Air Transport News
Page 55
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The Heston-Cowes Service.
Airwork, Ltd., Heston Airport, Middlesex, intends to operate from April 14 to May S an air service on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays between Heston and Cowes, calling at Ryde. From May 10 to May 31 the service will be operating every day, including Sundays, and arrangements after May 31 will depend upon the success of the service to that date. The journey from Heston to Ryde will take 40 minutes, Cowes being reached 10 minutes later.
For the week-end service, departures from Cowes will be at 8.30 a.m. and 5 p.m., and from Heaton at 9.35 a.m. and 6 p.m. If demand justifies it, the week-end service will, from May 10, he augmented by a departure from Cowes at 2.30 p.m. and one from Heston at 3.30 p.m. Provisionally, the single fare is fixed at 28s., this being subject to confirmation.
For this service Spartan Cruisers are to be used; this type is a six-sevenseater low-wing cabin monoplane, having three De Havilland Gipsy engines.
A Daimler-Benz Aero Oil Engine.
It is reported that the Daimler-Benz Co., of Unterurkheim, Germany, is likely to announce in the near future a 750 b.h.p. oil engine for aeroplanes. The engine is said to be a V-type 12cylindered unit, of bore 165 ram. and stroke 210 mm., giving a capacity of 3,286 cubic ins.
Each cylinder has two inlet and two exhaust valves, actuated by two overhead camshafts, one for each row of cylinders. The fuel is injected into a pre-combustion chamber, arranged between the valves and the cylinder head. Bosch fuel-injection equipment, with
idling governor, is employed. Cooling water is circulated by pump, and starting is by compressed air, aided by glow plugs. The engine is reported to run at about 1,700 r.p.m., and to drive, through double-reduction spur gears, a propeller at 1,000 r.p.m.
The weight is given as 2,090 lb., equal to 2.78 lb. per b.h.p., including lighting dynamo air-starting connections and reduction gearing, but without propeller hub, air compressor or air bottle. The specific fuel consumption on test was .392 lb. per b.h.p.-hour, at nominal load, at 1,675 r.p.m.
Seaford Aerodrome Delay.
An application to Seaford Urban District Council for an interim development order in segard to the proposed Seaford Aerodrome has, by a majority, been refused. Probably an appeal will be made.
The clerk of Seaford Council advises us that consent was refused on the ground that objecting parties had no appeal against an affirmative decision, whereas, in an appeal to the Ministry of Health, both sides can be heard. The application was made by the London and Provincial Aviation Co.
A Napier Oil Engine for Aircraft.
One of the most important announcements made to the shareholders of D. Napier and Son, Ltd., at the 19th general meeting of the company, held at Acton, London, W.3, on March 23, was that the company is nearing the completion of negotiations for the manufacture in this country, under licence, of a compression-ignition aircraft engine. It is understood that the type of power unit concerned has not hitherto been made in this country, although it has been proved abroad.
Hillman's Paris Line.
In our issue dated March 10 brief particulars were given of the LondonParis air service which Messrs. Hillman's Airways are arranging to operate as from the beginning of April. At the time of going to press, it is thought that Customs facilities at Maylands Aerodrome, Romford, will be available in time to permit the service to commence on April 1, by which time four of the six De Havilland Dragon machines will have been bonded for wireless and equipped as five-seaters.
The fare is modified and will now be £3 10s. single and £5 1.0s. return, and for the present it is proposed to issue week-end return tickets, available from Friday to Tuesday, at £4 iris. The institution of cheap day trips, at about £4 return, will depend upon demand and other factors.
Deutsche Luft Hansa 1932 Figures.
The report of the Deutsche Luft Hansa for 1932 shows increasing figures despite trade depression, 86,578 passengers having been carried, compared with 82.998 in 1931 and 76,894 in 1932. Nevertheless, the aircraft mileage was only 4.8 million in 1932, compared with 5.93 million in 1931 and 5.64 million in 1930.
A New High-speed Machine.
In our issue for next week we hope to be in a position to publish details of the Boulton and Paul fast mail aircraft, a cabin biplane accommodating seven passengers and luggage and having a top speed in the neighbourhood of 195 m.p.h. Some provisional details are at present appearing in the daily Press, but no official performance data may be announced before next week.