Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-06-30

AIRCRAFT THAT HOvERs.

the motor. By lifting the tail slightly
this tits the whole machine, which
results in a forward motion at the ex-
pense of the lifting power.
Mr.. Berliner claims that with q
load of 1000 pounds only three per
cent of the lift is lost in a tilt of Is
Degrees and that this loss is trans
ferred into q horizontal pull of about
Is per cent of the. lifting power. The
inventor believes that a % degree tilt
may possibly be attained with safety,
but he has never gone that far in any
of his experiments, in the course OF
which he has made short flights over
rough ground.
Such success as he has met with has
encouraged him greatly. but he is by
no means ready to go after the Bri-
fish prize money. Barely a begin
ming has as yet been made in this de-
partment of aviation, he says.
War Stopped Experiments
From the day of the first heavier
than-air machine the helicopter has
been one OF the visions Of both the
men who fly and those who design
and build the "ships." They have
wanted a kind of aircraft that would
not require an immense field to take
off or for a la~nding-one that could
be used from a battleship or passen-
ger vessel, or from the roof of an
office building. Accordingly a deal of
experimenting in this direction was go
ing on almost from the beginning OF
aviation.
However, when the European war
opened and the value of the alrpiane
as a weapon of ~offense and defense
all ants ylrn "a
abandoned save those that he'd to do
with planes. Inventive genius and
energy were concentrated on perfecting
that type of aircraft, with the result
that more progress was made in a
few months than ordinarily would
have been noted in many years. The
war necessity did wonders for the air
plane. but it set the helicopter back
CORRESPONDENCE. It was regarded as
highly desirable, especially for bomb
ing operations and for observation
as a machine that could re-
main stationary in the air for an IN
definite period has obvious advantages
for such work. II would combine the
immobiIity of an observation balloon
with the mobility of a plane, and at
the same time it would not present
such an easy mark for antl-aircraft
guns. i.
Rnt il was recognized that the dit
ficulties in the way of developing sucn
a machine were immeasureably greater
than those encountered in the perfect
ing of the airplane and the war
emergency was so great that the nell
confer idea was laid aside. 1t was
found. also. that bombs could be drop.
ned from a plane flying at a speed OF
100 miles an hour almost as accurately
as from a stationary or towering ma.
chine, and that minimized the need OF
the new type Of aircraft.
Some scientists are extremely DOUBT
ful that the helicopter can ever De
made practicable. Without wings II
has nothing to support 1t save tne
! nropellers and the power OF lts mo-
| Tor and it is claimed that it VIII al
ways be erratic and tend TO turh ,uI'
tle in the most surprising and dan-
serous fashion. The Austrian inventor
Who, succeeded in getting his helicop,,
tar no feet in the air later crashed
With il. and Brennan, in England, is
renorted TO have met with frequent &C
.;dents There was a rumor that tne
i,t,er had succeeded in meeting the
ranu;rements that would win the coy
ated nrize. but this has been derled'
ord Mr.. Berliner. the Washington eA-
n~nr;menter has assurances tnat the
field is still an open one: IN -
Tba idea that the belicopter Will pc
tho p~opular means OF transpo,ta,io !.
hatueen home and office. or that II
NAV he used as a taxi for shopping
orned;tions is fascinating, but II is
nor likely of realization for some tune