Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-07-30
WIND WAS TooIH1GH
FOR EXPERIMENTS WITH THE
LANGLEY AIRsHIP.
Experts Will Spend Time at Work In
side Houseboat Until Con-
ditions Are Favorable.

special dispatch to The Evening star.
Underwater. Va, July 3O.-Barred by
the continued winds from experimenting.
either with the model or the big flying
machine. the Smithsonian experts and
mechanics spent the morning at work in
side the Langley houseboat. The gasoline
engine. which generates power for gen.
eral shop work, was in operation today.
This. however, was the only sign Of activ
ity about the ark throughout the morning
Having perfected arrangements for a test
the experts are now expanding their en-
ergies in general utility work.
The principal thing remaining to be done
before launching is attempted Is to ele-
vate the aerodrome to the superstructure
Owing to its width when set for sailing 1t
will be taken from the houseboat body and
for hosting. This will not require much
time, but very particular work. The alb
sence of much wind for this as well as for
the voyage is required. Indications are
evening.
High Wind Prevented Launching.
Preparations for the launching OF Prof.
Langley's airship were suspended early
yesterday afternoon owing to the weather
conditions. The heavy wind which was
blowing in the morning continued through
out the afternoon, changing only In its
direction. Earlier in the day 1t was blow
ing from the southeast. but later it veered
around to the southwest, with indications
Of developing into gale as the evening
advanced. 1t absolutely precluded the
launching even OF small model, not to
mention the large aerOdrome. Had the
day been comparatively calm It Ia believed
that an experiment would have been made.
In fact it Is learned that Chief Assistant
Manley has been ready since Monday for
test The only thing that prevented 1t
was the absence of suitable weather.
Experiments With thermometer.
But. while the high winds blowing here
interfered with the plans of the scientists,
they took advantage of the opportunity Of
making further tests with the thermometer,
which. as before stated, has been placed
on the railing near the launching passage
to register the direction, velocity and dura-
ton of the wind currents. During the
period of observation the wind blew from
ten to twenty-five miles an hour. An ex-
pert spent a considerable time on the su-
Ierstructure near the instrument. taking
frequent measurements. One of the most
interesting peculiarities of the wind re-
vealed by the thermometer Is the irregu-
larity of the currents either in a light
breeze or a high gale. The motion is found
to be exceedingly changeabe. 1t Is also
ascertained from the readings of the in
1ccity Of the wind the greater the relative
fluctuations which occur in it. This fact
isIn part an explanation of the danger
that would attend the launching of the
aerodrome in anything approaching the
severity OF a gale. According to the
chronographic readings ascertained by
the scientists the air moves in a high
wind in a tumultuous mass. The velocity
at one moment may be as great as forty
miles an hour, when 1t may diminish to
almost instantaneous calm to resume
in the next second or 80 its terrific pace.
Effort to Counteract Errat1c Air Cur
rents.
Much care has been taken by Prof Lang
ley in the construction of the wings of the
aerodrome to meet the continuous require
ments of cratic air current either IN
a comparative calm or light breeze. One
Of the greatest obstacles to the success
OF his earliest experiments with models
was to get the wings to behave properly
with the aerodrome in flight. The support
ing areas of the machines would be re-
peatedly thrown out Of gear because of
faulty mechanism. To remedy the defect
the inventor turned his attention to
long time found impracticable, owing
to prohibitable increase in weight. Final
ly. however, as Prof Langley now believes,
he succeeded In making the wings, without
much increase In the weight, sufficiently
strong to be maintained in their desired
positions against ordinary air currents.
The finest kind Of oil silk has been used
to cover the four big wings of the aero
drome soon to be tested.