The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-08-30
Successful Test Viewed as
establishment of Aero
plane Theory and Fore
cast of Practical Results.
BUILT UPON THEORY
OF FLIGHT BY BIRDS
SustainS Itself in the Air
Until Power Is Exhausted,
When ltSettles Uninjured.
First BIRD" Flight.

Pi@He' Vi HyIhs machine, designed and
constructed by Emile Berliner, we'll
known to Washington as one OF the most
distinguished OF its resident scientists.
The announcement naturally created a
pronounced impression.
Attention has been directed so long to
the problem Of aerial navigation that
this statement of a machine which had
been constructed and put to the test of
practical trial came like the proverbial
thunderclap out of a clear sky. But
this general and popular study OF aero
nautics had another effect-the details
of the Berliner device and the signifi-
canoe OF the test were quickly grasped
and generally appreciated.
1t was particularly noted that without
any extra starting device of any sort
and with no power not generated by the
machine itself the Berliner aeropIane
has lifted itself and in steady flight,
until its power was exhausted, main
tanned itself at height of not more than
eight feet from the ground.
Working With a Model. =
Mr.. Berliner's experiments have so
far been conducted with a small machine.
It's performances have been sufficient.
however, TO warrant the assumption that
Its development will enable men to fly
through the air with the help of two
wings. each Ave by twelve feet in size.
and small propeller. foot or machine
driven.
Mr.. Berliner recently designed a
small model of a flying machine which.
even at this early stage, lifts in fly
ing a weight over one pound for
every square foot of horizontal area
at speed estimated at less than twenty
miles an hour.
The model is OF aluminium and tin
plate. with rods of oak and metal tubing
for supports and weighs about thirty
four pounds including ballast. The
motive power for horizontal propulsion
was supplied by two common skyrockets
attached horizontally TO the rear of the
machine. the latter measuring s5sx5 feet
in width by about feet long from tip
to tip.
A Successful Test.
On August 10 this machine lifted itself
from the ground and in perfectly steady
flight reached height OF eight feet from
fifty feet at an almost even height of
three and one-half feet from the ground.
No eatapult or throwing device was
employed, a mere push by hand only
was given in starting.
The main body consists of arches, open
below, sloping down in the rear where
wide tail ends are attached. The arches
In moving forward produce a current OF
compressed air and at the same time ex-
ert parachute action which helps 10
support the structure, but the main lift
ing is done by the inclined and spread
out tail pieces catching the air current
Wheels are attached to facilitate the
obtaining OF the initial speed on any
fairly smooth surface and they have
since been mounted eIasticaliy in order
to modify sudden stocks should the ma
chine strike against hard surface
The Inventor Absent.
The experiments thus far were car
ried out under Mr.. Berliner's directions
Dy his second son, Edgar, student OF
the Massachusetts, Institute of TechnoI-
ogy, who added useful suggestions while
working out the models, and the actual
trials were conducted by the latter
early in the morning before sunrise on
lonely country roads near this city with
the assistance of pupil Of the McKin-
ley Manual Training School.
Mr.. Berliner, who is away on a yaca-
ton. has visited Washington repeatedly
during this summer for the purpose of
inspecting his sons work, but he will
soon return for the season and continue
the experiments personally.
Of Bird-Like Construction.
Flying machines, those which fly and
such as may fly when properly nodi-
fed, are usually OF two classes - the
Siderable balloon and the rapidly NOV
ing aeroplane. The latter is generally
admitted to contain the true principle
Of the future flyer. embodying as II does
some elements Of bird construction, and
the principal endeayor of experimenters
In this line has been to provide a mo-
tive power both Aight and of sufficient
propelling force TO move given weight
Of aeroplanes rapidly forward through
the air.
AS far back as eighteen years ago Mr.
Berliner constructed full-sized model
OF a flying machine. which, however,
was not successful and nearly thirty
years ago. in a communication TO the
scientific American" he proposed he
very principle OF propulsion for flying
machine "a stream Of compressed air
or gas .ieh he is using in his present
experiment for the purpose OF solving
the prot ,eL- Vi aerial navigation.
Would outfy Birds.
Mr.. Berliner Fu-lyZes the birds flight
as having two principal actions-the
producing of a current Of compressed
air by the beating Of the wings. and the
lifting forward on this air current OF the
body OF the bird. This lifting forward.
kite fashion, is, he thinks, greatly helped
by the tail or. where the latter is small.
By back wings, taking its place.
In Mr.. Berliner's opinion flying ma
chimes should then be possible by making