1937-01-26 — Page 2

HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 1937.

AVIATION

AIR PASSENGER COMFORT

Contrast Between Flight In Box-Kite Biplane And The "Canopus"

What a difference between a fell back as we were air-porne, passengers flight to-day and a climbing at a smooth, easy angle.! similar experience twenty-five years ago!

Recently a passenger in 'Can- opus,' the new 18-ton luxury flying- boat of Imperial Airways which is now on regular service in the Mediterranean, interested his fel- low travellers by rocalling that as

far back as 1011 he had the temerity to make a short flight as a passenger in an early type of pre-war biplane. That machine of

Another contrast. Whereas in that crude early-type machine of 1911 a passenger was almost dea- tened by the roar of the engine while nying, and had his breath almost driven from his body by the rush of wind, in a great mod- ern ship of the air like Canopus' there is very little sensation of speed. Yet whereas

that early.

type machine was flying at only about 50 miles an hour, 'Canopus'

by recently-issued statistics which alipway 100 feet wide sloping to of stranded motorists. Within a reveal the professions or occupa- the water. Ample mooring will be few hours the part required was on tions of travellers entering or leav- provided for dying-boats, and this | board an outward-bound air-liner. ing Australia by air since the open-anchorage will be connected with It reached those who were await- ing of the England-Australia sex- the harbour by A dredged and ing it in a matter of days, where vice for passengers early in 1935. buoyed channel.

as by surface transport the time It is seen that prominent places

required would have had to be this list are taken by company

reckoned in weeks, directors, mining engineers, and mechanical engineers. Merchants and company managers are also shown to be frequent users of the

air route, while among other groups of passengers on the Australia service are graziers, doctors, civil servants, manufacturers, and Army officers.

Salesmen also ' figure largely in the passenger lists, as de geologists, surveyors, electrical engineer; and consulting engineers.

SINGAPORE'S NEW CIVIL AIR-PORT

Some Details As Given By The Resident Engineer

THE

AERODROME AT HYDERABAD

Foundation-Stone Laying By The Princess Of Berar

'Aviation" is of incalculable im- portance to the future of the world. Man has conquered, earth, water, and now finally the air-his most might and triumphant achieve mént"

So declared the Princess of Berar -wife of the Heir-Apparent of the State-when recently she laid the foundation-stone of the new air port building in Hyderabad.

Con-

"The size of the Indian tinent,' added the Princess, 'makes aviation of vital interest to its peo- ple. The quicker communication

twenty-five years ago carried just is capable of rushing through the engineer of the civil aerodrome at which is afforded by the air ser-

*

Its pilot and

air at approximately 200 miles an passenger. The

hour. As the passenger already latter sat precariously on an open Tramework, exposed to all the

mentioned put it: 'One can just winds that blew. while the low- hear the murmur of the engines powered machine swayed and pit-and. lounging back in one's chair. ched disconcertingly as it flew

long slowly near the ground.

Twenty-five years agol And to-day!

The passenger who had sat out on that open framework in 1911, clinging to the nearest struts, reclined to-day in a comfortable armchair in a well-heated and ventilated promenade saloon, with a steward at his elbow, and on the table before him a meal which any hotel might have been proud to

zerve.

One thing. particularly, struck this passenger when contrasting his experiences of dying in 1911 and flying in 1936, The queer box- kite apparatus in which he had ascended in 1911. went bumping and swaying across the aerodrome with a roar from its engine before

It could be induced to leave the ground. As for 'Canopus' great Empire flying-boat, her take-off was described by this passenger in the following words: "The drum of the engines quickened a little- that was all. The next minute I saw the shore slipping away from us. A white plume of spray fan- ned out astern. Then the water

one can talk to the man across the table without even raising one's

voice. Only the alghing of the wind outside makes one realize that the aircraft is moving.i

one

Mr. St. George Caulfield, resident

the Singapore

1-

Singapore, told Rotary Club recently some teresting things about Singa- pore's fine new al. port..

Its great advantage, he pointed out, was that it les actually with in the municipal area, being only 1 miles from Post Office. It com- bines up-to-date flying facilities for both land and marine aircraft. And what a difference between It is also remarkably free from ob- the landing of an aircraft of 1011

struction of any kind. There are of 1936. Those and

old to neighbouring mountains or hills machines came steeply down and, to cause awkward winds, and no atter making their contact with large buildings of any kind to add the ground, bumped and swayed

a hazard to the task of landing. gradually to a standstill. Canopus,

In ita technical equipment, the as a contrast, alights so smoothly air-port is ip every way modern. that a descent has actually been Stx powerful floodlights will effected before some of the pas-luminate the landing-ground för sengers know anything about it. There is no steep down-glide-no sensation whatever that the floor is falling away. The Bit as the great flying-boat comes down is barely noticeable. Only the swish of spray tells of the actual contact

with the water, and then there is gentle glide along the surface

until the big vessel comes to rest.

Business Passencers On

Australia Air Route

How business people use the Em- pire airways has been illustrated

MOTOR

vices will enhance all the possibili ties of commerce and industry.'

Apart from the central building, hangars, and houses for the staff are in construction on the Hydera- bad aerodrome. and £12,000, has already been spent on acquiring and lavelling land.

HOW THE AIRWAYS HELP MOTORISTS

Bome interesting examples were given the other day to show how air transport now comes to the aid of motorists when the time-factor

is important. Often, for instance, when there is a big event like an' night descents. A neon beacon on | International motor-race on the top of the control-tower will serve Continent there will be a last- to locate the aerodrome at night, minute rush to send out tyres and Identification by approaching air-spare parts by air; while a visit to craft being assisted by the fact the Freight Department of Im- that the beacon will flash the let- perial Airways reveals that argent- ter 'S' in, morse. Wireless recep-iv-required spare parts for cars tion will be located in the new control-tower, but the broadcast ing of information to aircraft in flight, and the sending out of wea- ther reports, will be from a wire- less station In St. Michael's Road.

The hangars, of which there are two. each measure 300 feet by 150 feet. For marine aircraft there 18

JOTTINGS

WHAT FEW DRIVERS KNOW ABOUT THEIR CAR

Why Second Rebore Is Usually Unnecessary

PETROL TURBINE WILL COME

the largest fleets of commercial vehicles in this country he agreed that it was a reasonable one. As the average private owner seldom exceeds 7000 miles each sea son, the effective life of the engine in his car is about two yearɛ.”“”.

figure constantly in outward-bound cargoes. Such consignments are sent not only to destinations throughout the Continent but also to points along the Empire routes. Not long ago-to quote a typical example-a cable reached a firm In England asking them to rush a spare part out to Africa for a party

Giant Packing-Case For Flying Boat Hall

What is claimed to be one of the world's biggest packing-cases is being employed in connection with the

11

shipment to Bermudà of Cavaller, the Imperial Airways' flying-boat which is to operate a Bermuda-New York service in con- junction with the aircraft of Pan-

J American Airways.

The case is the one in which the hull of the flying-boat will be packed. This case is 90 feet long. 12 feet 4 inches high, and 18 feet 8 inches deep. The weight of the case is approximately 11,000 lb. while with the weight of "Cava- lier's hull added, it will come to a total of thirteen and three-quarter tons.

Twenty other cases, nearly ta large, are needed to ship the other sections of the flying-boat. After going by barge from Rochester to the King George V dock they then make their journey to Bermuda

AS-1

aboard the steamer Loch Katrine." Arrived at Bermuda, the various sections will be conveyed to the new marine air-port, and sembled and tested prior to the employment of 'Cavaller on the Bermuda-New York service in the New Year.

Air Notes And

News From All

Quarters

Captain L. J. Brain, of Qantas Empire Airways-the · Company · which, in association with Imperial Airways, operates the Singapore- Brisbane sections of the England- Australia: air-mail-has just cam- pleted 1,000,000 miles of flying.

This year air passenger" traffic in America is six times as large as it was in 1929, and the volume of frame has doubled in the last two years

But am not at all convinced that manufacturers could not pro- vide longer engine life by declining to fit excessively large coachwork on excessively small engines, there- by compelling the poor little thing to tear ita, heart out every minute. of its working life. I pleaded last week for buying the highest power- ed car you could afford: the fore- going is another argument in sup- port of the plea."

too fast after starting up from cold, only to end in manufacturers declaring that slow idling was narmful. The sooner the engine was heated the sonner the oll would circulate and all that sort of thing. I have always advocated of 90.000 had been recorded ont the midle course-running, the en- cast-iron pistons without a second gine at about a road speed of 20 rebore being really necessary,

m.ph. when heating it. The more This is not an argument for the I read authoritative reports on the fitting of cast-iron pistons in pri- subject and the longer I buy my rate cars, although it might well experience the more convinced do It should not be thought that be. It is merely a record of what I become that no one knows any the fting of liners will prevent I believe to be cold, bard fact, but thing much about the subject. all wear and tear to the engine, thoroughly competent commercial Except this, that the ntting of 'So long as pistons have to be given operators have asserted, for some good-quality centrifugally cast-irona pronounced clearance between time that, but for a small loss in

liners at the beginning is cheaper themselves, and the cylinder walls acceleration, there is no detectable

than rebore in the end. But I there will be "it" and consequent difference between ahminium al-am not sure that much of the re-cylinder wear. The greater clear- loy pistons and cast-iron ones in boring that is done -day is real-ance required by alloy pistons is running.

ly necessary. In my own case I due to the relatively great expan- found that the oil consumption of sion of the alloy when heated as the engine in my car has gone up compared with cast iron. Addi- to approximately 450 mg, at tionally, the iron pistón rings are: 13,000 miles and, single handed, I working in alloy grooves, and 800- promptly pulled the pistons to at ner or later these grooves widen Wellwarthy rings. ***

Incidentally, if you want real men may talk and talk and talls fun just draw out six pistons and but car ownership has now become replace them single handed in a a posalbility in a strata of society too small garage: You will have in which are people who cannot learned a lot by the time the job When it remembered that a agreably contemplate a heavy

·la. finished. The new rings were piston travels approximately 10,000 ontlay every two years. It cannot fitted, and at the end of 40,000 miles for every 500 miles running be a matter for satisfaction that a miles the consumpt is 900 m.p.g. on the road the nature, appreciat set of tyres, subject to the abrasive I must state however, that I can- wear of rough road surfaces, not give these rings unqualified The present internal combustion powerful brakes, and persistent credit for the difference because I engine is d wrong, in its present overloading and under inflation found Ave of the original scraper form hundreds of parts are operat lasts longer than an engine,

It is true that the comparison were drawn.

broken when the pistons,ing at terrine speed, revolving, re-

HEAVY OUTLAY

What I am concerned with at the moment is the disturbingly short effective life of the modern internal combustion engine, Many-

What is the effective life of the, cessary to arrive at a definite con- average motor car engine rated at clusion, but when I mentioned myfacturers, their agents, and salca between 10 and 15 h.p.? By effec-agure to the controller of one of tive life I mean the period between Its purchase and a rebore with the fitting of new pistons. To an- swer the question with reasonable accuracy one must take into ac- count riot only the number of cars involved

the calculation but also the condition of the en- gines when handed over for at- tention, writes "Owner-Driver" in the "Bulletin.”

in

'One owner may be perfectly content to tolerate an ofl consumpt of one gallon every 400 miles on a 10 h.p. car, another will be al- armed at a similar quantity of lu- bricating fluid being consumed every GOD miles, while the don't

caró-a-rap⋅ owner may even carry on until his journeys become one long succession of plug cleaning.

I have been investigating the subject, and, taking the informa: tion furnished by four garages and eight private owners, the average effective life of the modern engine appears to be 14,500 miles before a rebore becomes necessary. It is not claimed that the average is conclusive, because I had no means of ascertaining all the factors ne

ANOTHER TAX.

If we take the cost of reboring and the fitting of new pistons at the rather low figure of £1 per hozie power, my conclusions meat that the owner has really to find

is not altogether perfect. When tyres wear out they go out alto-

ringa

NOT TO BE IGNOBED

an additional 103 per horse power gether, but the cost of new ones Per annum for the privilege of is no greater than the cost of I had no means of measuring running his car, a total of £1 55 making an old engine work better per unit each year but still remain old.

Now here is a rather "amazing i The real cause of excessive cylin- fact. Amazing. because not one der wear is not yet known. For private owner in a thousand is years and years-aluminium pistons aware of it, although it is well were blamed, then soft cylinder known in the commercial motor walls were damned, followed by ing world. The fitting of cast-iron tổng and, to the averages owner, pistons after a rebore at 15,000 | tedious and technical theories on miles generally results in a second cylinder wall corrosion. rebore being unnecessary until other 30,000 to 40,000 miles have been covered. I have seen records of engines in commercial vehicles which proved that even a mileage

ALWAYS ADVOCATED Thousands of columns were written by people like myself about the perils of running the engine

the cylinder wear, and it may be that övality was pronounced, but there are the facts as I know them Nevertheless, this worn cylinder business is serious. The growth of machines for doing the job and the canvassing for the business proves it. Smoky exhausts in the street and long faces in the homes. of motorists are not to be ignored The Institute of Automobile En- gineers is continuing its investi- gations into ita cause, and until it can find a remedy we must, just grin and bear it.

under wear with the result that the rings become free to work up and down within them. This pro-

duces a parping action and ex- cesalve oil consumption

.ed.

ciprocating hammering up and down, and persistently knocking themselves to pieces. The appal

ing reversal of stresses within the box of iron we know as the engine makes one wonder why it ever lasts more than a few minutes. One day the petrol turbine will arrive. Until it does we will go on, re- boring and paying.

on more attached to peace than It is impossible to imagine a na-

France.M. Blum.

Mr. Attlee is very forgiving. "Mr. Justice. Goddard.

6 [F the pe ple who use our cars every day are not praising them, it matters little what we may say.

"The las" word must be spoken by the car itself, and the owner who tells his next-door neighbour how his car behaves in actual service is the only effective advertiser”

Trincol Jephyr

Kaney Ford

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