Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-03-27
fast CLIMBING POWER
REQUIRED IN A|RPLANES
Development OF Flyers Require;
More Ardent Study of Third
Dimension.
Atmosphere BECOMES THIN
Aviators. Need Oxygen to Live Above
Certain Lcvcls-Rarificd Ozone
Will Not Hold Planes Up After
Reaching Six Miles.
BY LIEUTENANT WILLIAM A.
ROBSON, d. a. T.,


- BY LIEUTENANT WILLIAM 4.
ROBSON. u. a. T..
Author OF ''.tircrnft In WAR and Pence"
NDON, March 2G.--Learncd
mathematician discourse obscurcly on
the fourth dimension. and nobdy takes
much notice Of them. But with the
coming OF aviation tho world has sud-
denly awakened to the fact that the
learned little and forget good deal
more. has become factor WHICH 10
of almost ali the European iiations.
For the question OF height is nc OF
supreme importance in aerial warfare:
and on the solution Of the various
problems connected with il depended
that the allies struck at Germany from
above. and the effectiveness OF the de-
lenses which were planned 10 rcpcl
tho air raiders who attacked Great
Many people arc unaware of the
factor that determines the height
atmospheric air is the. factor. The
higher one goes the thinner becomes
;he air. until at about $4,000 feet
that there is hardly suf,icient BODY
in II to support the planes or an air,
pa1e h9r II "Hsi ns bTTsmemie SI,
ports a flying machine in almost the
same way as water bu9ys up ship;
=. aioft i'll vacuum.
:ATT.lIN NO HIGHER
FLIGHTS DURING WAR
= The greatest altitude TO which a
- machine can ascend is termed it's alb I,
solute ceiling" and it is significant 10
note, SO great the difficulties TO
DC overcome IN the upper regions that
10 higher flights have been made since
the commencement OF the war, with
few, tri'ing exceptions. than. were
(This Was written iust hef"re the sly.
mile high ilight.)
The records for altitude We're held
lam 49,.
remained unbeaten until compare
lively recently. Mere altitude alone, !
however, is OF little Importance in air
warfare. What is wanted is a fast
rate OF climb. and it is in this direc-
zion that the most remarkable devel
orments have taken place.
An acroplanc that could ascend to
$1,000 feet would possess but small
Tiit tar, T 1nn If it were soing 10 take
nearly so useful us a machine capable
Of rising only TO 2o.ooo feet. but OF
,nent, however, only holds good within
certain limits. Most aerial work over
the lines, was carried out towards the
end OF the war At height of round
about l5.o00-as compared to 1900
feet at The besinnns Of the var
although not actually out OF range of
A.sif.as Mi aircraft guniire. is an exceedingly
dtiiicult target Every service machine
least this height. as Il first considera-
zion.
CLIMBING POWER is
NEEDED ABOVE 10000
AS almost any modern machine can
Put up a reasonably good performance
up 10 10000 feet, it is between the
,limbng power is most vitality needed.
and proves most effective = machine
which goes up like rocket to 5000
let in three minutes hut takes
rIShtceh minutes 10 get 10 1900 feet
!snot 50 useful IS one that, though
climbing slower al the start. has
,1- Kos ia.
IN fifteen minutes. ana here .ye come
- quite another factor; namely. Level
lying great heights. Fcr ihe higher
Sn acroplaue 0. a!rship nscends lie
Jlo~sr hs2omes lis forward t..eed
THIS arises from Tie far. that tho
engine Is giving eEz Bower me reason
aFaif ~ paw =! Of ne a''npsph.Te
9.;-al er@.a. md Il. ps.sa '. : n, ;S'
Thtf- be 10 WIZ Z mature e peifoi
f;at aro tren "1;-1c.l =? ~ s.sr:rle
SiE-l "a@r - 10. - ~ II ~.s.
~ = 49, -eEpry,.s TO 'rlz, 40 ~
5o"tF - fA;s'fLg. e"tFics--
;-rtr -"hsenec g=--slr ari-l,. c@.5a4s
~. '. -. j: ae
IN -uo~nl.--s =. 90 ,.r t,t .toarf
iAtf ~ Ali' -''~t n -s -. 49,
'-sp@-=t '.-;I.ef .-lei ~ tar. ;.er-c
-tpr Lft - -.r c'.:,. iy,,--a .t.c- - ~
= >letzDilf,--a-sa q genera -.
1set -'---Ea. uEusl.-. ,p.r No.. ,r-
-'Hs'v..3 Il Il. day t-ggy-. /. =.
zvnstsA17p, up ,r,-Fp
.ND CLIMBING pnT;cg
e -D' cu14:,i-.4 ct =. ,s...e 80
esiran2 ptUsr ets..r.s- ~t.c, e-.-
- SyrI c'"r.rrIr,Er.s j. <, -.
.s@c,s 81, plt H.-a. 4 - e,-.s ~.
; ISL -. .,L.' E wa sas,s
=srsl'. 20 ~ -sr-.r - ~ -..,
rest - rts -. ~ ny ~
HFsr .H.l #4