The Portland daily press., 1894-12-17
AFLEW THREE HUNDRED YARDS.
Prof. Langley's New Aeroplane Said to
Have Scored Distinct Success.


A weeks work with Prof. Langley's
latest aeorplane. was finished Thursday,
says at Washington special to the New
York Herald, and the result is declared
to have demonstrated the possibility OF
aerial navigation. The apparatus was
made to fly 300 yards with steady,
even movement, propelled by small,
but swiftly revolving pair of screws.
Although the new flying machine at a
distance looks much like very large
bird, it's wings do not flap. They are
set in fxeo position, and SO inclined
that by the rapid movement through
the air the mechanism will be supported
as is a kite. When the device has been
perfected and adapted to practical use
the wings will be made to move for the
purpose of guiding the aerial vessels
course, just san. eagle moves It's PIN
ions while sailing. illustrated accounts
of the model on which the secretary of
the Smithsonian institution was then at
work appeared in several papers last
year. 1t was about twelve months ago
that a trial was made down the river
very quietly and without exciting COM
ment. The result was. not satisfactory.
Radical notifications since then have
gradually evolved structure which
could not be identified from the repre-
sensations published.
The new flying machine.is twelve feet
in length over all, and eight feet wide
measured across the front wings. There
are four wings, and the cawdal pair-if
they may be SO termed-are little more
than half the size of those attached to
the body. But for the fact that the two
pairs are separated by an interval of sew
eral feet, the nerveless creature might be
described as a monstrous butterfly. The
fine white cloth of which the wings are
in part made is stretched over light
framework OF numerous closely set veins
or ribs, adding to the likeness. The
aluminium body is very light, weighing
four feet long, ana the width is almost
half the length giving it a decidedly
"chunky" appearance. In transverse sec
tion it would approximate a circle. AT
each end it terminates ina blunt point
the PROV more obtuse than the cone to
which is attached the long and simple
support for the caudal..wiDgs and the vir
tical rudder the latter being very hmuch
like the rudder of q ship. It's function
is.to effect lateral changes of direction,
the caudal wings serving ttoj deermine
the vessels course in vertical planes
To maintain the large wings at the
inclination necessary fol suspension in
mid air, or for. increaseaof elevation, the
caudal pair must be given reverse in
clination. The greater the speed the
more nearly may the two pairs. constitute
parts of the same plane, and for this
reason the greater the speed the smaller
amount of energy will be consumed in
the maintenance of an elevated position.
Thus the posi- bilities of speed for the
perfected aeroplane would seem to be
without limit-at least, the limit would
be too remotekfor practical consideration.
The propelling power is steam. 1t is
applied through the agency of little
copper boiler and engine within the
aluminium body, giving motion TO a
pair of wooden screws placed at the pos
terror end OF the body. The little en-
gines are marvellously light and powerful
for a mechanism SO reduced in size. The
propellers' blades are hardly thicker
than paper. They are about foot long,
one piece to each, and hum like hive
of bees.