Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-04-18
Forerunner Of the Aerial Flivver
~ Frederic J. Haskin

washington, April 1s,-After sue
cessful fights across tho Atiantic-
one OF them in a single leap--and the
exploits OF aircraft during tho late
war. IT might be supposed that the
conquest Of the air has been accom-
pIished. and that aviators arc bird
men" In fact.
But the thing toward which students
OF flying arc turning their attention
now is the possibility OF sustained
airht without power-the Kind OF
airht pos.ible for An albatross. an
aaQIc- or a sea gull. These bros ana
many others are capable OF Keeping
Themselves in the air, and OF actually
climbing higher and higher, WITHOUT
any apparent effort other than hoio'ns
their wings extended.
Tho pursuit Of this development ~
arouslne moro interest abroad than 81
ia I'm America, the German Myers DeinS
narticularly active toward accomplish
ing this end. II is now bttle more
than nineteen years since the hrs.
controlled flight in power -propebeo
airuinns was successful. the machine
be,ng pfloted by the American pioneer
ayer, wilbur Wright. AZ Kitty Hawk
North Carolina. In the years petwseh'
heavier than air machines have pceh
perfostsd in many details. and buse
pianes abis 90 carry bombs Weighing
: thousands OF pounds and capable "i
! CARVING many persons have been con
s,r,,n.ed and sheir worthiness proved
But development q the "o-caiieo
glider" has Jagged in America In
comparison with our late enemy. Ger
many.
gtudv Of biz soaring birds. notably
the albatross. has led 10 ths accom-
uli@hrnsnt 81 remarkable results, AZ
. though II cannot be said that the pow
erie-s htrpiane Is perfected as yet y
. auv means. 70 ~ fart that certain
. of the birds can remain Tor hours t
tho afr without an apparent efpen'
. dlture of energy in the way o' hbp'
ping their wings. Guils following
, sttp seem N hang stationary ncninf
, &, trsvsilng forward a, the lirnitef
, -aa~s a. the vessel The larger set
4 ,Feds I. Is ciainn.d, have been Oh
= served for az long as daylight lasts
b. Ssot,iny I'D In the air and cruisini
her. and there without oncs rnoVin'
j. the ufngs in the motion cornrnoni'
known as tapping
- SOARING Birds ss Models.
3 IN the studies Of the birds as
'e model for 'Rliders," II was noted tha
= the birds best capable Of this sustain
I ID night without effort have wing
:, extending a. considerable distance oc
~ from The sides Of the bird. and tend
" ing 20 be narrow rather than bros
/" wings. This !dea has been followe
!, In making slIders.
BY gliders Ia not meant rnscnir
=, that will merely coast down the win
-. gathering speed from LOGS of alt
90 tuAe. Such a machine would De us
L. ful only Il started from the top OF
IL hill. with a Landing place sornewhe
on the plain below. This sort OF thii
al would be and is relatively easy OF a
{. cornplishnent. Tho ambitious goal
he the erperinenters In this hne IL
q, machine without power which W
rise OF its own voiition. utilizing q
.or currents for the purpose, and ny aoo
T. here and there without artnc'
ch means Of propulsion, such an tho pr
Is peller used by all atplanes-
lie Thu best record thus far obtain
in this respect IL credited TO a CT
'k- man experimenter, q man nam
h Harth. This man. according 10
lily credited records, made his mach
ess rise from a standstill without
10 sistance. and eventually gained
sed altitude Of about zoo feet above
ien starting point. keeping his mach
10Y in the air for 211a minutes. When
~ did land Il was at a point only 80
40 feet below his starting point.
that after, being IN the air for m
than a third OF an hour.
Too much should not be expee
from the perfection of the glider
the way Of actual long fiights with
any power Whatsoever. Tarth req
ed a wind Of about 20 miles an
to make his remarkable record
y!ously IL is impossible 70 get
thing like lift" from the air W
there Is a dead calm.
The big development which vi
seem TO be possible in the near
ture. judging from the German exp
mer =, Is the aerial "hivyer--a 81
safe plane, extremely low-powe
which the average man could af
and operate. On many occasions, s
q machine could be operated witt
the use OF power. when at suffic
attitudes TO take advantage OF
winds which are encountered n
frequently high In the air. AlsC
!, sufficiently skillful operator OF 6
an aerial fiivver could use IL a
glider nearer TO the ground when I
ditions made It possible.
" Winds Blowing Upward.
NJ. Winds blowing in a general upv
,ity. direction are recorded with more
wis quently than Is ordinarily belle
ner The coloring Of the ground. with
consequent varying reflection OF
=, suns heat. causes the air TO
quite generally over some areas. :
h compensating descending airs
other portions OF ground. Unequal
OF the surface--hills and mountail
force moving air into an upward
II rection. 1t is these air currents W
: the skilled manipulation OF a q
takes advantage Of IN order tc G
In the air above his starting point.
y Earlier glider records We're rem.
i able. but were beaten by Harth in
trip made last autumn. One Ger
u glider flew about six miles and in