Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1896-05-15
HALF MILE IN THE AIR.
Successful Test of Prof.
Langley's Flying
Machine.

The first public statement re-
garding the flying machine ex-
| periments conducted by Pro-.
Samuel P. Langley, secretary of
the Smithsonian Institute. was
made yesterday with the author
ity Of Prof. Langley. The well
known scientist has for years
been believer in the eventual
practical use of air vehicles, and
for a long period he has been
making experiments with a de-
vice Of his own invention near
IOccoquan, Va. Much secrecy
has been attached to these trials
of the aerodrome, and the little
that has leaked out has excited
intense interest among scientists
throughout the world.
Last Wednesday, May O.
says Prof. Bell, II witnessed a
very remarkable experiment
with Prof. Langley's aerodrone
on the Potomac river. Indeed,
it seemed to HE that the expert
ment was of such historical inns
pOrtanCe that it should be made
public.
II should not feel at liberty to
give all account of all the details,
but the main facts | have Prof.
Langley's consent for giving you,
and they are as follows:
1.-THE aerodrome, or flying ma
chine, in question was Of steel,
driven by a steam engine. 1t
resembled an enormous bird,
soaring IL the air with extreme
regularity in large curves, sweep
ing steadily upward in a spiral
path, the spirals with a diameter
of perhaps 100 yards, until it
reached height of about 100
| feet in the air, at the end of a
course of about half a mile when
the steam gave out, the propllers
which moved it stopped, and
then, to my further surprise, the
whole, instead of tum bling down
settled as slowly and gracefully
as it is possible for any bird to
do, touching he water without
damage, and was immediately
picked out and ready to be tried
again.
"a second trial was like the
first, except that the machine
went in a different direction
moving i'll one continuous gentle
ascent as it swung around in
circles like a great soaring bird.
At one time it seemed to be in
danger, as its course carried it
over neighboring wooded pro-
montory, but apprehension was
Immediately allayed, as it passed
Is or so feet above the tops of
the highest trees there, and, as
cending still further, its steam
finally gave out again, and it
settled into the waters of the
river not quite a quarter of a
mile from the point at which it
arose.
mo one could have witnessed
these experiments without being
convinced that the practicability
of mechanical flight had been
demonstrated"
Prof. langley also made pubs
lie a supplemental statement,
giving some important data re-
garding experiments. He said
"The aerodrome or flying ma
chine has no gas to lift it, as in
the case of balloon, but, on the
contrary, it is about one thous-
and times heavier, bulk for bulk
than the air on which it is made
to run, and which sustains it
somewhat in the way in which
thin ice supports a swift skater.
The pow IS derived from a
steam engine through the means
of propellers. but, owing to the
scale on which the actual aero>
drome is built, there has been
no condensing apparatus to use
the water over and over, Enough
can be carried for only a very
brief flight, a difficulty which
does not belong to larger ma
chimes than the present example,
in which the supporting surfaces
are but about ii feet from tip to
tip. The distance flown each
| In,-t Lie