Evening star., 1903-10-07

and the other behtnd: out from tne oeGin-
ming the greatest trouble was In keeping
down the weight and at the same time
constructing the models strong enough to
preserve their design when in the air.
At first these models were cast from the
hand. as great diflculty was experienced
In devising proper launching apparatus
Allegheny was the scene of the earliest
flights They were very irregular and
brief. the longest being not more than four
seconds.
Soon thereafter the inventor tried twist
ed rubber IN the way that Penaud used It.
but without much success. He then at
tempted the formidable task of construct
ing steam-driven aerodrome. He ex-
amined the capacities of condensed air,
various applications Of electricity, car
bonic acid gas etc. or these, Prof. Lang
ley thought the steam engine offered the
best service in practice. So he proceeded
with the construction of his first aero
drome.
Practical Demonstration Fails.
Everything was new; everything was
problematica1; but it was necessary to
make a beginning. and compound engine
weighing about four pounds was construct
ed. This could develop something over
one horse power with sixty pounds of
steam. There was a series of tubular
boilers, and the whole was contained In a
body work or hull five feet long and ten
inches wide Two propellers. about thirty
inches in diameter. were worked by the
engines. In front was single pair of
large wings which contained about fifty
square feet and behind was a smaller pair.
giving in all about seventy-five feet of
sustaining surface. The total weight was
not expected to exceed twenty-five pounds.
But although much care had been given
to the perfecting of this apparatus 1t
proved a complete failure.
When the time came. to test 1t the thing
was found too heavy to fly, weighing near
ly twice as much as was originally intend
rnltl6 or ho lam re
fell far short Of generating at the right
time the requisite amount Of power, be-
cause sufficient fire could not be kept up,
and on the whole the thing was a dismal
disappointment. 1t, however, taught many
useful lessons. The inventor saw the fu-
tility Of passing beyond a certain propor-
ton in weight and turned his energies to
securing lightness as well durability.
Still Another Aerodrome.
He next experimental with gasoline en-
gine and in 1892 commenced the construc-
ton Of another aerodrome. which was to be
used with carbonic acid gas or compressed
air This machine proved not much better
than the first. but the inventor was not
driven from his purpose. The following
year another aerOdrome was constructed
with Serpolet boilers and force pumps. But
upon inspection with a critical eye so much
was found to be unsatisfactory about the
machine that it was decided to proceed with
the construction Of new one. Many I'M
provements were made in this over those
previously constructed.
In his story of experiments in mechanical
flight Prof Langley has this to say OF his
trials at this period:
From the very commencement OF this
long investigation the great difficulty was
in keeping down the weight for any of the
aerodromes could probably have flown had
they been built light enough. and in every
case before the construction was completed
the weight had so increased beyond the eSt1-
mate that the aerOdrOme was too heavy to
fly, and nothing but the most persistent res
olution kept me in continuing attempts to
reduce it after further reduction seemed i'm
possible Toward the close of the year 1893
I had, however, finally obtained an aero
drome with mechanical power as it SEEM
ed to me, to fly, and 1 procured, after much
thought as to where this flight should take
place. small houseboat. to be moored
somewhere in the Potomac" After select
ing place on the river near Quantico the
inventor made numerous experiments with
launching devices. The imperfect knowledge
of this process at that time gave him no end
of trouble 1t was found that the aero
drome when conveyed to the top Of the
houseboat could scarcely be held steady
owing to the currents Of the air, which ex-
ercised great influence over the machine
even in a comparative calm 1t was shaken
about 50 as to be in danger of serious in
jury, If not destruction.
Attempt at Launching.
Prof Langley next attempted a launch
ing by dropping the aerodrome from a
% foot roof in the hope that it would ac-
quire sufficient speed to soar before reach
ing the surface but this was also dis
appointment.
Many were the failures attending efforts
to launch the machine about this time.
Within three weeks five efforts were made
and not once was the aerodrome got fairly
into the air. AS the houseboat which was
then used was small and without many
shop conveniences an attempt generally
meant trip to and from Washington with
force Of assistants, involving much ex-
pense and requiring considerable time.
Nearly a year passed before device of
any promise was perfected. From this
time on-the launchings were accomplished
with comparatively little difficulty. But a
new trouble arose, the cause of which was
at first obscure.
The wings refused to behave similarly un-
der what appeared to be constant conditions
in successive trials. Though originally set
at precisely the same angle the wings
would be frregularly detected by the up
ward pressure Of the air. so that a moment
after the launching they would assume a
form different from that which they first
possessed. Finally. after another year OF
experiments. the wings were made much
stronger without excessive weight and
| were then capable of sustaining their cor
rect position.
Troubles All the Time.
The year 1894 was devoted to expert
mentinR with two steel aerodromes which
had been built the preceding year.
Great difficulty was found in properly d.
recting the power Of the engines Some
times the machine. after getting good
start. would be forcibly impelled into the
water. after sustaining severe injury.
The work Of repairing, therefore, con-
Stantly went on. But little was accom-
plished the following year. but in 1896 there
occurred several long flights which Prof.
Langley firmly believed demonstrated the
adaptability of his principles of construc-
ton of airships to aerial navigation. Two