The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-07-18

enaD1eQ TO reaCu cOuCluslous WAAOA
were of great value to him in the con-
struction of his flying machine, and
the most important of them was that
the most effective form of wing was
that whose convexity, as measured by
the versed breadth of the arc, should
be one-twelfth of the breadth of the
wing, or, of the length of the chord
connecting the opposite edges.
The flying machine devised and now
used by Herr Lilienthal is designed
rather for sailing than for flying in
the proper sense of the term, or, as
he says, "for being carried steadily
and without danger, under the least
possible angle of descent, against a
moderate wind, from an elevated point
to the plain below. 1t is made almost
entirely of closely woven muslin,
washed with collodion to render itim-
pervious to air, and stretched upon
ribbed frame of eplit willow, which
has been found to be the lightest and
strongest material for this purpose.
Its main elements are the arched
wings, a vertical rudder, shaped like
conventional palm leaf, which acts
as a vane in keeping the head always
toward the wind, and fiat horizontal
rudder to prevent sudden changes IN
the equilibrium. The operator so ad-
justs the apparatus to his person that
when in the air he will be seated upon
narrow support near the front, and,
with the wings folded behind him.
makes short run from some elevated
point, always against the wind, and,
when he has attained sufficient veloc-
ity, launches himself into the air by
spring or Jump, at the same time
spreading the wings, which are at
once extended to their full breadth by
atmospheric action, whereupon he
sails majestically along like gigantic
seagull. In this way Herr Lilienthal
has accomplished flights of nearly
three hundred yards from the starting
point.
'.No one," said Herr Lilienthal to
me. sscan realize how substantial the
air is until he feels its supporting
power beneath him. It inspires con-
fdence at once. If the wings were
fiat the speed might be greater, but
the sustaining power would be re-
duced, and the descent would there.
fore be more rapid. With arched
wings it is possible to sail against
moderate breeze at an angle of not
more than six degrees to the horizon.
"The principle is recognized in the
umbrella form universally adopted for
the parachute. Try to run with en-
open umbrella held above the head
and slightly inclined backward, and
see what lifting power it exerts.
Soaring, in the sense of rising against
the wind as the birds do, is possible
only with the dome shaped wings.
The aeroplane, or fiat wing, when in
clined at certain angle to the breeze,
NAV rise while its momentum contln-
ues, but this once overcome its power
is gone, and nothing can restore it.
'In my long intercourse with the
air and the winds, in all their varying
phases, I have learned that there is an
extraordinary category of difficulties
to be overcome. In my trials of wings
moved by the feet, in my attempts to
construct steam flying machines and
in my experiments with mechanical
birds of every description have dis
covered how difficult it is to maintain
a steady position in the air, indepen-
dent of the caprices of the winds. l,
therefore, gave up for the time all ef-
forts toward propulsion, and applied
myself to the discovery of the sim
plest form of wing that would enable
me to sail steadily through the air on
a gentle incline, and by practice to
master the wind, that hereditary foe
of all aeronauts.
81 adhere firmly to my conviction
that the wings must be slightly con-
cave. This is the fundamental con-
dition of success. The wings which
now use are in the main segments OF
spherical surface. They are so con-
structed that they can be folded to-
gether like the wings of bat and re-
quire very little storage room when
not in use.