Evening star., 1922-10-08
TO Fly or Not to Fly

Europe prove such Development IN
the design and manipulative power OF
motorless airplsnes or "sailplsnee,"
which brings this form Of flying within
, the reach Of all who have even moder-
ately good muscular coordination. that
It can be quite confidently stated that
many clubs will be established for this
most exhilarating sport, II will soon
be on a par with canoe clubs, motor
boat and yacht clubs
! The up-currents which are taken ad-
vantage Of by starting OF from the side
OF hill and which are helpful in get
ting away from the earth, are not abb
solutely essential. There is no more
need for such up-winds than there is
| need for an east wind to go west in
saiiing yacht.
The principal factors in air sailing
are that there should be strong wind:
that the total resistance Of the glider
should be low. and that it should sTn-
body a high degree Of controlability.
with good lifting capacity. SO that the
pilot can shift the center Of pressure OF
air on the wings considerably IN rela-
ton to the center of gravity, exactly as
the center of pressure Of wind on the
resistance on the keel-plate is controlled
with the rudder by the steersman-
WITH the spreading knowledge Of
the principle of flight, soaring in
gliders, which can be produced very
cheaply. will become as easy as sailing
or driving an automobile and as safe as
canoeing.
A new terminology will come into
vogue. Just as many terms. hitherto con-
| fined to the laboratory, have become
popularly known through the radio
boom, SO phrases such as to 'zoom,"
now little known outside Of the air serv
| ices, will become extensively used.
Groups in soaring clubs and camps, at
mountain, seaside and lake resorts. will
earnestly discuss the qualities OF their
sailplanes. their fineness in resistance
to the air and the relations Of weight
to area of lifting surface. The tendency
to "yaw'' will be debated, and the art
of avoiding a pancake" landing will
be expatiated upon.
A whole new field is opened up for
mans recreation and demonstration
of proYess. By reason of the great
| influx of amateurs into the aviation
| field, many new discoveries and mod
ifications in structure may be ex-
pected. paralleling the large number
of improvements and refinements in
radio apparatus and "hook-ups" re-
sulting from the activities of ANA
| teurs in the radio field. Aspiring
members of soaring clubs will design
and build their own sailplanes after
having gained little experience in
the air. This will result in new
types and radical departures from the
accepted forms of the present day
because of the application and daring
of enthusiasts whose brains and
minds are not bound by habit and
precedence that is, Of those who are
not experts"
A result of the popular use of soar
! ing planes will be the impetus given
| to the commercial use of powered
machines. Small very low-powered
machines will be produced for q few
hundred dollars, and the public will
| quickly gain faith in the high
powered commercial airplane for pas
senger and transport purposes. In
Europe and America there are already.
a score of airways in operation or
being planned. Huge aerial liners are
being designed and built (anticipat ting
the demand) which will cross oceans
and operate over transcontinental air
ways as safely and regularly as the
midnight flyer over land and the
leviathans of the sea. but very much
smoother and faster.
Even now, without torridness. with
no burning alkali dust of the desert
smarting the eyes and parching the
throat, without the incessant din apd
| clatter of wheels on rails, the Traveller
| can hop from New York to San Fran
cisco. experiencing the poetry Of mo-
ton in aerial Pullmans and enjoying
the panorama Of the gods-if he Will
but wake up and demand II.
National greatness and supremacy
depend upon the progressiveness Of
its people in utilizing improved means
of transport and time-saving devices
The nation which does not use air.
craft quickly and to the full for pas
senger and commercial purposes viii
never be or remain in she vanguard
Of civilization. -,