The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1904-02-03
THE PROSPECTS FOR FLYING.
Discussioa of the Didicuitics In tho Way
of Man-Flight.


Professor Simon Ncwcomb is the nu
thor of an article in The Independent
on the subject of "Thc outlook for the
Flying Machine" The outlook is very
gloomy from the professors stand
point. He points out a number of diff
ficulties, which he says are only prelim-
mary ones patent on the surface. \
more fundamental one still which the
writer feels may prove insurmounta-
bic, is based on law of nature which
we are bound to accept. Ii is that
when we increase the size OF such n
machine without changing its model
we increase the weight in proportion
to the cube of the linear dimensions
For example, suppose that an Inventor
succeeds, us well he may, in making
a machine which will 20 into Il match
case, yet complete in all It's parts. able
to fly around the room. II may carry
a button, but nothing heavier. Elatcd
by his success, he makes one on the
same model twice as large in every
dimension. The parts of the first,
which are one inch in length, he In.
creases to two inches. Every part is
twice as long. twice as broad and twice
as thick. The result is that his machine
is eight times as heavy rs before. But
the sustaining surface is only four
times as great. As compared with the
smaller machine. its ratio of Elective
ness is reduced one-half. 1t may carry
two or three buttons, but will not car
ry over four. because the total weight,
machine plus buttons. can only be
Quadrupled, and If he more than
he must less than quadruple that Of
the load. How many of such enlarge
ments must he make before his ma
chine will cease to sustain itself, be.
fore 1t will fall as an inert mass when
we seek to make it fly through the air ?
Is there any size ut which it will be
able to support human being? We
may well hesitate before we answer
this question in the affirmative.
1t Is of interest to notice that the law
Is reversed in the case of bod. which
is not supported by the resistance of
fluid in which it Is immersed, but
floats in 1.-THE ship or balloon. for
example. When we double the linear
dimensions of steamship in all Its
parts we increase not only her weight
but her floating power. her carrying
capacity and her engine capacity eight.
fold. But the resistance which she
meets with when passing through the
water at given speed is only multi
piled four times. Hence, the larger we
build the steamship the more econom
ical the application of power necessary
to drive it. The proportionately dimin.
ishing resistance which in the flying
machine represents the floating power
is in the ship something 10 be over
come. Thus, there is complete re
versal of the law in its practical ap
plication to the two cases.
The balloon is in the same class
with the ship. Practical diflicultie:
aside, the larger II is built the more eff
fective it will be. and the more advan
tageous will be the ratio of the power
which is necessary to drive it and tn,
resistance to be overcome.
If, therefore, we are ever to hav,
aerial navigation with our presen
knowledge of natural capabilities it Il
to the airship floating in the air, rath
err than the flying machine resting OF
the air, to which we are to look. Ii
the light Of the law which I have laiC
down, the subject, while not at al
promising, seems worthy of more at
tention than 1t has received.