Abstract
PRELIMINARY details of a now civil transport aeroplane, the Fairey C.I., have just been made public. It is a low-wing monoplane fitted with four Bristol ‘Perseus’ sleeve-valve engines of 1000 h.p. each. The body is of a circular section monocoque construction, arranged to carry thirty passengers. The undercarriage is of tricycle form so placed that the machine can land and stand with the cabin horizontal, which will increase the comfort of the passengers and facilitate loading up when on the ground. the wheels are retractable during flight. The cabin is air-tight, and conditioned air at ground-level density is maintained when flying at altitudes. The machine is fitted with an automatic pilot, relieving the pilot of most of his physical work, and making him more analogous to the captain of a ship. The whole of the mechanical detail is controlled from the flight engineer's cabin, who has actually sixty-four dials on his instrument board, dealing with matters varying from engino and flying performance down to the condition of the air in the cabin. A new feature of this machine is an auxiliary wing that can be retracted when not required. It is shaped like the more familiar trailing edge flap, and thus can be used as an air brake for reducing landing speeds as well as providing the extra surface for increasing the flying speed range. This additional surface allows for a wing loading of 25 lb. per square foot for taking off and landing, which is increased to 32 lb. per square foot wliilo flying with it retracted. The estimated speeds of the machine are 275 m.p.h. maximum, and 220 m.p.h. cruising, and its air endurance with the full load of passengers will enable it to operate nonstop to any European capital. With a decreased pay load it will be capable of fast non-stop services on the Empire routes.
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New Long-Distance Air Liner. Nature 144, 105–106 (1939). https://doi.org/10.1038/144105d0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/144105d0