On the Wing

BY ARB UTHN OT

as specialised in its way as producing a supersonic fighter. Most of our readers who fly will already have experience of just how detached some of the well-known aircraft constructors have become from light aircraft, and further have experienced the disdain of people on their airfields who have the yea or nay as to whether a landing will be permitted by ' a light aircraft, without radio' said in such tones over the telephone as might be used by a cartoon duchess who has just learned that the scullery maid is now to pay for her association with the beastly footman.

Imagine our feelings to find that no less than the august Flight should quote from ' On the Wing' in one of its leaders recently and furthermore plug the idea that somebody should get busy and manufacture some light aeroplanes. Dare one predict that suddenly the light aeroplane movement is going to arrive or has even arrived behind the scenes?

There seems to be a danger in this however advantageous the fact that we migl-rt obtain some light aircraf,t from the situation. Already there are many signs and portents that all sorts and conditions of men are looking towards light aircraft, some, because they have been honest supporters of these things all their lives and are now finding some small opportunity to realise and help their younger co-enthusiasts to become airborne, others because suddenly here is a straw to be clutched now that the ministry contracts with their smoked salmon and bottles of wine lunches are fast disappearing, and in many ways one might say about time too. Will we obtain good light aeroplanes from the situation? A fair guess can be hazarded that in many cases we yen'f-ss many people in the industry now have never seen a iight aeroplane at close quarters let alone have flown one. Here is the proverbial chick on its way home to roost, by stifling light aeroplane flying for years by petty regulations lve have now reached a state where we have to start learning again while other countries have been gaining valuable ground by unbroken years of steady development of something which is just

Will all this change overnight with the horrible thought brought home at last that here might be the bread albeit without butter. Imagine the peremptory 'here you there' changing to politeness to the man landing in his Tiger Moth; now he might be a customer coming to look at the new four-seater such and so special rather than without any shadow of doubt being one of those damn fools cluttering the sky with a light aeroplane; it's all a nice thought to those who have kept flying despite it all.

In a more modest way the pages of the Aeroplane mention a resurgence of light aircraft in their Club Commentary and make a plea for the modern versions of the types from twenty years ago. Jolly good, but Mr. Cooper will raise a few hackles when he insinuates that ultra light aircraft in this country are likely to be effete. Has Mr. Cooper enjoyed the joy and sparkle of flying a Condor, an Emeraude, a Minicab or better still the Supercab. Times have changed since the wallowing powered parachute types of ultra light and now we can cruise across country with our girl friend beside us at an honest 100 m.p.h. on 65 b.h.p. or really overtake Geminis and the like on 90 h.p. There is nothing effete about these aeroplanes and nothing effete that our movement has been instrumental in getting some of them built and flying rather than issuing pompous and unrealistic specifications and lists of desiderata and moaning that why doesn,t some one build some light aeroplanes.

Let us summarise a little on what has gone before-at least since the war, after which some thought that they could settle down and either buy or build as the spirit moved them a nice little light aeroplane. It was not to be and despite the battles fought by a few stalwarts it was some years before one could be free enough to build your own aeroplane. One of our members was told by the bureaucrats that he was a criminal because he wanted to build his own aircraft. From that point we have achieved the right of recommending permits to fly for amateur built aircraft. Also, without trumpet blowing the P.F.A. has carried out a programme of assessment to make easily available the wherewithal in the shape of plans so that amateurs can build their own aircraft. In this programme the lact that few people if any think exactly alike was a primary thought. Hence the reason for several types to suit several points of view. ' Now what we really want' is one of the catchphrases of bars and wherever flying types interested in having an aeroplane gather, and the ' what we really want' is seldom the same two minutes running. The P.F.A. therefore decided that some people wanted a singleseater; some-not all-but, fair enough, there is the need as is proved by over one hundred sets of plans sold for the Turbulent and their commercial production. But no, one just must have two seats say others and no frills, we like to fly in helmets and goggles; yes, these people exist as well, if not, r,vhy is it that the efficient Tiger Club has such a following? Again these enthusiasts are not the whole, but a suitable design, not too difficult to build, was produced for them. So on to the cabin side by side type with higher performance, a low wing and range for the serious tourist. Plans arc available for two types. Is our movement effete, Mr. Cooper, if we could produce all these various types for our members?

Add to these the availability of a British parasol monoplane design for those who like such things rapidly being followed by a two-seater highwing monoplane for amateur construction and there is a pretty wide choice. There are other designs but voluntary time is such that there are limits to the amount of work that can be put in assessing these types and making the plans

Popular Flying, lulylAugust, 1958 suitable for the English speaking reader. Add to all this that these types are cheap to operate.

Well, perhaps we do like our ultra lights, that is free choice and the man who wants his four seater has not yet been taken care of, but if he cares to look in the direction from which the present two seaters came what does he find, strangely enough they are pumping them up into four-seater versions. So much emphasises the need for steady development of light aircraftor is that where we came in a little earlier in this column?

News of constructors is sometimes hard to come by, partly because some people are just modest and in most cases a single handed task or even construction by a group demands that all the spare time available from living in a regulated society is put into the aeroplane. Even so snippets and trickles of news come in from time to time and suddenly the whole thing begins to look like a complete picture. Without thinking very hard ten types of ultra light aircraft can be named as actually being constructed at the present time in the U.K. and of these five either have flown or are ready to fly as these words are published. Add to this fact the rebuilding of existing types slowly continuing and the movement shows signs of putting some interesting aeroplanes in British skies.

The pre-war Currie Wot is making a welcome reappearance again, one having been constructed by a go-ahead group at Eastleigh while three private projects are actually under construction. The Wot is an interesting little design, being virtually a single seat version of the pre-war Moth. Two were built pre-war and were delightful looking little aeroplanes.

While most members will already knor,v the pre-war Luton Minor as a simple parasol type which was specially designed for amateur construction fewer readers will know of the Major built by the same company. A new Major is now on the stocks which retains the simplicity of the pre-war version while being improved in detail design. Purely as a personal bleat the little Luton Buzzard would be a welcome sight again. This aeroplane was dogged by bad luck from the

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