The Democratic advocate., 1909-10-01
AERIAL NAVIGATION.
Airships VIII Soon Be As Common As
Automobiles.

More progress has been made on
aero-planes during the last year In
France and America than was made
upon automobiles during five years
i succeeding their introduction was
the pith of remarkable statement by
a Philadelphia upon his return home
! after reviewing the Rheims display Of
flying machines, where he was one
OF the judges.
He said that he considered that the
French are now leading the world In
the science of aviation, and he expects
to see that nation make the most rap
i'd development In the future toward
the perfection of the aeroplane. He
gave as his reason for this belief the
fact that in France there is such a
large number OF wealthy sportsmen,
who are enthusiasts I'm the develop
ment of any agency that makes for
sport. Frenchmen, he said, regard
aerial navigation as the ideal pastime
of sportsmen.
Il firmly believe" he continued
that within the next decade the aero
plane will be perfected to the point
where 1t win be practical and In com
mon use In the aeroplane as II Is
AAUM UuiiA AntAG 0lGs gV AAt 08 a Nel
see, only two serious hindrances,
which | expect TO see overcome In a
short time These hindrances pertain
to the rising and alighting OF the ma
chimes, and TO the uncertainty OF the
equilibrium during their fight.
"The reason for the aeroplanes OF
today not being able to start against
strong wind is that they can not
rise with certainty. They have diiil-
Guilty In getting clear OF the ground
n the wind exceeds one-quarter Of
the maximum velocity Of the machine.
because In rising against a strong
breeze there Is danger OF the machine
being upset by pun before It gathers
headway. But once clear Of the
ground they can easily negotiate a
wind that is equal to half their speed,
80 the chief weakness OF the aero
plane today, as | see IL. is It's lack Of
power to control It's equilibrium. II
this weakness Is overcome. not only
can the machines clear the ground
with certainty IN a strong wind. but
there will be no danger OF capsizing
while IN flight
AT the present time tbs equili-
brlum "a maintained IA the air by the
efforts of the pilot operating q series
OF levers. and the correct manipula-
ton OF these levers Gspenda absolutely
upon the presence of mind OF aviator.
so that, when the pilot loses his head.
as was the case recently In a trial
flight In Europe the result II fatal
"To overcome this weakness some
method viii be adopted whereby the
equilibrium Of the aeroplBne will be
maintained by an automatic control,
leaving the pilot free 70 guide the
machine. and thia will relieve the
mind Of the terrific mental strain to
which he Is now subjected 10 keep
his machine on a level keel.
This automatic control Of the equi-
librinm will make Z, easy. too, for the
machine TO be brought safely 20 the
ground. There IL considerable dan
ger now in aiighting in n strong wind
because the only effective way 10
come TO the earth is for the machine
To be brought head to the wind. but to
do this there IL hazard of ita upBetting
In the maDoeuyer.
THE principal aviatora OF the world
are now directing their experiments
toward correcting these wenkneBgea
and ! think that next year will see
vast strides made IN this direction,
and when some plan Is perfected,
whereby the aeroplana will maintain
its equilibrium automatically, and
alight with safety the machine will
be practical working force In our
life In few years look 20 zee
them 90 common no automobiles are
at the present time"