The Colorado statesman., 1913-06-14

are running, and this will be taken ad-
vantage of when the hydroaeroplane
returns from it's scouting expedition.
The aviator will alight with his ma
chine upon the water on the sheltered
side of the vessel, and, thus protected
from the stronger sweep of wind and
wave, the air pilot and his apparatus
will be easily hoisted aboard.
Developments in other directions
are increasing day by day the relia-
bility of the aeroplane and its value
as military implement. Just as the
self-starter has added to the conven-
ience of the up-to-date automobile, a
similar device is contributing to the
efficiency of the hydroaeroplane as
part of the equipment of a fighting
ship. With a good self-starter, by
which the air pilot can set his motor
going from his seat, and with
launching apparatus like that devised
by Captain Chambers, the aircraft will
be able to assume its own propulsion
the instant it leaves the runway of the
catapult
get the flying machine into the air;
the scouting aviator has lot to at
tend to after he is aloft and started
upon his mission.
Until a short while ago the air pilot
had his hands dangerously full OF
things to be manipulated in order to
sustain him safely in fight, and mo-
ments inattention was pretty certain
to invite trouble If not disaster. He
had no opportunity to make observa-
ton of the land beneath him or TO
release bombs intended to hit GER
tain spot on the landscape below The
airman therefore needed companion
whose duties should be limited to re-
connitering and to dropping projec-
tiles upon the enemy.
Now it happened that the machines
used by the Italians in Tripoli were
not weight carriers, and it was there
fore out of the question to support
second person in them Accordingly
the aviator had to do all the work
himself. and this explains why bombs
dropped from aeroplanes SO often
failed to hit their mark. The Italian
dirigible balloons, on the other hand.
because they could be maneuvered
deliberately and could lift number
of persons. were successful as bomb
throwers, and what they did showed
what could be expected of a flying
machine properly built for military
work.
Assa result of study a number Of
devices have been developed which
make it possible now to insure to
large degree the automatic control of
an aeroplane's equilibrium, and other
apparatus is being perfected which
reduces the demands upon the avia-
tor. Quite apart from the military
importance of these later inventions,
the physical and nervous stresses
upon the aviator are fewer. These
have proved so exhausting during the
war between Italy and Turkey that
the pilots have become incapacitated
after six months of service, and doc
tors declare a rest period of at least
two years is needful in order to in
sure their recuperation and fitness
again for duty with the flying squad
ron.
Among the helpful apparatus now
being developed by an American firm
is a gyroscopic device which gives
promise of success in maintaining the
stability of an aeroplane in fight.
captain Chambers is engaged in the
construction of an aerial compass
which will not only give directional
guidance, but will also compensate
for the drift or sidewise movement of
the flying machine.
On the other side of the Atlantic In
strument makers have been working
away at the same problem with more
or less success. The market supply of
such apparatus is not large. That
there is need of just such an aid to
aerial navigation is evidenced by the
fact that a German firm was suddenly
denuded of its supply by the demands
of the war in the Balkans. 1t is safe
to say that no small share of the ef-
fective aid rendered by the Bulgarian
flying corps has been directly due 20
these instruments.
In the past aviation generally has
been encouraged more as sporting
DDU NnH At