The New York herald., 1921-07-24
AL ASCENT STIRS WORLD OF AERONAUTICS

can be used as a hydroplane and can be
directed by wireless, thus making ii an i'm
portant factor in war, especially for bomp-
ing purposes.
This engineer stated recently that one OF
the greatest difficulties in perfecting the
helicopter is the same the Wright brothers
had that of making the machine descend at
q slow speed with its motor shut off With
new developments. he said, the helicopter can
land gently at a speed of three meters
second.
Besides trying to work out the wireless
direction feature, M. Damblanc is expert
menting to see about carrying of heavy
loads, such as ten or fifteen passengers or va
large quantity of bombs.
Unlike other helicopter engineers, he does
not believe the new device can supplant the
ordinary airplane but feels rather that 1t
has field of it's own which will progress in
parallel with that of the ordinary plane.
Thus, he says. it will take many decades be-
fore the helicopter will be made to reach
the high attitudes attained by the air
plane or to make the lengthy trips such as
crossing the Atlantic.
French Aviators Soon to
Test Out Pescara Machine
Interest in the experiments is increasing
rapidly here because the aeronautical sec
ton of the French army will find out very
for which it has stood sponsor is a sue
cess If the official tests are successful
the Marquis Pescara will bring the machine
to Paris and will Immediately get to work on
the third model. The Aero Club of France
has announced prize Of $4,000 francs for
the first successful fight in helicopter and
it is probable that the Pescara and Dam
blanc machines will be the two principal
competitors.
Lieut.. Bernard de Romanet holder of
many airplane speed records and a French
ace. has been hired by Marquis Pescara to
pilot the machine in the test at Barcelona
He will attempt to make circuit ferme"
of the field. That Is to say, he will try to
rise to height of several feet and then
direct the plane in a circle about the feld
arriving back at the starting point where he
will make vertical landing.
If the test is successful the French Gov
ernment will authorize the purchase of the
machine and will carry out a contract calling
for construction of them, according to the
arrangement whereby the Aeronautical Ser
vice cooperated with the Spanish inventor.
1t is stated by members of his staff that this
contract involves between forty and fifty
million francs
Alfonso of Spain Is Vice
President of Pescara Company
The King Of Spain is the president
Of the Pescara company and the Spanish
ruler has shown himself to be intensely in
terested in the progress of the experiments.
He has arranged with NJ Belan inventor of
the long distance Photographic method to
have long distance pictures of the Barcelona
test flashed on screen before him in his
palace in Madrid while the test is going on.
Mr.. Paul Zuber, commercial representa-
tive of the Marquis, told me recently that
he had been in touch with Brig Gen. William
Mitchell, of the American Air Service. Mr..
Zuber stated that Gen. Mitchell had ex-
pressed his willingness to open negotiations
for the purchase of rights to the Pescara
heicopter as soon as American eronautical
attaches in Europe decide that the machine
Is success. According to Mr.. Zuber. at
taches have been instructed to send all de-
tails of the helicopter and its performances
TO the department in Washington.