AVIATION’S "MISSING LINK" HOLDS GREAT PROMISE

Radio Record, Volume VIII, Issue 45, 17 May 1935, Page 55

AVIATION’S "MISSING LINK" HOLDS GREAT PROMISE

Home to Office by 7 Autogyro

common a sight to see women flying their own autogyros as it is to see them driving cars. For . in an autogyro a woman not only has the means at her disposal of fairly fast flying, but what is more important, slow flying, writes "Fredda," in the "Daily Mail" (London), She has safety in the air; is-able to "take off" and land in a negligible space of ground, fly at low levels, pover in the air, remain stationary, and even fly backards! Eventually she will have what is most important *of all, air transportation which is inexpensive. Un-. doubtedly the autogyro (aptly called "the missing link in aviation") is the nearest approach to motoring that we have. To-day autogyros land in a space of ground 35 yards square. It is believed that within the next two years one will be able to "take off" in the same small space. S OME day-not very far away~it will. be as

At present it is safe to allow 100 yards square for taking off, although Senor Cierva, the inventor of this revolutionary type of ‘machine, landed and took off from the deck of a ship with much grace and infinite safety. One’s imagination inevitably runs ahead to the day when autogyros are an everyday method of transportation. Think of the careers it will open up for people! Some enterprising woman will start an

autogyro taxi service. she will fly people from-shall we say Manchester to London?-for a matinee, and get them home again in time for dinner! She will become a Press photographer and take pictures of current events from an autogyro that hangs motionless in the air above the buildings. She will land on the decks of ocean liners and collect passengers who wish to reach their destinations quickly and avoid . the tedius. delay of waiting their turn in the Customs’ queue. She will answer SOS radio calls and fly friends and relatives to cities where their loved ones are lying ill in hospitals. . She will be able to live in one town and work in another and so realise the dream of all. aviators-to get from home to office by air! I paid a visit recently to Hanworth aerodrome, the home and school of instructions for autogyros, . Here I interviewed Mr. Reginald Brie, who is flying man-"

ager, chief pilot and instructor-of the Cierva Autogyro Company. Mr. Brie’s enthusiasm is contagious-he talks, teaches, thinks, writes and I should say dreams of nothing but autogyros! He answered my many _ questions in a simple, practical and understandable way. I told him I wanted to write an article that would be as instructive to women who were perhaps as uninformed but interested as myself. I first asked whether the autogyros were more suitable for women than ordinary aeroplanes. " His replywas that the safety of flying an autogyro made it particularly suitable for everyone. Among his many pupils. ie is at present teaching 12 women to become autogyro-ists. . Lo! , Being of a commercial turn of mind, I wanted to know whether a woman earning in the neighbourhood of £350 to £400 per annum could afford fo, fly an autosyro. He replied, "No... not yet! For one

_thing, she must allow tor the ex= pense of stripping down and rebuilding her machine once a year, ‘which costsabout £150. She should allow at least £250 per year for her autogyro alone." at At present the price. of a brand new machine is £1250. But shortly there is to be what Mr. Brie calls "a poor’s man’s runabout" on the market which will cost about £400. This will be a purely experimental single-seater.

fe did not seem to place much hope in its ultimate popularity, because he thinks people who fly autogyros want comfort and sociability, But in August or September he says there will be a two-seater cabin type out with the seats placed side by side. Here he expressed great satisfaction. Not only will people be able to take their friends up, but it will also obviate the necessity of clothing oneself especially for a flight. Apparently it is only novices and long-distance recordseekers who deck themselves in fleece-lined leather and "lightning" fasteners! The ideal state of affairs will be when men. arid women can jump into their machines in evening clothes and reach their destination swiftly and: safely in the same chic and undishevelled state as when they took off. While I was in Mr. Brie’s office I came across a weekly bulletin issued by the Lancashire Aerodrome. ; (Continued on, page 57.),

(Continued from page-55.) ‘ In this the flying instructor-ah ardent and experienced flyer of aeroplanesspoke in glowing terms of an autogyro which that aerodrome had ‘recéntly purchased for the use 6f its members. I cannot quote his actual. words by . memory, but he said something to this effect: that to be able to get off the crowded roads and fly over the country, knowing that every potato field under -him’ was a potential landing ground, ‘was relaxation; . ,, In fact, | autogyration was ‘relaxation! As it was raining during my visit . to Hanworth, Mx. Brie very kindly : drove me to the station. An autosyro whirled merrily above us and —

seemed to be almost circling around a: church steeple in the town of Feltham. ‘This whimsical creature of the: sky. looked for all the world like a... large grotesque mosquito! : "J don’t anticipate that every rooftop will be flat for autogyros to land on in the next few years," said my companion, "but I am conyinced that very shortly there will be frequent landing. stages-probably at railroad stations, in public parks and on bridges over rivers in all large cities. But," he continued, ‘in’ the not-too-distant-future-cer-tainly in our lifetime-I firmly believe: that private garages belonging to Mr. and Mrs. Little Man will house an _ autogyro alongside their motor-car.’" ... Won’t the sky be the limit then,’ Mr. Brie!