Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-02-22
FLYING THE COMING SPORT.
Genuine Open Air Exercise, Says One
Who Has Tried 1t.

Who Has Tried 1t.
From the Ae-ouautical Annual
One can fly long distances with quite sim
pie apparatus. writes Otto Lilenthal with
out taxing ones strength at all, and this
kind of free and safe motion through the
air affords greater pleasure than any other
kind of sport. From raised starting point
particularly from the top of fiat hill, one
can, after some practice. soar through the
air, reaching the earth only after having
gone great distance.
For this purpose I have hitherto employed
a sailing apparatus very like the outspread
pinions of soaring bird. 1t consists Of
wooden frame covering with shifting Got
ton twiiD. The frame is taken hold of by
the hands. the arms resting between
cushions, thus supporting the body. The
legs remain free for running and jumping.
The steering in the air is brought about by
changing the center of gravity. This APP
paratus l had constructed with supporting
surfaces of ten to twenty square meters.
The larger sailing surfaces move in an in
cline of one to eight, so that one is enabled
to fly eight times as far as the starting hill
Is high. The steering Is facilitated by the
rudder. which is firmly fastened behind in
horizontal and vertical position. The
machines weigh, according to their SIZE
from thirty-three to fifty-five pounds.
In order to practice flying with these sail
ing surfaces one first takes short jumps on a
somewhat inclined surface, till he has ac-
cUstomed himself to. be borne by the air.
Finally he is able to sail over inclined sur
faces as far as he wishes. The supporting
capacity of the air is felt, particularly if
there is breeze A sudden increase in the
wind causes a longer stoppage in the air.
or one is raised to still higher point The
charm of such fight is inlescribable, and
there could not be a healthier motion or
more exciting sport in the open air The
rivalry in these exercises cannot but lead
to a constant perfecting of the apparatus.
the same as. for instance, is the case with
bicycles. 1 speak from experience, for al
though the system of my sailing apparatus
remains the same, 1t has gone through num-
berlesS changes yearly.
The apparatus which I now employ for
my flying exercises contains a great MANY
improvements as compared with the first
sailing surfaces with which I commenced
this kind of experiment, five years ago The
first attempts in windy weather taught me
that suitable steering surfaces would be
| needed to enable me to keep my course bet
ter against the wind. Repeated changes in
the construction led to a kind of apparatus
with which one can throw himself without
danger from any height, reaching the earth
safely, after long distance. The construc-
ton of the machine Is such that it re-
| sembles in all its parts strut-frame the
joints of which are calculated to stand pull
and pressure, in order to combine the great
est strength with the least weight. An i'm
portant improvement was to arrange the
apparatus for folding. All of my recent
machines are so arranged that they can be
taken through a door about 61s feet high
The unfolding and putting together of the
flying implements takes about two minutes.
A single grip of the hands is sufficient to
attach the apparatus safely to the body and
one gets out of the apparatus just as quick
ly on landing. In case Of a storm the flying
sail Is folded up In half a minute and can be
laid by anywhere If one should not care to
fold the apparatus he may await the end of
| the storm under cover of the wings, which
are capable of protecting twenty persons.
| Even the heaviest rain will not damage the
apparatus The flying apparatus, even if
completely drenched, is soon dried by a few
sailing flights after the rain stops as the air
passes through the same. with great speed.
The latest improvements of the flying ap,
paratus which 1 use for practical expert
ments refer to gaining of greater stability in
windy weather. 81 efnC It
My experiments tend particularly in two
directions. On the one side I endeavor to
carry my experiments in sailing through the
air with immovable wings to this extent:
I practice the overcoming of the wind. in
order to penetrate. If possible, into the
secret Of continued soaring flight. On the
other hand try to attain the dynamic flight
by means of Tapping the wings. which are
| introduced as simple addition to my sail
ing flights. Is