Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-02

point of actually transporting a human
being through the air on an aerodrome IKE
his model: and so, with the aid OF an ap-
preparation from the War Department OF
the United States. Prof Langley actually
constructed a full-sized aerodrome, and
found a man brave enough to risk his life
In the apparatus-Mr. Manley of Washing
ton, d. C..
Two experiments were made: but on
both occasions the apparatus caught in the
launching ways and was precipitated into
the water without having a chance to
show what it could do in the air. The
fact Of the matter is that the machine
was never tried, and after having wit
messed the successful flight Of the large
sized model of 1885, 1 have no doubt that
Prof Langleys full-sized aeodrome would
have flown had it been safely launched into
the air.
Both in the Of I.ilienthal and
Langley their efforts have not been in
vain. Others have continued their re-
searches. and today the world is In pos
session of the first practical flying machine.
the creation of the brothers Orville and
Wilbur Wright of Dayton. Ohio.
The Wright brothers began by repeat
ing the gliding experiments of Lilienthal,
with improved apparatus OF the Hargrave
type as modified by Chanute After hav
ing made many successful glides through
the air without motor. they followed
in the footsteps of Langley and propelled
their machine by means of twin screws
operated by engine power. They were sue
cessful in launching their apparatus into
the air, and it flew, carrying one of them
W Thnir !,
simply, but many times. and in the pres
ence of witnesses, that there can be
no doubt that the first Successful flying
machine has at last appeared Specially
successful flights were made on october
and D, 1893, which We're referred to
by the Wright brothers in letter to the
editor of L'Aerophle published in that
journal January, 1906 They have also
made Il communication upon the subject
to the Aero Club of America, and have
received the formal congratulations of that
organization upon their success.
Each OF the Wright brothers in turn has
made numerous flights over their testing
field near Dayton. Ohio. sometimes at an
elevation of about eighty feet: at other
times skimming over the field at a height
of about ten feet from the ground They
have been able TO circle over the field of
operation. and even to describe in the air
the figure eight. thus demonstrating their
perfect control over their apparatus. both
in the vertical and horizontal directions
They have succeeded in remaining contin-
uously in the air more than half an hour
thirty eight minutes. in fact-and only
came down on account of the exhaustion
OF their fuel supply. They state that the
velocity attained was one kiometer per min
ute. or about thirty-seven miles an hour
The machine has not only sustained its
own weight in the air during these trials
but has also carried a man and a gasoline
engine weighing 24O pounds exertine a
force OF from II to 10 horse power and In
addition an extra load of 80 pounds of mig
iron The apparatus complete with motor
weighed no less than 925 pounds, while the
supporting surfaces consisted of two sinner
posed aeroplanes each measuring six by
forty feet; SO that the machine as a whole
had d flying weight of nearly two pounds
per square foot 90 pounds.
Thanks to the efforts of the Wright
brothers, the practicabi,ity of aerial flight
by man is no longer probematical. We can
no longer consider as impossible that which
has already been accomplished. America
may feel proud of the fact that the prob
lem has been first solved by citizens of the
United States.