Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-18

Now. there are automatic devices
which soon will anticipate these effects.
BY their aid the same cause which pro-
duces such perturbations as tipping, Tor
example. will correct the movement of
the machine automatically.
such automatic safety mechanism may
not be actually necessary in smooth,
calm weather and under perfect flying
conditions. but we have to consider that
aviation, if to be of any practical use,
will demand flying under very uncertain
conditions. and If a certain degree of
equilibrium can be attained by automatic
mechanism not weighing too much that
mechanism must be provided and is as
much OF a necessity as the steam steering
engine is to a large ocean steamer"
Have such devices been perfected?'
Many have been designed to accom-
plish this object and some have lately
been tried with brilliant success. Many
experimenters are now actually engaged
in improving them. To my mind the way
in which they will eliminate the greatest
dangers Of aviation is perfectly clear
Manufacturers of aeroplanes are becom-
ing more Open-minded on the subject and
more willing to install them on their
machines.
These devices relate mostly to the
automatic control OF the stabilizing organs
of aeroplanes. now controlled by hand
principally the elevators which guide ma
chimes UP and down, and the movement
OF the ailerons or wing warping. which
control the lateral balance. When the
automatic appliance is not needed to work
these parts it can be thrown out OF gear.
1t can be used or not, as the aviator,
while flying, sees At Its use in the con-
troll OF longitudinal stability. through the
elevator. Is by far the most important
element in the entire problem of stabilize
ton. But such of these devices as are
II "a
perturbations through the control of the
ailerons are not, to my mind. OF equal
Importance.
''will you adopt these for the naval
machineS?"
I'VE expect to provide our hydro-aero-
them out We already have installed
some safety instruments known as speed
indicators which afford great stride to-
ward safety over progress made up to a
year ago. They show the conditions I'M
der which an aeroplane is working. BY
following their indications the aviator
need depend less on his bird instinct than
heretofore.
Greater safety in flying will result
automatic devices OF course. after the
first aeroplanes were invented amateurs
in all parts of the world put sticks
together in a more or less haphazard
way, and in the machines thus construct
ed many would-be aviators came to
grief. Although the principal manufac-
turers Of carefully constructed ma
chimes are still building pretty much
according to original patterns. and are
not departing from these unless con-
WINGED OF very good reasons for
change. recent developments show that
such craft can be greatly improved
and makers are now adopting the
latest and best improvements.
disposition of weight is, great
factor in safety In an aeroplane a
great deal more depends on weight
and its distribution than in ship
There has been but little effort so far
TO dress down dimensions to suit
actual strains. What Is needed In our
field Is a genius like Nat Herreshoff
who. in designing racing yachts. could
cut down weights in all possible ways