5 MAY 1933, Page 3

Autogiros for the Air Ministry Senor de la Cierva seems

either to , have solved or come very near to solving the problem that has so long baffled constructors of air-machines—that of making an aeroplane which will hover in the air, ascend or descend vertically, and move quickly or • slowly at will. The demonstration of the powers of his new Type C.30 Autogiro at Hanworth was an amazing success, surpassing anything that he has been able to show before. Free from encumbering ailions, rudder and elevators his machine, answering to the tilting of horizontal rotors, readily changed motion upwards, downwards or sideways. It took off from rest in a space of five or six yards, ascended easily, moved sometimes at a great speed, sometimes so slowly that a man on the grmind could keep pace with it. The greatest marvel was the descent, when it landed vertically, very lightly and easily, and stopped dead. The authorities of the Air Ministry arc so impressed with it that they have ordered a small machine which will very shortly be ready and also a larger one capable of carrying four or five passengers. The invention brings Us within sight of the use of the real " air taxi "—one that could be hailed from the houSe-top and put us down, at our destination, on the roof.

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