The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-03-28
Every AirpIane Must Carry 500 Pounds
Of Mail Not Less Than 200 Miles
Without Stop at Maximum Speed of
100 Miles an Hour-Reoular Air
Lines Across Atlantic After War
Predicted.

~ oieiuEus huu WOOuiduus hhuhii6 ~"
effort In life beyond watching little
birds as they few from tree to tree.
The Wright boys didn't amount to
much fifteen years ago, except in their
W estimation.
And today, among other wonderful
things resulting directly from the fact
n a the Wright brothers invented a
flying machine that would fly, the Unit
ed States post Office department has
perfected plans for carrying mail by
airplane between the cities of Wash
ington. Philadelphia and New York,
A feature of the contract the aerial
mall carriers will have to obey stands
out as n direct development of the
world war, the greatest advancement
OF which, next to the establishment
Of the superiority of Hun barbarity, Is
Improvement of the airplane. This
feature Is that every airplane must
carry 300 pounds OF mail q distance
OF not less than 200 miles without stop
n at a maximum speed of 100 miles
an hour. Forty miles an hour faster
a""a hhhic q mluulel
Routes to Be Permanent.
The post Office department insists
the routes are to be permanent, the
confident announcement that at is no
experiment" having been officially
made. Bids have been called for by
the department for FIVE airplanes for
this air line mail route. Truly, II Is a
time of wonderful and amazing prog
ress.
Speed and a higher percentage OF
safety are the two salient points of
advancement In aviation for which
Mars takes credit.
Safety first" Is a Dayton slogan In
all industry. II was natural that Or
Vile Wright. who survives Ms brother,
Wilbur, should turn his attention to
making the product of their genius as
safe as might be. He worked out a
stabilizer. that, operating automatic
ally. kept the machine, under ordinary
. circumstances, on what might be called
an even keel. Also he helped TO bal
ance the weight of the machine to bet
ter advantage.
An ingenious method of airplone
manipulation was adopted, and II Is In
teresting to observe how Ii dovetails
into human psychology. IL one might
call 1t that. To drive an airplane. the
flyer follows directions that At In with
what easily are the natural impulses
of the body.
For instance. for higher altitude, the
flyer pulls the steering wheel toward
his breast. This Is a leaning back
ward which points the toes of the iy-
er and the nose of the machine up.
ward. To descend the wheel is thrust
away from the flyer And this Is a
leaning forward which inclines the
feet OF the flyer and the hose of the
machine toward the earth. Steering to
left or right Is done with the feet
placed upon rests beside the steering
post, and warping of the planes for
banking" Is effected by turning the
steering wheel to the left when steer
ing the plane to the left and to the
right In vice versa fashion.
Increased lifting power is another
war development of the airplane. Ar
mament was necessary on the battle
fronts and heavy machine runs were
mounted on planes designed for fight
Ing. And the plane had to carry a
pilot and an observer, which increased
the size Of the plane beyond that used
for years In exhibitions, though the
plane that could carry n or two pas.
sengers has been In existence for some
time.
The most wonderful development In
this direction Is seen In the achieve
ments Of the Caproni brothers, Italian
airplane builders, who have turned OUT
machines that would carry as many
as SO passengers.
Air Lines Across Atlantic.
They predict that, after the war.
great strides will be made I'm airplane
building for commercial purposes. Reg.
ular air lines across the Atlantic. thew
say, actually will be established and
maintained.
Next to the Wrights, the Caproni
brothers have done more, It is claim.
ed, In the development Of the airplnne
than anybody else interested In tho
scientific problems presented.
For the present the chief interest IN
America in aviation is the strides made
BY the war department In training
thousands of civilians for war work
In the air. and the production of fha
famous Liberty motor. holding he
composite idea Of the best engineering
bruins In the country. It Is declared
by experts that the Liberty motor is
the best in the world, and no doubt II
will be used On the machines soon 10
undertake the maintenance Of Uncle
Sans unique and daring air line mail
routes,