Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-07-10

! ~ operatable are used in present nv
ne ,"achinss instead OF the practicable
80" sur iaces OF the Inherently stahIa
.!pe' but they depend to a greater er
~. upon inc SIKH OF the operator In
keening equilibrium. If the onorator
were able to feel exactly tbc ,n,I
az which his aeroplane meets IN. air
az icast 30 per cent OF all aeronlane
accidents would he eliminated. ins,ru-
uteh's !of TINS purpose have been nro
~. uuSc"' nut theH arc not In general use
The average n!cr does MOI re.,i,a 80.
udh Serous II Is To be ignorant az tb,e
angie. nor does De know when n. H.
"t"'i'hS by stallinE'' Mr. wrirh,
means coming TO rest in the air or
nearly So VI
the danger from stating. cor
wheh the operator attempts to ch,rx
'he inachinc's downward plunre nv
'.r,'"s inc main bearing surfaces TO
sun greater angles OF incidence in
$500 o. pointing the machine down
ward, AT smaller angle OF jnrjd.nc.
| 50 that the specd can hc r.cnyn,.a
more quickly. Most Of the serious ,r
e'"ehts IN hNin2 occur. after long slIdes
,, rom considerable heights With the
p""eF reduced, when an attempt l..
,nn, 10 prins the machine TO more
ieNei course several hundred feet in
the arr The machine quickly loses its
speed aud becomes stalled Tbos,
Wh" hav" seen che novice make a
! pahcaKc landing, have seen the be
ginning OF case Of stating. which
might have been fatal had IL taken
place at height Of 100 or 200 fee;
! in tho air
me greatest danger OF dying comes
rom miSjudeinS the angle II Incl
neice " a uniform angle were main
/ tanned, there would be no difficulty in
securing fore -and-aft cuuilibr;u,n EN-
/ perlmentS made during the mast yesr
or TWO have brought about :, consld-
! cradle advance IN the development Of,
I au'omauc stability. y device described
ny Mr. Wright comprises a small hori-
; |ohtal wind rane so mounted on III.
/ machine as 10 ride chSewise to the
WIND when the machine IL dying az
/ the desired angle Of Incidence In
case the machine varies from the de-
sired angle. the air will strike the
vane on either its upper or lower side
! The slightest movement of the yane
| in either direction brings into action
powerful mechanism for operating
the con,roii!ns surfaces. II the wind
strikes the vane on the undcrside the
F.! elevator is turned to cause the ma
| chine TO point downward in front until
/ the normal angle is restored and II
( the air strikes the Nane from above
/ an opposite action upon the elevator is
J. produced. The author maintains that
3, a machine controlled by regulating its
{ angle with reference TO the impnxinS
( air is not liable TO the dangers OF
''stailinE.'
( Another method for maintaining
J fore-nnd -aft equilibrium utilizes the
! fore" OF gravity acting on pendulum
! or tube of mercury, and second en-
/ ploys the Syroscopic force OF a rapidly
! revolving wheel. In both of these sys-
I TENS. however. the angle OF the machine
/ Is regulated with reference To trr
2untal. or some other determined ol'"''
| instead OF the angle Of the mpinEing
| air. Other faults render tn" pendulum
and mercury tube useless in reSulat-
! ing fore -and-aft equilibrium. although
| the pendulum Is found to he useful in
regulating the lateral stability
! Mr.. Wright believes that the day is
/ near at hand when the nier will be
| almost entirely relieved OF the work OF
. maintaining the equilibrium OF his ma
F, chine and his attention will be re-
I, uujred only Ia keep it OH its proper
| course and 10 bring il safely in con-
tact with the ground when landing.