Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-11
E-FLYING SCHOOL.
rHE GOVERNMENT GIVES SPECIAL
ADVICE REGARDING 1T.
.CIENTIFIC KITES DESCRIBED.
sent AIoft Attached to Wire and
Carrying With Them Very Valuable
Instrumcnts-Quite n Task to Raise
Them.
Them.

Occasional reports have found their way
INTO print regarding the use of the Gov
eminent Weather Bureau Is making oil
kites In studying atmospheric conditions
but the reading public has not been made
4 confidant in the matter of the estab-
ishment OF the most unique educational
institution in the world-a school for in
struction in kite-nyihg. Uncle Sam Is
now prepared to give instruction in the
time exclusively Juvenile art may be
practced in all seriousness by adults who
wish to secure records from the aerial
regions.
In this school OF instruction the students
are told how TO manage the kite, how
to prepare and take care o. the wire
used for flying these "grown-up" kites,
how to splice breaks in the wire and
how to manipulate the Instruments that
are especially constructed for use in
taking aerial observations by means Of
kites.
The instruction begins with the wire
used in sending the kite aloft. II is most
important that this should be in gool
condition, for valuable instruments are
sent up on the kite, and any schoolboy
knows what happens when the string
breaks with the kite at a great altitude.
Says Uncle Sans kite expert in giving
advice anent tho wire of the weather
kites:
Perhaps there is nothing else so pro-
ductive of disastrous results as the break
ing of the main line. Ii kite flies badly,
or becomes disabled in the air, it can be
landed without loss of either Kite or ap-
paratus, and generally with little or no
further injury. In the case Of high as
tensions with the line under considerable
strain, the kite and instruments, II the
main line breaks are sure to be drifted
several miles at least, and their recovery
is quite uncertain. Moreover, the wire
falls across fields, is apt 10 be meddled
with, and entangled by unauthorized per-
sons. and much of it, If recovered, IS
unservlceabe. Every precaution must b.
taken. therefore, to preserve every foot
OF the wire at its maximum strength. A
single defect or weak spot may be fatal.
Furthermore, due care must be taken
that the wire is not subjected 10 undue
strains. Strains of 100 to 10 pounds are
often on the verge OF safety and are to
be avoided.
with the improved kites, elevations
between 5000 and 5000 feet can be at
tanned with less than eighty pounds strain
on the line, and, whep strong winds pre-
vail the effort should be made 10 keep
the strain under this limit"
1t must not be supposed that the kites
used by men are Of the same sh2pe as
the one the juvenile sees mount proudly
ir the air attached to ball Of twine. The
scientists kite is very elaborate affair,
In shape like the transparency that is
mounted on a pole and carried shoulder
high by the political parader; the kind
from whose sides the sentiments Of the
party glare aggressively with the aid of
a light inside. The framework is collapse
bic for easier transportation. 10 set up
the kite four rectangular trussed frames
are spread apart and connected together
by six long, slender sticks. One end OF
each of the latter is numbered 10 CORE
spond to the same number on one of the
frames, which parts are brought together
in assembling. The sticks ire secured by
means Of small brass screws, nuts, and
washers. Two thick longitudinal sticks
join the middle points Of the Framework
Four slender longitudinal sticks Join the
corners Of the frames. The front COM
partment contains an intermediate sup
porting plane. The ends Of this are car
ried by sticks, which pass through the
hens and attach 10 the vertical side
sticks of the cell. third transverse
stick is inserted across this supporting
plane at the middle point, and fastened
at its ends to the upright sticks IN the
centre OF the compartment The ends OF
these several sticks are made fast I'm their
respective positions by lashing with wax
ed thread. With these simple instructions
IL is very simple TO set up SCIENTIFIC
kite.
The next thing to do Il you are inter-
ested primarily in making aerial observa-
tons. and only as a secondary consider
alton in flying kites is to attach your in
struments 10 the kite. one II the clever
~ designed arrangements for cloud OBJ
servation is the nephoscope, which Is con-
structed especially for attaching TO Kites.
Ii consists of a circular brass frame,
mounted upon three levelling screws. Inc
rim is graduated to degrees aud number
ed from TO $50 in a direction contrary
to the motion of clock-nands Plate
and mirror revolve smoothly within the
circular rim, being carried OH 4 hollow
vertical axis at the centre. An arm car
rying a sighting staff also revolves upon
the central axis, the outer end r1NeisinS
the narrow annuldr space between the
mirror and the gradulsed rim The stan
is telescope in construction, ana Is at
tached to the arm by hinge, which per-
mits the staff to be inclined from the Ner-
teal 10 any extent, but always IN a plane
perpendicular to the mirror. The top Ior-
ton Of the staff is provided with cross
head which is surmOunted by small
sighting knob.
With this instrument elevated IN lhe
clouds. the kite flier can ascertain the
angular elevation and azimuth OF the
kite by the reading on the scales, with the
time at which the kite energies from
q cloud and its elevation at that moment
either ascending or descending. Gy
means of other instruments, the tempera-
ture, humidity, and velocity of wind are
recorded. The use of all these instru-
ments is carefully explained by Uncle
Sans corps Of kite-Aying instructors.
Having got the scientific kite ready, the
next thing, OF course. is 10 entrust II 10
the wind and send IL soaring aloft IN
search of aerial information. Here again,
the manipulation has a very dinerent )op
on hand TO that of the small boy WAC
gets another urchin TO hold his kite while
he runs until the wind catches the ike.
The governmental expert gives ms al
vice regarding the launching OF kites.
at Is best to carry out the Kite as
nearly as possible in the direction OF the
wind for a distance OF 600 or 500 feet, or
even more, whenever practicable. the
wire should he drawn up taut ana dis
engaged as far as possible, from any en-
tanglement at the surface of the ground
iiaa The assistant who