New-York tribune., 1896-05-14
LANGLEY'S FLYING MACHINE.
1T IS SAID TO HAVE TRAVELLED HALF A MILE
IN AIR AND ALIGHTED SAFELY.

Washington dispatch to The Baltimore American.
The first public statement regarding the flying
machine experiments conducted by Professor samuel
sttution. for months past was made to-day
with the authority of Professor Langley; The we'll
known scientist has been believer in the eventuaI
practical OF air vehicles for years. and for long
period he has been making experiments With de-
vice Of his own invention near Occaquan' va. Much
secrecy has been attached TO these trials OF the aero
drome and the little that has leaked out has excited
intense interest among scientists throughout the
world. Professor Langley has always been guarded
attempts with the flying machine embodied IN the
following statement. prepared by Professor Alex
ished with the sanction of Professor Langley. there
FORE will be OF great interest to the scientific world
Last Wednesday. May c. witnessed very re-
markablc experiment with Professor Langey's aero
me that the experiment was Of such historical
Importance that It should be made public.
was Of steel driven by a steam engine. 1t resembed
an enormous bird. soaring In the air with extreme
ward in a spiral path the spra,s with diameter OF.
perhaps. one hundred yards; until It reached "a a
end OF course Of about half mile. when the steam
gave out. the propellers which had moved It stopped
Of OF tumbng down settled as slowly and gracefully
as II is possible for any bird to do touching the
water without any damage. and was Immediately
picked out. and ready 10 be tried again
"A second trial like The rs exGsp ahh3 5ne
continuous gentle ascent II 1t swung around In
sGs IKE soaring Sd At ta1qea G1e tine Il
a neghboring wooded promontory, but apprehen-
sion was Immediately allayed. as II passed twenty
hve or thirty feet above the tops OF the highest trees
there and ascending stu further Its steam inaiy IN ~,
river. not quite quarter OF mile from the point
at which II arose.
NO one could have witnessed these experiments
without being convinced that the practicabihty OF
mechanical flight had been demonstrated"
Professor Langley also made public a supplemental
statement giving some important data regarding re-
cent experiments. He said: THE aerodrome. or
flying machine. has gas TO lift II as In the case
OF balloon: but. the contrary. It Is about one
thousand times heavier. bulk for bulk than the ar
on which It is made to run and which sustains IL
somewhat In the way in which thin Ice supports
swift skater The power Is derived from @ sn steam m
engine through the means of propelers but Owing 10
the scale which the actual aerodrome is built there
has been no condensing apparatus to use the water
and over. Enough can be carried FOR only
very brief flight, difficulty which does not belong
to larger machines than the present example III
which the supporting SURFACES are but about iout our
teen feet from tip tip. The distance flown eacn
time about one-half mile. The rate OF speed de-
pends, as In the OF any vehicle on land, on
whether II is going level uphill. In the case
OF this last trial OF May the machine was ascend
ing; that is to say It was going uphill all the time.
and went through the distance Of Onshsf mile ss Gs
Of little more than twenty miles an hour.