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THE CHINA MAIE, SEPTEMBE
18, 1957
Aeronautical Research Work
Among the numerous factors which have a bearing on the rapid advance of aeronautical theory and practice, one which is seldom men- tioned and far too seldom appreciat- ed is the excellent organisation of aeronautical research.
This is almost universally the case with those nations for whom aeronautics is a matter of grave concern; and to point out that the heavier-than-air machine first took practical shape at a time when scientific research was gaining re- cognition as a force in the indus- trial world, or that aeronautical research has generally been State- subsidised and more or less con- trolled, as a consequent matter of course, under the aegis of a na- tional ministry, is to explain the fact, but by no means to belittle the value of its results, nor to imply that they could not have been achieved by organisation on an in- dustrial rather than on a national basis.
Favourable Contrast.
"So far as this country is concern- ed, it will be generally conceded that both the extent and co-ordina- tion of aernautical experiments are in strikingly favourable contrast with those appertaining to many
sunport, if they do not necessarily prove the influènce, of research on achievement in the field.
The Pan-American-Grace Airways airliner which was found submerged 30 miles from Port Cristobal, was a twin-motored Sikorsky such as is shown above. The sunken plane carried 11 passengers and a crew three.
other ennally important branches the admirable summary in which no printed description could pos- in the conduct of research, in the of engineering, and that the asso-
the Aeronautical Research Com-sibly do, and it indicates what are development of experimental ap ciated rates of practical progress mittee presents its Annual Report the most important results realised paratus and in the contriving of to the Secretary of State for Air. and the most promising items for meters and instruments for experi- current and future investigation; mental and service purposes, prac * Research
all of which is precisely what is tically the whole of physical science wanted by an engineer, preoccupied is being ransacked for idea and new with his own business, but duti-applications-Engineering. fully prepared to devote an occa- sional evening to the endless task of keeping himself proficient.
The current issue of this publi- Not the least valuable feature of the organisation in Great Britain is cation, as the result of a decision the publication of the results of that future reports shall deal with aeronautical investigations in the the work of each calendar years well-known series of Reports and covers the period from April. 1935, Memoranda issued by the Aero-to the end of December, 1936, but fin most other respects might well nantical Research Committee.
serve as a model of what every an- nual report on scentific research- ought to be.
In the course of a year something approaching a hundred such papers are nowadays published, and their
And if, as is more than likely, in the course of reading this Report he comes across a piece of research
which, for its intrinsic interest or its bearing on his own work, he
IMPERIAL'S GREAT WHITE BIRDS
perusal becomes a task of such ma- It surveys a tremendous volume would like to study in detail, he Natives on the east coast of mitude that not only engineers in of work in clear and concise lan-can trace the source by a momen-Africa have been greatly intrigued
lists also, need no excuse for avail-trations which convey exactly the of the papers upon which the Re-which now follow this coastal ing themselves in the first place of desired impression in a way that port is based.
general, but aeronautical specia-guage, it contains half a dozen illus-tary reference to the appended list by the big C class flying 3 bula
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flying-boats have been referred to It is, indeed, one of the most re-as the great white birds,” while the markable features of this Report as motor control-launches which a whole that the research conduct operate in conjunction with
the ed on behalf of aeronautics covers a marine aircraft are described as tremendous field of physical and sons of the birds that fly. At Lindi, mechanical science, and has poten-the natives have been particularly tial applications over a correspond-impressed by the fact that every ing range of engineering problems. Itime one of the control-launches As exemplifying the former of puts out a fiying-boat approaches these points, it is only necessary to through the sky, and this has led cite a few of the main divisions in the Imperial Airways staff at Lindi which research is being pursued, to be referred to with admiration and to note that aerodynamics, jas masters of the birds. comprising the study of finid mo- tion generally and its diverse ap- plications to aircraft components, while still the largest individual group predominate much less no- ticeably than was the case a few vears ago..
Research on aircraft engines and airscrews.
extends on the one hand into the chemistry of com- bustion and lubrication, and on the other into the physics of heat trans- mission and acoustics.
Similiarly, the studies of aircraft performance, stability and control, with which are closely associated the problems of fatter and spin- ning, call for investigations in the structural and dynamic fields.
Seaplane performance, carries aeronautical research into the realm of ship testing: aircraft construction demands a high stan-
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dard of scientific engineering; and Messrs Millington Ltd.,
meteorology finds one of its most important applications în aeronauti- cal theory and practice.
Nor is this the whole story, for
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