The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-03

the greatest advance Of the last year In
aviation, IN expert declared that It was
the fact that ~aeroplanes are no longer
built they are manufactured. Formerly
every machine was an Individual entity.
no stronger than It's weakest part, sub
ject u its own peculiar wilkins and Ian
gers. with the great cry for more
planes which the wal has brought. the
factories are now turning them out like
automobiles, every one like every other.
The aeroplane has boon standardized.
Progress In aviation during tho last
year has been brought about almost
solely by tho war. The strenuous de-
mands made by the foreign armies on
their flying corps have brought the air
machine further along toward perfection
han nifty years Of peace might nave
done.
So far as America Is concerned the
progress mas been three phased. The
first line OF advancement a been a
commercial one. the second mechanical
and the third military. Practically all
Of our progress has been In the first two
lines, while Eurvpe's has been almost
entirely military.
4. =. Leads in Manufacture.
Tho commercial advance In the United
states has been the result of the food OF
war orders pouring in during the last
tM Give months. America now leads IN
the manufacture OF machines and parts.
II IL estimated that more than S2O'oOV'-
900 Ia. been spent for aviation here In
1915. The Curtiss company has con
tracts for about si5.000.0 900 and the new
F-4. 80. A.a hot kh A N
in view. The Glen l.. Martin company
OF Los Angeles, the Sturtevant Aero
plane Company OF Massachusetts, the
Burgess compan OF Marblehead. the
Thomas company OF Ithaca and a num-
her Of smaller makers are busy increas-
ing their manufacturing facilities to
catch up with the Hood OF business That
is pouring in.
Somewhat less than s5.oo0.o0o worth
Of planes and supplies were shipped
Abroad last year. The bulk OF deliveries
began late in the summer and has been
Increasing steadily. BY the beginning
OF last October more aeroplanes were
being sent to the Allies every day than
the whole United States navy owns,
The White star liner Baltic carried 1871
OF them, valued at 5000 900. in one
cargo last summer.
one OF the most important happenings
81 the past year commercially was the
sale OF the Wright Aeroplane Company
OF Dayton. Ohlo. to a syndicate headed
by William b.. Thompson and T. Frank
Manville last October and the suisse
quent increase of the cunSpany's CAPT.
taliZHtiou from $1,000. 600 TO $4,000. 200.
II was announced at the time that the
company Intends 10 enter the manufac-
turing field on a la rye scale and also 10
resume the prosecution of the numer-
Gus suits pending for alleged infringe
ments OF its patents, Equally impor-
tant with this was the sale OF ths
Curtiss company last week.
The mechanical progress OF aviation
has been unprecedented and il too has
been caused alnost solely by the war.
New machines have been evolved. the
"Super-Americas" and "Super-Canadas.'
bigger and heavier than We're before
thought practical. From England comes
n report Of a stu greater machine. nick
named the "Super-Bullet." credited with
making 100 miles an hour and carry
ing huge loads OF mon and explosives
Gould Cross the Atlantic.
The Curtiss plant is turning gu
"Super-Anericas," flying boats which
experts maintain could cross the Allan
tic without difficulty, In fact this dream
of aviators is conceded to IL a posi-
bllity now, FOR the British Government
recently opened negotiations with an
American manufacturer for a number
OF freight carrying machines capable OF
carrying a ton of munitions each acros.
the ocean. with the Idea Of saving the
time lost by the slower steamships.
How many machines are IN actual
use abroad can only be roughly com-
putrd but an idea may be gained from
tho ra,epe r.nAv, .s sIa I,,,,,1 ,.x-D
mcnt in which II Is admitted that 1921
French av!ators have been killed in the
little more than a ye1r that the wal
has been going on. Curtiss can turn
ont one America a day in his Buffalo
plant and within a short time It IL ex-
pccted thnt five Canadas a day will be
the output In addition to the smaller
types which are being manufactured by
Wholesale. And this Is only for one
factory.
Although the Sperry gyroscopic s,ahil-
izer IL not an invention OF the past year.
1915 marked its acceptance by the world
Powers as one Of the most Important
parts or n perfect machine. II has made
the aeroplane practically fool proof
and eliminated the greatest hazards al
Tying With on. Installed a pilot MAY
leave his controls and walk out onto this
wing OF his machine, and tho two little
~ lorN'peS' WIlfllnS AT 1000 rcvolu-
IONS n minute, viii virtually fly his ma
chine for him. The %aeroplaua motor, al
waNs the factor which has retarded tbs
story OF the afr. has been brought a stem
nearer perfection by the invention OF n
new steel alloy. Its use by American
manufacturers has made II POSSIBLE for
them to compete satisfactorily with any
of the E~uropcin makers The CurtIss
plant was the first 10 put the new motor
:" an actual test when Victor Carl
>trom h"w from Toronto TO New York
on November -, a distance Of 600
miles, IN an actual dying time ~. six
hours and forty minutes.
IN the phase OF military progress tho
United states has remained practically
ttved by the indignation they have pro:
NOkeI ,l the Sldn OF nnNlnifnrinn iann