To the aircraft designer and contractor, those of us responsible for equipment may appear as arch-perpetrators of complex, bulky and weighty “ gadgets,” impossible to install and the source of all unsightly excrescences on the aircraft's skin.

Any aircraft, from its inception should be designed for some specific role, and its usefulness may well depend upon the availability or simultaneous development of equipment.

In presenting this paper on the producing of a prototype aircraft it is not the author's intention to deal with the overall conception of the type or such matters as operational requirements, performance, type of construction and so on, but rather to start from the point where the general arrangement of the aircraft has been drawn and to try to describe what, in his opinion, should be the best way to produce the aircraft in the shortest possible time and at the least possible cost.

Late in 1947, at the instigation of the members of the Project Office of Short Brothers Ltd. of Rochester, an approach was made to the management of that Company on the subject of subsidised flying training for employees. Enthusiasm, unlike funds, was not lacking and the proposal was sympathetically received by the management, who agreed to make flight training to “A” licence standard available at one pound per hour, pre-1939 rates. The necessary apparel, including helmets and goggles, were supplied on loan, and training began at the Rochester Flying Club on Tiger Moth aircraft which were later supplemented by Magister and Auster types.