Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-05-08
Three New Instruments Per-
sccted 10 Minimize Ac-
cidcnts in the Air.
GREAT AID TO FLYERS
Devices Will Show Movements
Of Aviators on Photo
graphic Film.
ny clayton Whitehiii.

United News stan Correspondent
WASHINGTON May 7-Airplanc
fatalities since tho bcRinni.S OF avi-
/ alton have hccn attributed largely To
faulty construction. but only recent
Is has considerable attention been
given :" faulty control. aud not until
now have devices been perfected
whereby the pilo; can make an ac-
tnal record OF everything he and his
airplnne d!d during flight.
Three special Instruments have
Just been perfected by the engineers
and pilots Of the national advisory
committee for aeronautics to record
tho speed Of tho airplane in the air.
the lcad'ngs or changes in weigh,
on tho wings. and the movement OF
! the control by the aviator
Work on these Instruments has
been under the direction OF DR.. J.
s. Amcs. chairman OF the executive
committee and professor Of physics
at Johns Hopkins University.
These three instruments. tho com
! mittee points out. arc synchronizcd
TO operate simultaneously by means
OF timing device which makes pos
sible the coordination Of the three
records into complete whole. avail
able for study and analysis
Air Spccdmrtcr.
Inc hrst instrument. Ia record
ing air speedmeter. which makes n
record OF how fast the airplanc is
going from Tho minute II starts on
the ground until it completes the
Hight. The second. l. recording
accelcrometer. which shows the vari-
atoms In the loading on the wings
IN hight. and tho landing caring,
""cn landing. taking on. or Will,
running along the ground In flv-
| ing through loop. for examine. tho
pilot is sitting down hard as ne goes
Up ana again rs nc nattcns out. hu,
| he is literally hanging in his bel, n,
the top of the loop The third in
sirument the control position re-
corder. shows the eXact pos;tion y,
all the controls during any stunt or
! part of a flight.
Employed Mt Hampton.
Although fairly complicated thcm.
selves. the operation Of these instru-
ments Is simple and mechanical be.
"A NJ
! graphic film. The results reveal Ia,
''e Hrst time, IL was said, prac-
teai method Of securing information
III testing new types OF airplanes and
Tor determining thA ability and tech
niqu. of IA pilot The las, function
II was thought, will be of great value
TO the pilots themselves and 70 in +.
Structors OF novices. who are sol.
dom able 10 recall just whn, they
| did with the controls at certain
point OF Night.
INC instruments developed have
been employed at the advisory com
m!t;ec's frce-right laboratory =,
Hampton. Va 10y Test Pilot Thoma.
Carol. In studying ordinary and
S'"h'iAE ma"euv"rs. including loop
/ ing io'IinG. and various types OF
turns.
| Landing Most Important
| IN ms report on the tests, PHO,
Carol points out the Importance Of
taking of and landing. (which are
me determining factors Of tho 81,
! HS'"hc! and perhaps the longevity Of
" pinot. OF the two. he says, land
! ing rs perhaps the more importan;
'or u IL In this phase OF flight ;ha,
! the majority or accidents and dam.
| ages occur"
Further Development. toward por.
| ltctng these recording ins,ruucnte
| "a. committee has announced in
e.u"e the addition OF recording de.
wee 10 show the progressive speed
/ or revolutions Of the engine. and an.
| "'her device 10 record the ac,ua
''ft" OF power the pilot applies tc
! ms controls. This. IT was said, vii
indicate whether or not the piio
drives with q loose or tight rein
and whether ne abuses his control,
or tho alrplaue Itself.