Avro Burga
| Industry | Aerospace |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1910 |
| Headquarters | Manchester , England |
The Avro Burga was developed by Avro specifically for R.F. Burga to evaluate his innovative method of lateral control. This aircraft was a single-engine, two-seat monoplane equipped with uniquely operated surfaces positioned both above and below the fuselage centerline.
Development
Following the pioneering contributions of the Wright brothers in aircraft control, lateral stability has traditionally been managed by altering wing surfaces, either through wing warping or the use of ailerons. However, Lieutenant R.F. Burga from the Peruvian Navy proposed a novel approach: achieving lateral control via two rudder-like panels placed near the aircraft's center of gravity and oriented perpendicular to the wings. By rotating these paired surfaces—one mounted above and one below the fuselage—in opposing directions, a rolling motion would be induced. Burga submitted a patent application in 1910, which was officially published on 2 November 1911.[1] He then collaborated with A.V Roe & Co., known for constructing designs from external sources, resulting in a single-engine shoulder-wing monoplane featuring these unconventional control surfaces in 1912.[2] It is speculated[2] that this model might correspond to the Avro 502, about which limited information exists aside from its classification as a monoplane.
Constructed at Avro's facility in Manchester concurrently with the prototype Avro Type E biplane, the Burga monoplane shared its tail assembly and undercarriage with this contemporaneous design.[2] Aside from the unique control elements, it mainly differed by adopting a monoplane layout and featuring a narrower fuselage while maintaining two seats. Additionally, it employed a lighter but less powerful 50 hp (37 kW) Gnome rotary engine.[2] The wing structure was supported by struts extending downward to reinforced points on the undercarriage and upward to a pylon situated just ahead of the forward cockpit.[2] A vertical shaft connected to this pylon also appeared to carry the leading edges of the lateral control surfaces; the lower surface beneath the fuselage had an almost rectangular shape, whereas the upper surface was contoured to clear the passenger’s head.[3]
Operational history
Although Avro aircraft had traditionally been manufactured in Manchester, their flights never originated there; instead, they took place from the Avro School's facility at Brooklands. However, in August 1912, the school relocated to Shoreham on the southern coast, where the Burga model underwent its initial test flights. The maiden flight occurred on 20 November 1912, with H.R. Simms, one of the school's pilots, at the controls. The monoplane was engineered to accommodate wings with varying camber and incidence angles, and those selected for early trials were intended to maximize speed. Simms noted that the aircraft demonstrated impressive velocity and a commendable climb rate, though no surviving documentation details its handling characteristics with the newly designed wing surfaces. Following additional flights, the aircraft returned to the Avro factory for alterations but was subsequently not seen again.