New-York tribune., 1910-11-13
Fd;Son Reencs Better Aeroplnes Will Yet Be Constructed
Outlines His Idea for Tribune Readers
and Says Radiun1 Moy Some Day
Supersede All Motors.

air was still I deduced from the smoke
that was issuing from the tall smoke
stack Of the building. The smoke issued
upward in a perpendicular column as
far as could see, and il was not blown
a particle TO one side or the other This
surely indicated a perfect calm. and in
this calm the vuIture was steadily ris-
ing"
Looking the reporter squarely in the
eyes. Mr.. Edison queried: Now, how
was it possible for tnat bird with steady
wings to gain higher attitudes in the still
air?''
'T don't know" said the reporter
''Weu, neither Go r. said Edison
So there you are. There is a secret for
somebody to solve and the solution may
work wonders. But the master genius
at LIeweIIyn Park had another some
what similar illustration TO speak about
He continued: There was another
time. when I stood on q pier AID OBJ
served q large pelican slCinrnins over
body of water The bird held its wings
steady as far as I could see, and II
moved along at a height OF about one
foot above the water. It few for long
distance at this same height, deviating
not an inch either upward or downward
Now again the question arises What
kept the heavy pelican in the air so
close to the waters surface without any
apparent effort On its part to move the
wings2 However. there is a possibility
that the wings kept up a series Of rapid
vibrations of short amplitude. II that
was the case with the vulture and the
pelican and other birds OF similar flight.
then the vibrations were so rapid and
the ampIitudes so short that the move
rnents were not discernible 70 human
ewes. When we have solved this phase
AZ birds flight. We may have gained
some additional knowledge that may be
of value to mans control Of mechanical
flight"
Desirins: TO have Edison's idea Of how
a heavier-tran-air machine should be
constructed IN order TO be safe and prac-
teal for sky travel. the reporter asked
him to express his views on that point
also II was with d little reluctance that
the inventor started 70 tackle this sub
tect If ii were moving picture films.
monographs or things electrical. Edison
would feel right at home and there
uvo1lId be no end to the information TO
be had from him. However. this IS
what ne said:
at is nv belief that a sky craft built
On the heIicopter type would be the most
practical. A flying machine should have
direct lift. and that could be accom-
plished with q type Of this kind And
the machine should be lifted and kept
ahoat not by one rotating wheel. but say
with about a dozen such. like so many
rnerry-go- rounds. The arrangement OF
the wheels or rotating planes should be
such that tney would form large cir
Gle of say $50 feet diameter 4 ma
chine of this size would have more sta
Sility than a smaller one and hence be
more reliable in treacherous wind cur
rents.
As can be readily seen, all the weight
OF machinery. passengers and freight
would be suspended some distance be
low the rotating planes and would bring
the centre Of gravity So far downward
that capsizing OF the craft would be
practically impossible. The vessel could
be lifted directly upward from the
ground. from a4l elevated station or the
roof Of a building. and when it should
become necessary TO descend the same
perpendicular drop could be made.
THE speed Of the rotating planes would
determine the rapidity OF ascent and
descent, but IL no case would a drop TO
earth. through some failure OF the
motor TO work be rapid. The great sur
face area OF the lifting wheels, whose