MARCH 6,
1924
TWO-SEATER LIGHT AEROPLANE COMPETITIONS, 1924
T H E conditions under which t h e competitions for t h e Air
Council's prizes of £3,000, offered with a view t o encouraging
t h e production of a two-seater light aeroplane suitable for
instructional purposes, will be held are now announced,
Held under t h e competition rules of t h e Royal Aero Club,
t h e conditions are as follows :—
S u p p l e m e n t a r y R e g u l a t i o n s , N o . 1.
Date.—It is proposed t o hold t h e competition in September,
1924. The exact d a t e and locality will be announced later.
Organisation.—The
competition will be conducted b y t h e
Royal Aero Club, under the Competition Rules of t h e Royal
Aero Club.
Light Aeroplane.—The competition is open t o a n y aeroplane,
t h e t o t a l piston displacement of t h e engine or engines of which
does not exceed 1,100 c.c.
Two-seater, Dual Control.—The aeroplane m u s t be a twoseater fitted with dual control, and t h e air speed indicator
must be visible from both seats.
British Manufacture.—The
aeroplane, including t h e engine
and magneto, must h a v e been entirely designed and constructed in t h e British Empire.
Fuel.—The fuel used must be commercially obtainable in
bulk.
Competitors.—The e n t r a n t and pilot must be British subjects.
Passenger.—The carrying of a passenger is optional, except
in the Eliminating Test " B , " Demonstration of Dual Control.
Load to be carried.—The load t o be carried, exclusive of fuel,
must be m a d e u p to 340 lbs. This includes t h e weight of t h e
pilot a n d passenger (if carried). If t h e r e is no passenger,
170 lbs. must be carried in each seat ; b u t if t h e pilot exceeds
170 lbs., t h e balance of t h e total weight required m u s t be
carried in t h e spare seat.
Air Navigation
Regulations.—Competitors
m u s t comply
with t h e Air Navigation Regulations in force, subject t o any.
concessions which m a y b e m a d e b y t h e Air Ministry for t h i s
competition.
Aeroplane.—The
Air Ministry require a certificate of airworthiness of normal category for t h e aeroplane, b u t will not
require t o b e supplied with drawings.
Engine.—The Air Ministry will not require a certificate of
airworthiness for t h e engine.
Entries.—The e n t r y fee is £20. This fee, together with t h e
e n t r y form, m u s t be received b y t h e Royal Aero Club not
later t h a n August 1, 1924. L a t e entries will be received u p
t o 12 noon on August 15, 1924. L a t e e n t r y fee, £40. The
Royal Aero Club reserves t o itself t h e right t o refuse any
e n t r y and t o prohibit t h e flight in t h e competition of any
competitor if it considers t h e flight would be dangerous.
Eliminating Tests.
The eliminating tests will be as follows :—
(A) Dismantling, Housing and Re-erecting.—For this test,
t h e aeroplane must be presented t o t h e officials fully erected.
I t must t h e n be dismantled or folded in such a manner as
t o permit of its being transported as a whole over a distance of
not more t h a n 25 yards, and placed in a shed 10 ft. in width.
I t must t h e n be t a k e n outside t h e shed and re-erected.
Two persons only will be allowed t o handle t h e aeroplane
throughout this test, and t h e t i m e occupied must not exceed
two hours.
(B) Demonstration of Dual Control.—This test will consist of
t w o separate flights, each of one complete lap of t h e course,
a t t h e termination of each of which one figure of eight m u s t be
flown within t h e boundary of t h e aerodrome.
The pilot and passenger will occupy alternately t h e t w o
seats in t h e aeroplane.
Eliminating tests "A"
and " B " must b e carried out in
this order, and must be passed t o t h e satisfaction of t h e
•officials before a n y flights are m a d e in t h e competition proper.
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Competition.
I n order t o be eligible for a n y of t h e prizes offered, competitors must complete at least 10 hours' flying in t h e various
tests, during t h e period of t h e competitions.
Prizes.
1st prize, £2,000, presented b y t h e Air Council.
2nd prize, £1,000, presented by t h e Air Council.
The prize of £2,000 will be awarded t o t h e entrant of t h e
aeroplane which shall h a v e obtained t h e greatest aggregate
of marks in t h e Schedule of Tests.
The prize of £1,000 will be awarded t o t h e entrant of the
aeroplane which is placed second.
Schedule of Tests.— (1) range of speed (a) high speed,
(b) low speed. (2) Getting off. (3) Pulling u p .
High Speed.—This test will be carried out over a course, in
t w o separate flights of approximately 75 miles each. An
interval will be allowed between t h e two flights for taking in
fuel and oil only.
Low Speed.—The aeroplane will b e timed u p and down a
straight course of not less t h a n 500 yds. The average speed
of four consecutive flights, t w o u p and two down, will be taken.
Range of Speed.—No marks will be awarded unless t h e aeroplane satisfies both t h e following conditions :-—
High speed, at least 60 m.p.h.
Low speed, not more t h a n 45 m.p.h.
Marks will be awarded for range of speed expressed as a
percentage of t h e low speed—e.g., high speed is 60 m.p.h.,
low speed is 40 m.p.h., range of speed is 20 m.p.h. Percentage,
range of speed/low speed = 50 per cent.
The basis of marking t o be : No marks for a percentage of
33J per cent, or less. Eight marks for every 1 per cent, over
33J per cent., and p a r t s of 1 per cent, pro rata.
Getting Off.—This t e s t will consist of a t a k e off, starting
from rest and flying in a straight line over a barrier 25 ft. high.
The pilot will select his own distance from t h e barrier.
Marks will be awarded according t o t h e distance from t h e
starting point t o t h e barrier, on t h e following basis :—
One mark for every yard b y which t h e distance is less t h a n
450 yds.
Pulling Up.—This test will consist of a straight landing
over a barrier 6 ft. high.
Marks will be awarded according t o t h e length of run before
t h e aeroplane comes t o rest, on t h e following basis :—
One m a r k for every yard b y which t h e distance from t h e
centre of t h e barrier is less t h a n 150 yds.
The engine m a y be shut off before crossing t h e barrier.
Any form of braking device m a y be used provided it is
carried throughout t h e competition.
Any damage t o t h e aeroplane will invalidate t h e a t t e m p t .
F u r t h e r supplementary regulations containing full details
of t h e competition, including t h e number of a t t e m p t s which
will be allowed in t h e various tests, will be issued later.
The usual general stipulations concerning responsibility,
t h i r d - p a r t y risk, etc., are made.
G E T T I N G - O F F AND PULLING-UP COMPETITION.
1 s t p r i z e £ 5 0 0 , p r e s e n t e d b y t h e D u k e of S u t h e r l a n d .
The prize of £500, presented b y t h e Duke of Sutherland,
will be awarded t o t h e e n t r a n t of t h e aeroplane which shall
h a v e obtained t h e greatest aggregate of marks in these two
tests.
2nd prize £100, p r e s e n t e d b y C a p t . C. B . Wilson, M . C .
The prize of £100, presented by Capt. C. B. Wilson, M.C.,
will be awarded t o t h e e n t r a n t of t h e aeroplane occupying
second place in these tests.
The Duke of Sutherland has expressed t o t h e Royal Aero
Club his intention of purchasing a two-seater light aeroplane
for his own use, of a t y p e evolved from t h e aeroplanes taking
p a r t in t h e competition. This will not necessarily be of t h e
same design as t h e winning aeroplane.
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The Curtiss Engine in England.
THE Curtiss D.12 engines installed in the Curtiss-Navy
racers in t h e Schneider seaplane race at Cowes last year came
in for very favourable comment b y everyone who had an
opportunity of inspecting them. Combined with light specific weight, low fuel consumption, great reliability, and other
desirable features, the Curtiss D.12 is of a size for which there
should be a good demand, and the type has one very great
advantage in t h a t its frontal area is very small, thus enabling
i t t o be nicely streamlined into a fuselage of small cross
sectional area. We learn t h a t one of the results of his recent
visit to the United States is t h a t Mr. C. R. Fairey has acquired
for the Fairey Aviation Co., Ltd., Hayes, Middlesex, all t h e
<$>
British rights of the Curtiss engines generally, and of the D.12
particularly. The engines will shortly be built in this country
under licence, b u t it has not yet been definitely decided whether
a t the Hayes factory or at an entirely separate engine factory
elsewhere.
Wing-Commander Greig's New Post.
IT is announced in the London Gazette t h a t the King has
appointed Wing-Commander Louis Greig, C.V.O., t o be a
Gentleman Usher in Ordinary t o His Majesty, and t h a t t h e
Duke of York has appointed Captain Basil Vernon Brooke,
C.V.O., R.N. (retired), t o be Comptroller and E q u e r r y t o
his Royal Highness, in place of Wing-Commander Greig.
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