Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1903-08-07
WHY MAY WE NOT FLY
FAR EASIER PROBLEMS HAVE
BEEN SOLVED.

Many Scientists at Work on Discovery Of
Some Plan for Sailing Through the Air
The Kite Type Seems to Be in Favor,
Which is Placing Asroplanes at Given
Angle and Propulsion Against the Air
The Propeller Plan for Suspension as Well
as Propulsion. Seems to Be the Logical
Outcome of Successful Endeavor.
1t is probable that we are nearing
climax in the history OF flying ma
chimes, brought about by the approach
of the Worlds Fair at st. Louis, says
a correspondent from that city.
Down in Florida Sir Hiram Maxim
is busy with q machine which he
hopes will solve the great problem and
such q master of mechanics and
dynamics should come near in solving
the question.
Two different sets OF aerial builders
are now working on plans and their
fields are wide apart, yet both are
quite likely to result in success.
John P. Holland, the inventor OF
the submarine boat is to devote his
attention this summer to the kite air
ship, designed to carry single per-
son, which he thinks will be the first
flying machine to become practical.
On his side is Alexander Graham
Bell. who recently said in regard to
aerial contrivances:
81 have had the feeling that a
properly constructed flying machine
should be capable of being flown as a
kite should be capable of use as fly.
ing machine when driven by its own
propellers. am not so sure, how
ever, of the truth of the former propo-
sition as l am of the latter.
"Given kite so shaped as to be
suitable for the body OF a flying ma.
chine and so efficient that it will fly
we'll in good breeze (say 10 miles an
hour) when loaded with a weight
equivalent to that of man and en-
CINE, then it seems to me that the
same kite, provided with an actual en-.
gine and man in place of the load,
and driven by its own propellers at
the rate of 20 miles an hour, should
be sustained in calm air as q flying
machine. So far as the pressure o.
the air is concerned, it is surely imms'
terisl whether the air moves against
the kite or the kite against the air."
John P. Holland does not expect tc
settle the flying question off-hand. He
gives 10 years as the probable period
that must elapse before perfected ma.
chimes will be made, but that they
will come he seems to have no doubt
The model on which the distin.
guished inventor is working is de.
vice that the man can strap on his
back and 60 out of town with for the
week end.
He says of it:
"My machine will weigh 25 to 80
pounds-about the weight of a bicycle
and it can be strapped between a
mans shoulders and can be detached
instantly, in case Of necessity.
When some genius makes it a per-
feet success and practical we can all
live in the country and fly to and
from our labors in town."
The spread OF the aeroplanes, OF
wings, will be about 25 feet, and q
rudder device will be used as q steer
ing gear. The materials used in the
construction of the machine will be
as light as the strength necessary will
permit. The frames for the wings
or aeroplanes, will consist of long
thin pieces of select ash. The grain
of the wood will run with the length
OF the frame. giving it increased
strength without the loss of any
elasticity. The frames will be GOV.
cred with fine, closely-woven silk or q
material that will hold the wind
Other parts of the frame work will be
of steel wire of not less than $4,000 o,
10000 pounds tensile strength.
Mr.. Holland has several ways in
which he can start his machine while
it is resting on the ground. OF these
however, he declined to discuss the
mechanism, as it is patentable. The
wings will be worked from a seat
placed about six feet below the wing
In this seat the operator will have
control Of both the wings and the
pedals by which they will be worked.
A long stride from this simple
proposition is that to the French
School of Aeronautics, the principal
recent specimen OF which is Lebaudy'e Z
dirigible.
The dirigible was tested four times
last month. In light wind it made
a trip OF ii miles. In q much fresheI
breeze seven miles was made and later
10 miles was covered at one ascension
with stiff breeze blowing. Most oi
the trips described circuits and were
accomplished without mishaps. The
speed achieved was about 25 miles an
hour, with 40 horsepower engine
the propeller making 1000 revolutions
q minute.
Santos-Dumont is busy with his No.
8 and No. 10 machines. In the former
he takes trips daily, with as little cere.