New-York tribune., 1909-05-09
SECRET OF WRIGHT's SUCCESS


The AeronauticaI Society Of England has ordered
a medal struck, too and this is only one of many
honors paid to the brothers by Europe Memorial
statues are TO be erected in France and Berlin
and the Wrghts have special invitation 10 go to
Germany and visit the Emperor They will go to
Germany in the fall, and probably will sell their
rights I'm that country TO some canny German who
knows how make money.
On June IS they will resume their flights near
Washington. at Fort Mver. Virginia. It is safe to
say that there will he larger crowds there than
witnessed any Of the flights last fall
II is pretty safe too. to believe there viii be
q repetition Of the accident in which Orville
injured and Lieutenant Selfridge killed. last
fail. That accident due any faulty
principle Of construction. II much like the
blowing out of a cylinder head on a locomotive,
or the breaking of the hange on wheel.
Either would wreck railroad, but
would for a minute believe that it meant
trains were impracticabe. That accident
caused by the swinging Of d propeller into guy
wire breaking 1t of and permitting the machine
TO skid before Orville Wright could catch It.
Had he been flying higher he could have descended
safely Wilbur Wright proved this in similar
cident at lie Mans and he deliberately shut off his
engines at a height Of $50 feet and TO the
ground safely just the assertion that gray
ity operates the machine just as much as power
that is It takes momentum for the machine TO be
guided.
WHY have the Wrights been so much more sue
cessful than other aeronauts?' is question often
asked For the reason that they told nothing Of
their experimental work until after they had dis
covered that the secret Of keeping a machine bal
anced in the air is the flexible wing tip. I0u
can assure yourself of this any day you so out and
watch 0uzzard lazly floating in the air. Two
levers controlling The wing tips and the rudder
make the balancing almost automatic It Is just
Ike leaning the other way bicycle when you
start to fall You fex the wing tip and at the
same time you twist the handle bar in other words
the rudder Presto you have rghted yourself. and
YOU did It so easily you couldn't explain how That
wing -ip is patented il is the only thing about
the Wright machine that the other manufacturers
cannot use. Apparently. judging by results, that
is enough, for no other machine has made the sue
cess II has.
Dictionaries have not kept pace with the in
ventors. Consequently there is lot Of 4lisunde'-
standing about the terms to be used IN connection
with aerial navigation. Dr Langley called his ma
chine an aerodrome. DR.. Alexander Graham Bell
insists that is the proper word for machine
which does not have absolutely level planes At
the International Aeronautic Congress in London
last fall this matter was taken up, as to have
uniformity in the OF names. That congress de
cided upon 'aeronef' proper term for all heaV-
Ter than air machines.
"Aerostat' Is a free balloon and "aeronat'' a
dirigible balloon, gas bag with proTelers and
rudder by which its course be controlled.
AT aeroplane consists Of surfaces Of aero curves
the propeller shafts set horizontally. 4 belcopteT
has the propeilers set vertically, pulling the ma
chine straight UP from the ground. Orthopters
have Tapping wings
An aeronaut is the navigator Of the craft; If
licensed by aero club he is pilot Aviator Is