The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1912-11-23
WRzSY WNrxzzR1YJ nzcdzME

W-6fCh (< ZZS(ZLCLL(c) LZAlsZZ/Z<o
moving horizontally or upward in opposiuon ~
the surface of the planes, should be failing tnen
the support of the flying machine Is sudoenis
diminished to that extent. and the aeropiane
drops Again. If the aviator is travelling aga,ns'
a stratum of wind of definite speed and tnen
purposely descends reaching an air belt OF lower
speed or altered direction, these changes may TO
duce the force of the air striking the ssriaces
of his planes and this drop in pressure may
cause his machine to fall speedily earth""'u'
This is another proof of course OF the imaginary
vacant places IN the air
We must bear In mind that the problem y.
the fying machine is quite distinct from that Oh
the balloon The balloon floats because |" :.
either lighter than the air it displaces-wnen -
rises-or remains at fixed altitude because 'ne'
is a perfect balance between its weight ana tna'
of the air which it thrusts aside II remains
aloft whether drifting with the wind or Deine
driven nv motor, The heavierthan-air flying
machine on the other hand. is sustained In nignt
only so long as it's movement forward arouses
sufficient opposition the part OF the ar 10 MI
or to sustain 1t. When the propeiIers cease 70
reyove the aeroplane starts earthward, ana ois'
aster can be avoided only by volplaning or per
forming a sweeping spiral descent. maneuver
of this sort is nothing more nor less tnan
modified drop The safety Of the aeropiane
therefore. when in midair depends upon the nice
balancing of the machine and the proper equaiiz
ing of pressure upon the planes. Eddies IN the
air or any other disturbance which VIII prlne
the aeroplane into conflicting atmospheric oeitz
mr. zones will imperi1 the stability OF the ma
chine and the life of the aviator unless he be
ever watchful and there are some OF these con
ditions against which he cannot sufficiently
guard .
The flying machine, I'm going ahead hits the
air succession of rapid blows, and by this
causes an area of compression which is equal IN
- ocfio IN a
fying machine. The fact of It is, this compress
sion actually affects volume OF air equal II
weight to the air craft it sustains. and as cubic
foot of atmospheric air weighs only OS OF
pound at the freezing point. little figuring VII
show how wide is the area upon which the avia
tor must draw for his support.
What happens then when the flying macnlns
has moved onward and the atmosphere tries Il
resume its normal state? The reaction IS Ike
the release of a spring, and the arr acquires
vibratory motion-greatest in a vertical directloi
akin to the prolonged holdings OF a partly
water-soaked log after being hit blow But TINS
is not ALL
We are living at the bottom of an ocean o.
air. and we are living in that region of the at
mosphere where it is densest. The natural ten
dency for the atmosphere is to fall when no.
made lighter by heat and caused to rise Al
aeroplane shooting through this lower belt
substantially knocking out the foundations from
thousands of feet heavenward and we have II
the air a virtual duplication of our bobbing lof
many many times repeated at every stage o
the onward movement Of the flying machine ant
the successive reactions of the compressed ali
which has momentarily sustained that mechan
zeal fight. Isn't it clear. then. that an aviator
when passing above below another aviator
is either stumbling into air holes thus created
or producing a similar condition to menace hi
nearby fellow? The airman advancing at th'
greater speed will produce the wider area OF dis
turbance and, within any prescribed limit. tn
more dangerous reaction.
The flying machine when aloft Is in a state o
decidedly delicate equilibrium otherwise tn
mere flexing of wing tips would be incapable o
correcting its horizontal position Any chang
of pressure at the extremity of its wings is equiva
lent to adding reducing the weight at the on
or the other tip. and upsetting movement !
started 1t is quite probable that even thous
one aeroplane may be full hundred feet abov
or below another, still the greater speed OF tn
overtaking machine may cause sufficient dowr
ward movement on the part OF the air to ovel
weight suddenly wing of the other machine
This is certainly what happened in the case Q
Lieutenant Briez. Mile. Dutrieu and number Q
others.
The task set the investigators is that OF f1ns
ing how wide is the region of agitation create
by flying machine in fight. and. with thi
knowledge to prescribe the proper distance
which aviators must observe when approachin
one another
Fortunately. the flying machine is now studio
in the laboratory, and recent progress In exper
mental aerodynamics is doing much towar
clearing the way for safe advance in the nes
future. but the public must be patient and
must realize that flying IL full Of hazards I
best, and we are really scarcely much more tina
,,non fhe fhreshhold OF this wonderful science