IT is obvious that this subject is so vast and and that its nature is such, thatit can only be dealt with haphazardly For that very reason it furnishes,perhaps, suitable subject matter for discussion

I propose to choose at random a limited number of unsolved aeronautical problems,to state them, one by one, with the briefest possible comments so that there maybe plenty of time left for what we hope will prove an illuminating andthought-inspiring discussion

Here are the problems —

1. (1) The propulsion of aeroplanes with constant power at varyingaltitudes

2. (2) Jet propulsion of aeroplanes

3. (3) Variable wing surface aeroplanes

4. (4) Vertically ascending and descending flying machines

5. (5) Fog landings

6. (6) Sea-worthy flying boats

7. (7) The ideal aerodynamic structure, small and large

8. (8) The multi-engine room with ideal propeller distribution and withoutengine drag

In opening the meeting the Chairman said Major Wylie requires no introductionfrom me He is a very old friend of mine, and when I was in charge of metalconstruction at the Air Ministry he was my right hand He is an engineer ofexceptional ability and has made many outstanding inventions Since the War hehas carried on his good work in the development of metal aircraft, and has alsoapplied the ideas derived from metal aircraft, to other engineeringconstructions

All developments of engineering in any one branch make improvements in otherbranches possible, for instance, the knowledge obtained from the construction ofaircraft has greatly improved automobiles, and, as Major Wylie is going to showyou to-night, it has greatly improved portable structures, not only foraircraft, but for other things I now have much pleasure in calling upon MajorWylie

BEFORE presenting to you a description of the activities in applying insecticidesby aeroplane, I wish to acknowledge the assistance of the U S Department ofAgriculture, to whom I am indebted for the early history of this branch offlying, and to also acknowledge quotations from a report on the subject by ProfA D Imms, M A —

Early Experiments

I believe it correct to state that the possibility of applying insecticides bymeans of aeroplanes, was first brought to public attention by the work conductedin August, 1921, by the State Experimental Station of Ohio

This particular test, consisted of distributing lead arsenate from an aeroplaneover a grove of catalpa trees, in an effort to poison the larvæ of thecatalpa sphinx (ceratomia catalpæ Bdv) which were defoliating thegrove

IN view of the growing interest in the development of Airships as a step towards the improvement of commercial relationship between the Mother country and the various parts of her far flung Empire, there must be some to whom this subject is of interest, and therefore, as one who has had experience, both in the construction and in the actual flying of several types of Airships, I submit the following brief account of the development of the Airship of to-day and also the possibilities that lie before this type of aircraft

The earliest experiments of a serious character in “Lighter than Air” type of aircraft took place about the year 1776, immediately following the discovery of Hydrogen gas by Cavendish, but it was not until 1783 that the first really successful flight was made by a Frenchman, Professor Charles, who remained in the air for three and three-quarter hours and covered a distance of forty miles in a balloon of his own design, the lifting medium of which was Hydrogen

THE CHAIRMAN : I, personally, am looking forward with great pleasure to hearingwhat Flight-Lieut. Renison Bell has to tell us about Flying in Australia. I havenever been to Australia myself, though I hope to do so one day in an airship,but I have studied flying conditions there as far as is possible from adistance, for the past five or six years, and my studies have forced me to theconclusion that Australia is the foremost country for aerial transport, not onlyin the British Empire, but in the world. It is therefore particularlyinteresting to hear about it from one who knows. In our own country there aredifficulties in regard to climate and geographical conditions which rather keepus from progressing as much as we could wish, and whenever I feel a littledepressed about the way things are going in Great Britain it is refreshing toturn to Australia and think : “This is British, and it is makinggood.” and I feel it is going to make a great deal better in thefuture.

THE CHAIRMAN Ladies and Gentlemen, before calling on Dr Thurston to read hispaper, I will read a few letters that I have received from persons connectedwith aeronautics, expressing regret at not being able to attend here thisevening

(Letters were read from Colonel Moore-Brabazon, Mr Hart Sanders, Mr Richards, MrMelville Jones, General Brooke-Popham, General Cadman Vickers, Captain deHavilland, Mr Chadwick, Mr Bruce and Captain F M Green )

Now, Ladies and Gentlemen, as Dr Thurston is so well known in the Aeronauticalworld it is hardly necessary to say anything by way of introduction, but onlyask him to read his paper

EARLY this month I was invited by your Council to read a paper before you, and itwas with some misgivings that I accepted this date on which to do so

The paper and drawings have been prepared very hurriedly, due to the short timeavailable, and I would ask you to make allowances if at any time I fail to makemyself perfectly clear

It was my original intention to give a paper entirely on arresting apparatus, butI soon discovered that the arresting and alighting gears were too closely alliedto admit of separate treatment

Some of you may not be quite clear concerning the functioning of arresters, andso I will define an arrester as a means for braking the forward speed of theaircraft on landing with the object of minimising the length of run necessary topull up

With these explanations I will start my paper which I have entitled“Aircraft Alighting and Arresting Mechanisms”

The Chairman I feel that our lecturer to-night does not require a formalintroduction, for he is well known as the Honorary Solicitor of our InstitutionMr Wingfield has had very practical experience of aviation During the war he sawmuch service in the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Air Force, and holds theMilitary Cross and the Distinguished Flying Cross Most of you have read, in theInstitution Journal, his interesting account of his experience in prison campand his escape therefrom

The subject of the law in relation to aircraft is of supreme importance toeveryone connected with aviation, and we shall listen to Mr Wingfield with verygreat interest I now have much pleasure in calling him to give us his paper

THE use of a camera in the air dates back many years, and some attempts wereactually made as early as 1858, when Mons Nadar successfully took photographs ofParis from a balloon From these initial attempts the taking of air photographshas always made an appeal to the Services both from a Military point of view andfrom the map making aspect

The development of air photography in the British Air Service dates from theformation of the Royal Flying Corps in 1912 Very little progress was made untilthe outbreak of war in August, 1914 At this time the British Air Service wasequipped with a few press type cameras and some simple portable developingequipment From these small beginnings, however, grew the Photographicorganisation of the Royal Air Force which towards the end of the War wasproducing thousands of negatives and prints every day The equipment in use wasnecessarily designed under War conditions, and the personnel handling thisequipment had often to forsake the camera for the machine-gun Thus as a naturalconsequence the equipment, excellent though it was, had not all the refinementand accuracy which is desirable or demanded for survey purposes