Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-18
MAKE AEROS STABLE.
New Devices to Be Tried Out
by Navy Department.
INCREASE SAFETY OF TRIPS
Capt. Chambers Always Has Been
in Favor of Installation-Avia-
ton Events in 1918.

Two devices for increasing the stability
Of aeroplanes in flight are to be tried out
by the Navy Department as soon as they
can be procured. One is the gyroscopic
stabilizer that has been designed by
Glenn Curtiss, and it will be attached to
the CurtisS aeFo-boat that has been OBJ
tanned for the navy. The other is SIM
plifcation of the Dutre stabilizer that
has been worked out by the navy aviators
themselves.
Capt. w. I. Chambers. in charge of
aviation in the navy, has always been
In favor OF autorpatic stability devices
and instruments for increasing the safety
of flight where such instruments could
be gotten in simple enough form to be
practical without too great an increase
of weight.
The gyroscops is too we'll known to re-
quire much mention. The Dutre STABILIZE
er depends for it's action a rectangular
plate carried on the front of the aero
plane at right angles to the line of
flight This plate is backed by small
spring that tends to hold it in position
and, at the same time. slides backward
and forward on a rod with the variation
of the wind pressure On the plate caused
by the gusts or by the speed of the ma
ching
= Cares for Side Gusts.
The same sort of device is rugged
crosswise the machine to take care of
side gusts. The moving plate through
compressed air cylinder actuates the
controls of the aeroplane either fore
and aft or laterally, the case may be.
There is also speed indicator that
registers the machines speed with refer
ence to the wind and prevents the ma
chine being stalled" in the air unknown
to the aviator, so as to indicate to him
when 1T is necessary to point the head Of
the aeroplane down and glide.
All these little refnements contribute
greatly to the safety of the aviator and
yet have to be worked out with much
care and delicacy to make them of prac-
teal use. Some of the smaller and faster
Wright machines have an angle indicator
to tell the aviator at what angle he is
climbing, but the great difficulty so far
with all these instruments has been to
get an aviator to use them instead Of de-
pending on his senses.
France Uses Stabilizer.
The Dutre stabilizer is being fitted to
a new and big aeroplane that is being
built for the navy by Burgess Company
e Curtiss of MarbIehead, Mass. This
is to have an eighty-horsepower air
cooled French engine and will have a
capacity for a useful load of 600 pounds.
The requirement. of the army is now for
a full load of $50 pounds and the French
army requirement is 661 pounds. The
French government is using the Dutre
sta biliZer on a number of its machines
and is very favorably impressed with the
results.
No definite figure has yet been set for
the naval aviation appropriation this
year, but the army appropriation is $780,
600, the same as last year. The navy has
nh rod ~, %l.o
articles of equipment for warships and
is anxious that the limit should be re-
moved from the specific aerOplane appro-
priation SO as to allow the Secretary of
the Navy to supply them to warShips
as his judgment dictates.
Outlook for 1918 Bright.
The general outlook for aeronautic ac-
tivity in 1913 is good, and a number of
the big sporting events have already been
tentatively fixed. The blue ribbon event
of the air is, of course, the race for the
Gordon Bennett cup. This will be held
in France, owing to the victory last fall
Of Vedrines at Chicago. The scene of
the race will be at Rheims, where the
first great aviation meet Of the world
was held and where Glenn Curtiss first
won the cup for America. The event will
be held in August, but the exact date has
not yet been named.
In the second week of August there
will be hydroaeroplane race from
Paris to the sea, and at the end of this
event there will be the race for the inter-
national hydroaeroplane championship.
for which a prize Of $1,000 has been Of
fered by Jacques Schneider of Paris.
None of the dates for any of the big
American races has been definitely set
but there will be an aero show either in
New York or Chicago at the end of the
summer flying season.