The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-08-01
AIRCRAFT IN FUTURE
SOME PRACTICAL DEVELOPMENTS
OF AERONAUTICS.
Commercial and Passenger TranspOrta-
ton by Means of the Aeroplane After
the War Said to BE Good Business
Proposition.

the War Said to BE a Good Business
Proposition.
Engineering; Little by little, for mill
tary secrets cannot be revealed at the
present time, the student of aeronautics
is learning to see in true and sharp
perspective the great industrial work
that the aeroplane will do in the future.
To the mere layman or to the man In
the street the principle of economic avi-
alton is legitimate field of specula-
ton. Even the military and naval air
craft concern the public in the most
practical way. In the first place there
is the question Of the defense of New
York AT first an air raid on New York
may seem wildly improbable Yet it is
evident to experts that a little more
power and speed, if possessed by the
most modern types of aerOplanes, might
enable them to win a victory that would
be Of the worst possible omen to a city
undefended by machines of equal size
and offensive strength.
On this point MIR. Holt Thomas. speak
in lately at the Royal Aeronautical So
ciety, said that the suggestion that New
York can be reached from London in
two days. Paris VITO days, Constan-
tinople or Moscow in three days, and
that service between London and Toxic
Is quite feasible, Is certainly significant
from the standpoint both Of business
and defense. The immediate possibility
OF such a voyage as a military feat
was not discussed at the meeting, prob
ably because enemy flying machines
have enough to do in Europe, but the
various problems OF commercial aero
nautics were freely debated. Air ser
vice now seems TO be within the range
of practical business The principal
difficulty is the preparation of suitable
landing places or aerodromes There
are also some mechanical difficulties,
such as the supply of gasoline and the
type Of engine. The details of this en-
gine are too technical for the public
10 understand; they must be left to ex.
perts, but in general new airplane en-.
gines are Of $50 horsepower; they are
so made that they offer the minimum
head resistance, have the smallest pos.
sible number OF wearing parts, are rela-
lively Indifferent to heat and cold and
constantly maintain the highest rota-
tive speed. Hence il is that the flight
OF the machine is equally swift, level
and continuous
Science Moves Swiftly.
Tho cofpnnp of aufaffnp ,,,nxsa- ~. -, .,
idly that a year ago there was no ser.
ious thought OF a commercial passen-
ger air service. But war does much
for infant sciences, and II is not too
much to say that the poets dream of
whole merchant, navies competing with
each other in the blue is almost real.
iZed. Commercial aeronautics can be
said to date their advance from the
publication Of Lancasters mastery
work, Aircraft in Warfare" Writing.
In 1916, he says: we may anticipate
that lines will be established for the
rapid conveyance of mails. and to some
extent we may look TO the development
OF passenger service In different parts
OF the world But for the time being
the inconvenient land in the case of
shipping, contentiousl question as To
the rights Of neutrals in the air can
scarcely be said to have been establish.
ed commercial usage Of the air is vir.
tually nonexistent"
The argument is certainly not very
clear. though IL is not out Of place AT
the present time. But In time of peace.
when the commercial usage OF the air
would be practical. there is no question
OF the rights OF neutrals. II is unfor.
tunate, too, that so many highly con.
troversial subjects are introduced in
Lancasters work. In his preface 70
Aircraft In Warfare" MajorGeneral
Henderson finds that the view OF strict.
ly military writer's is very much a mat.
ter Of arbitrary custom. According Ia
these experts. aviation in each OF is
three uspects-the scientific. the mill
tary and the material or manufacturing
lis still In the stage Of experiment and
speculation. But the fault Is not that
OF manufacturers.
Up 20 the present time private enter
prise has not been fully called upon 70
do It's best in the making OF standard
ucroplanes. n 10 were so called upon
there is little doubt that Il would sue
ceei even IN the difficult work OF gaug
ing and standardizing such a fluid and
progressive design as that OF com
mercill flying machine. Military writers
rather pointedly criticize the "proprie
tary' types Of aeroplanes. A private
concern. they hold, can only properly
he resorted 10 for work which has pass
'1 us experimental stage and has been
hnhly standardized In every detail. En-
gineers who are good Judges. too are
now describing aeruplane designs which
AFTER due tests and trials, are as well
Established types as a modern motor OF
the latest manufacture is among auto
mobiles. II Is frequently said. for in
stance, that one Of the new tractor
biplanes now IN use In France could bC
changed easily into a passenger ma
chine with cabins capable OF carrying
twelve people besides the pilot
Germany Has Begun
Germany has already begun the man
ufacture Of passenger and postal aero
planes and is arranging air routes with
Austria, Bulgaria and Turkey These
machines are said to be perfectly safe
and commercial aerOnautics are now
formally introduced as a mode OF trans
port-a mode faster than any other anc