The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-09-09
MOTORLESS
AIRPLANE
TESTED
Glenn Curtiss Makes Success
full Flight With New Type
Plane

Port Washington. Sept. G.
Glenn H. Curtis. aviation expert,
today scared over Manhasset bay
! in sail plane which on two coca
! sions took the air when towed by
a speed boat. stayed aloft 40 sec
onds each time with the tow line
cut and then glided gracefully
down TO the water again. This
was said to have been the first
time a marine glider has ever
risen from the water.
At the erd of the experiment OBJ
served by large party Of engi-
neers, Mr.. Curtiss expressed him
self well pleased With the results
of hte test, made under adverse
conditions with light wind, and
then gave himself over to interest
ing speculation on the possibility
Of an air transfer-a number Of
sal planes towed through the air
by a nlo1cred seaplane.' The the
ory that trailers could be attached
to a flying. boat was advanced by
aviation experts who watched the
fights, after ". l.. Gilmore, chief
engineer of the Curitss corporation
declared that the sail plane tug
ged very lightly at the tow lire.
With the sa;l plane 80 feet in the
ar. Mr.. Gilmore grasped the line
and found that he could hold it
with one hand.
Later when the theory was laid
lefore Mr.. Curtiss he said he be-
Eeved 1t would be practical To tow
q sail plane behind !: flying boat at
considerable height. without dam
ger.
The sail plane used in today's
tests was. except for its blunt nose,
at most complete copy, on re-
duced scale, Of the n. CD, .he first
air craft to fly the Atlantic.
The glider has a wing spread of
rs feet. is a feet iong and weighs
40 pounds Mr.. CLltiss. who pi-
lo,ed the trail craft. weighs 155
pounds, bringing the total to 2s5.
The hull is made Of very light
metal. The cockpit is SO small
that Mr.. Curtiss could barely get
.rto it.
The wings are "a inches wide
ard the distance between the up
per and lower planes is 60 inches
The lifting ;rea IS 90 square feet.
Today's experiments started With
three unsuccessful .,rtempts to get
tire sail pane into he, air. EACH
time the fishing line used as a tow
rope snapped. Failure to rise was
attributed to the almost dead calm
that prevailed and the aviasors,
like sailors, whistled for wind.
Finally a Slight breeze arose.
After it had been towed about
quarter Of mile at 35 miles an
hour. the glider rose II feet from
the water. The tow line was cut.
"Forty-nine seconds" announced
the timer, when the sail plane de-
seended and Mr.. Curtiss propelled
himself ashore with a canoe pad
die.
Later another fight OF equal
length WAS made The glider NOV
ed through the air. this time at
about 80 feet, on an even keel and
Mr.. Curtiss. under perfect control.
This is the first step IN sea
soaring said Mr.. Curtiss. The
problem there is different than that
met by the German gliders, which
recently remained aloft SO long.
Theirs was the problem of main
tanning balance on vertical air cur
rents.
Here we have no such currents
for the currents move parallel with
the water. We must pattern after
the albatross which takes off from
a wave and scars Immediately. To
keep soaring, we must have knowl-
edge of the variations of the air
cur,.aprS f,ver rho U-ata3- -