Evening star., 1936-05-24

Improvement in aircraft power plants.
even larger strides forward IN all
phases of aeronautics are forecast
for the near future in the achieve
ments of recent months at Langley |
Field.
Never have the possibilities for ma
ior improvements of aircraft and their |
equipment appeared brighter than
they do today, In the light OF the
progress being made by the able and
courageous young aeronautical scien-
lists assembled by the N. A. G. A. at
the great Virginia research labora-
tories.
Those who have felt that with the
creation of the modern high-Speed
airliners, which are establishing new
world standards for air transportation,
the American industry has reached a
period of temporary stabilization ana
that the near future could oring at
best only refinements of existing types,
have awakened to the realization that
aviation may be just entering a phase
of radical development which con-
ceivably may upset all present theo-
fies.
Much already has been heard OF the
new 8-foot high-speed wind tunnel, IN
which air velocities approaching the
speed Of sound may be developed for
the testing of aerodynamics OF air.
plane models and airfoils at speeds
enormously greater than any ever at
tanned by man. Although this tunnel
has not yet been completed and still
is in the hands of the contractors, it
was exhibited during the conference
and has been tested sufficiently to
arouse the keeneSt expectations.
The near future probably will see
the spreading use of new design OF
low-drag tapered wing for large, high
speed airplanes. This type Of wing
has been thoroughly investigated In
the variable density wind tunnel at
Langley and complete data and design
methods we're released for the first
time during the past week. Coupled
with this wing, the laboratories have
developed an entirely new fillet, or
junction of wing root and fuselage.
which makes possible higher lift and
the use Of a smaller wing, with ma
terial gains in speed and efficiency.
Much valuable work also has been
done on the selection of propellers
for high-speed airplanes and for high
altitude operation of these fast air.
planes. The results Of this work tndi.
cate that the airplane OF the imme-
diate future may be considerably al
tered by the requirements Of these
new propellers.
These are only a few Of the many
vitality important research projects
which have been completed during the
past year or which now are progress
sing toward completion at Langley
Field. AS the work Of the N. A. c. A.
In the past has had a profound in
aviation and upon the maintenance OF
the aeronautical leadership this coun-
try has achieved, so the work it Is
doing today may be expected to point
the way to even more brilliant pro-
gress tomorrow.
WHILE the rumors fly and grow as
wv they fly. officials at the Lockheed
factory at Burbank, Calf, are going
quietly ahead with construction of the
new flying laboratory for Amelia
Earhart Putnam, in which she will
work in cooperation with the aero.
nautical research department at Pur-
due University.
If all the rumors are true, Miss Ear
hart will do nothing but fly for the
next year, her schedule ranging from
high-altitude transcontinental speed
runs to a four hop journey around the
world. She has not as yet made any
announcement Of her plans.
The new airplane is twin-engined
Lockheed Electra of conventional de-
sign, powered with two Wasp engines
of $50 horsepower each, driving con-
slant speed propellers. The equip
ment, however, is far from standard.
In place Of passenger seats, the plane
will carry additional fuel tanks for
extended nonstop flights. In addition
to the standard 4o0-gallon wing tanks,
the cabin tanks will hold 800 gallons.
The total tankage capacity will be
1900 gallons of fuel and rs gallons of
oil, making possible nonstop fight
range of $500 miles. Fully loaded,
with fuel, instruments and supplies.
the airplane will weigh $500 pounds.
Special instruments include Sperry
robot pilot, de-icing appliances on
the wings and stabilizer, a new
type fuel analyzer which enables the
pilot to keep fuel consumption at a
minimum under all flying conditions,
radio homing device and two-way
radio telephone.
The cockpit has been specially
sound-proofed for comfort during pro-
longed flights. At the rear of the
fuselage, space has been provided for
a navigator and radio operator. For
solo flying, Miss Earhart will be re-
Ieved by the robot pilot while work.
ing out her own navigation problems.
She will be able to make observations
for navigation purposes from a special
hatch in the rear of the fuselage.
Delivery of the airplane is set for
some time In July. Miss Earhart will
take delivery at the factory in Bur-
bank, Calf, and will conduct series
of testing and trial flights in Southern
California. These completed, she will
fly to Purdue University, Lafayette,
Ind, where the program Of aero
nautical research will be inaugurated.
THE Army Air Corps now is accept
- ing delivery of 80 Seversky high
speed basic training airplanes-tne
first designed and built wholly for use
as trainers, previous models for the
most part being adaptations Of tactlcal
types. They will be followed soon by
eO North American basic training air.
planes. three Of which are to come to
Boiling Field.
Seversky's trainer, known to the
service as the BT-s. is q low-wing all
metal monoplane with top speed OF
176 miles per hour and wing maps
which reduce landing speed to 81
x,aflae y,a, hr,ir Cadets flSinU this uIane