The morning call., 1894-05-20
THE FLYING-MAcHINE PROBLEM

The well-known engineer, w. o. Cha
mute, has EN- bodied 10 a volume the results
Of several years study of the fylng-ma-
chine problem. Much Of his work is so
highly scientific and bristles with such
scientific phrases that it cannot be under
stood by the unlearned reader, but his re-
sui s NAV be summed up in popular Ian
guage. The first proposition which he
states is that the naked problem of aerial
navigation has been solved-that is to say,
that even with our present mechanical
knowledge and appliances. AMI with the
light motors recently devised, men may
hope to fly through the air As correc-
tive to this hopeful proposition, Mr.. Cha
mute says that he cannot sea how flying
machines can ever carry lightand valua BILE
freights or passengers with the cheapness
or regularity Of railroads. or how they can
ever be turned 10 account 10 attacking
ships or Notifications in time of war.
Mr.. Channte describes the coming air
ship as form of aeroplane provided with
fixed cOneavo-convex surfaces, which will
at first utilize the wind as a motive power,
and when IN air VIII be propelled by an
artificial motor. This machine should be
constructed of a textile fabric made of
bamboo or some other light and tough
wood, or of steel, which Mr.. Chanute thinks
better than aluminium. It should be rigid
enough not TO change its shape under wind
pressure. and at the same time elastic
Exactly the right kind of material, and to
some extent the shape, viii not be deter
mined until many experiments have been
made with machines large enough to sup
port man. The various motors which
have been used are all described by Mr.
Chanute. Opinion is now a unit that
the best motors arg screw prOpellers, or
propelling wings. But we really know
little about either We cannot tell how
many pounds per horsepower can be lifted
and held IN air by a birdlike pair of flap
ping wings; probably about 100 pounds,
but this is uncertain. Screw pTopellero
can sustain about tOrty-fve pounds per
horsepower. Thenaud. the French aero
naut, got fOrty-eight pounds per horse
power. When the airship has reached the
desired height, Chanute estimates that
screw propellers would keep in position
hundred pounds per horsepower.
The two great problems. the starting
aud the stopping. are far from being def
nitely solved. When a bird starts TO fly,
It runs along the ground to gain mOmen-
tum, and rises slowly by utilizing the wind
as lever at an angle; a pair of Tapping
wings would not easily raise an airship
from the level OF the earth; some device
in the shape of a system of screws would
be needed TO lift it to the point where the
wings could come into play. Again, an
airship would need to travel at the rate of
W. To
maintain itself in air. Writer'S on aero
nautics have deemed it sufficient to ex-
plain that in alighting it must choose a
smooth place. aud strike the earth at an
acute angle. But at such rate of speed
the shock of contact even at a very acute
angle would be rude. When bird wants
to ahght 1t spreads its wings so as TO stop
its Roadway, and tits its body back so as
to throw the center of gravity back of the
wings. In this way its motion is very
slow when 1t reaches the landing place
A successful airship would have to follow
the example, and thus far no machinery
has been invented which can neutralize
the forward velocity, or impart TO the
mechanical flyer the equilibrium or equi-
poise which are required for safety.
These views may be regarded as the last
word in the modern science of aeronautics.
The ancient science, of which old John
Wise was a professor, and which was 60
ing to enable us TO travel from San Fran
cisco to New York between lunch and
dinner, may be said to have expired with
Nadar. at the siege of Paris. The impos-
sibility OF directing balloons which were
lifted by gas was fatal to their practical
use. though Gam beta and others did get
out of Paris through their fundamentally.
But it was admitted on all hands twenty
years ago that airships which owed their
buoyancy to gas could meyer be anything
but interesting toys. The age of the
dirigibe balloon began with Krebs and
Renard some ten years since. and marked
step in advance was made when the latter
sailed against the wind in any desired direc-
ton at the rate of four miles an hour.
What has since been learned on the suO-
iect is embodied in Mr.. Chanute's book,
and students who want to navigate the air
will find 1t therein