Viewing page 20 of 34

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

Soaring APRIL-MAY, 1940         12

Foreign News Notes

ARGENTINA

"The Viking taken out to Argentina by Mr. R. P. Cooper, rather more than a year ago, and left by him in the hands of the CLUB ARGENTINO DE PLANEADORES ALBATROS, has been doing good work there.

"On November 27, last, in the morning, Roberto Verginillo in the VIKING and Helmut Teichman in a CONDOR were towed up simultaneously by a "Pelikan" aeroplane to 1,000 metres above the Merlo Aerodrome, 15 miles west of Buenos Aires. They circles, slowly gaining height, and then set off together, keeping only a few metres apart for the first 25 km. Then the VIKING forged ahead, making distance to the north and climbing to a maximum of 2,610m. (8.363 ft.), and finally, ater being 4 hrs. 55 mins. in the air, landed at Estacion Alcine, 106km. (66 miles) from the start. The place is 10km. from Baradero, which is 80 miles N.W. of Buenos Aires. The CONDOR reached same place after being up for 6 hrs. 15 mins. and climbing to 3,159 m. (10,335 ft.) on the way." (Sailplane & Glider.)

ENGLAND

"You can't keep a good sport down. In the last issue of THE SAILPLANE, we had to reproduce an order prohibiting all "Gliding or kindred activity." And here, in the very next issue, we can report that our pilots have been at it again, kindred activity and all, and with Air Ministry sanction.

"The occasion was an Easter camp at the London Gliding Club attended by 22 pupils from an Initial Training Wing of the Royal Air Force. Naturally the Club's own members had to be allowed to fly too, and were permitted to spread their wings to the tune of two miles horizontally and ,2000 ft. vertically.

"The campers were men who, having been sent to an Initial Training Wing at the outbreak of war for a two months' course, had been there ever since; and, as THE AEROPLANE puts it: "If the period extends to six months and they take the same end-of-course examination three times and still seem no nearer flying, the place and the work must become a burden and a bore."

"The prospect of getting into the air, no matter how, resulted in half the strenghth of the Wing volunteering for the camp, although they had not only to take it out of their Easter leave, but to pay 10s. a day for the privelege. So those who came had to be chosen by ballot and it so happened that all but five of them had already flown aeroplanes, either solo or dual. But the ab initios soon caught up with the rest, and, in fact progressed about four times as fast as the average Air Defence Cadet, whatever the explanation. After two days' training, one "B" and 16 "A" certificates (including three by the ab initios) were taken off the hilltop on Easter Sunday. The rest could have taken their's on Monday but for a downhill wind; in fact, a soaring wind on the last day would certainly have resulted in some "C" certificates, for all the campers had been given soaring lessons by dual control." (Sailplane&Glider)

NEW ZEALAND

Laurence W. Clark was a little late renewing his membership this year but explains that he had a little trouble getting the money out of the country due to the restrictions. His letter contained several lectures of his ship, one of which is printed herewith.

Quoting him, "Enclosed are some photos of my crate which I have finished at last. I say 'at last' as it has taken just over a year to make and I built it ENIRELY by myself! I have also built the trailer for it...and hope to test fly it over the Easter holidays...Due to War regulations, we are very much tied up here at the moment...The price of gaas at 2/6 or 50c per gallon does not permit too much towing after driving the 40 miles to the beach where I intend to fly. However, if I get in any lying before our wet Winter sets in, I will shoot the news along."

His glider is a Mead Primary with the addition of a self designed fuselage and rudder.

CANADA

From Oswald Barry, a member from Toronto, Canada, comes an interesting sidelight on a unique method of stowing gliders in enclosed trailers.

"Stowing small sailplanes, such as the H-17, in enclosed trailers, is made easier by the use of cradles fitted with runners and moving along the floor between guide bars.

[[Image]]
Caption: Stowing the H-17

"The two cradles illustrated are made of mill spruce screwed together and fitted with hardwood runners which project about two inches at each end. The guide bars are one inch square. In use, the cradles are pushed into the trailer between the guide bars until the projecting runners lock under U-shaped fittings screwed to the floor at the far end. At the door end, the cradle is held down by a bar of wood placed across the projecting runners and fastened to the floor with bolts and wing nuts."

ICELAND

Last issue, we were interested in a subscription from Iceland and wondering what glider activity there could be above the Arctic Circle. The answer has arrived in the form of a letter from Earl Southee.

Orn O. Johnson, general manager for Iceland Airways Ltd., stopped in at Roosevelt Field while ferrying a plane to his home port, Reykjavik, Iceland. He informed Earl that the Iceland Club is very active and are seeking one or two used sailplanes. The name of this club is "Scifflugfelag Akureyrar," Akureyri, Iceland.

BRIEGLEB

The Briegleb Aircraft Company is well on its way toward getting its A.T.C. on the Utility Model BG-6. Latest news is that the stress analysis and static tests have been completed to the satisfaction of the C.A.A. with only the flight tests remaining.

The Utility Sailplane Model BG-7, which is the same as the BG-6 except for the tapered wing, has had its wing stress analysis submitted and an early approval is expected.

SCHWEIZER

The healthy growth of glider manufacturing in the United States is reflected in the issuance of an A.T.C. to the Schweizer Aircraft Corporation on its two-place all metal sailplane. This is the first such certificate to be issued in several years. Their engineering department is now hard at work on the stress analysis for its all metal utility.

The pioneering of this company in getting its A.T.C. under the new C.A.A requirements, should make it much easier for others. It is expected that many more manufacturers will soon fall in line, leading to a greater safety record from the standpoint of structural failures and poor flight characteristics.

CALIFORNIA 
Alameda

Maurice Garbell, who added so much tot eh session on sailplane design at the last national meet, is now with the Boeing School of Aeronautics in Oakland, where he is teaching Basic Aeronautical Meteorology and Mechanics. Besides that, he is working on special meteorological research along the airway Salt Lake City-Cheyenne-Denver, applying his former soaring experience to the improvement of the airline flight procedure.

In his spare time, he is designing and improved "Asiago" sailplane.

Transcription Notes:
I'm not sure if I noted the image correctly