-currents that it la unlikely ever to come Into successful use as "a sport and utility 'plane for the use of everybody. On this account, experimenters have turned their attention lately to combining the experience' gained in operating both gliders and power-driven airplanes,, and to the building of a 'plane capable 1 of gliding and yet equipped with a small motor for climbing and' for use in the absence of favourable wind' For successful gliding, a pilot needs undulating country, with' its variety of ascending and descending air currents ! but if his 'plane has a small motor he can rise easily from flat ground and .maintain his height even when the I wind is unfavourable. When it is, 1 he j can shut off the engine and simpiy glide. Experience with th e latest Eng' lish machine, the " Wren," shows that there is seldom need to use the engine at full power. The machine needs a fairly large space from which to take off, because the angle of'ascent is a small one, but its' landing speed is so low that it can alight in a very small space.; indeed, and the removable wings allow it to be wheeled through a gate to some better taking off ground. It is so stable that flying, it is, comparatively speaking, an easy matter. Furthermore, the engine is . simple and easy to overhaul.

BIG PRIZES FOB FLIGHTS. in England the popular development of the low-powered airplane ia being stimulated by competitions Cor cash prizes. The Duke of Sutherland, Under-Secretary of State; for Air has offered £SOO for the longest single flight by an all-British r ' ; machine 5 on one gallon of petrol oyer a minimum distance of 50 miles and; with engine of maximum 'cylinder capacity of 75<J c.c.

5 The proprietors of the " London Daily 'Mail" offer- £IOOO under identical conditions, except that the competition shall be international. A further £SOO is offered by a cigarette firm for the fastest 30-mile flight by a similar type of no limit In this case being placed upon fuel consumption. All three prizes were to be contested simultaneously either dur ing the present month or in October, under the competition rules of the Royal Aero Club, London. In Australia England's example has been followed by Mr. Lebbeus Hordern, who recently lodged £SOO With the Australian Aero Club as a prize for th e longest flight in a low-powered airplane. Mr Hordern's generous donation will be renewed annually for thre or five years. Official tests have definitely established the following facts: That an engine of 400 c.c. capacity can take an airplane with pilot and two hours* fuel off the ground without. other assistance; that the " Wren " has i a speed range of from 23 to 50 mftes an hour; that she can climb at the; rate of 200 ft. a minute, and fly level on half the available power.

Mr. L. M.-Isitt, officer in charge ofthe Wigram Airdrome, Sockburri, Bafrya.. that the Air Bbasd is watching the progress of low-power flight in others countries, but so far as he •kn'ows* it has not yet taken any steps to buy ■small machines. The developments are so rapid that the wisest course cer ■ tainly is to wait and see what is done in the next year or so. Asked about the valtfe of low-power machines for training and refresher courses, Mr. Isitt sa*<J that they

would be of some use, and would be ve>y inexpensive to operate. The glider at Sockbum had been taken out last week, and had made a flight of about 250yds at a height of 50ft. in a 12 miles-an-hbur breeze, remaining; in the air* about two minutes.- This was a fairly good result, considering that the country was flat and thai neither the time nor the staff was available for much experimenting. Altogether, it is fair to assume that the Government will introduce low power flight into the Dominion in due course. Its avowed purpose is to Keep lip tfcie public's interest in aviation, and this •will be one of the best means to that ©nd, ' . •