Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-12-11
NEW FLYING MACHINES
AND OLDER ONES.

NEW FLYING MAIHlNES-
AND OLDER ONES.
The Germans seem to have
started something with their air
gliding contests, in which one flier
remained in the air three hours in
an airplane without a motor.
Prof. Langley, pioneer American
flyer introduced this method of
flying to the world several years
before Orville and Wilbur Wright
demonstrated the first successful
flying machine. Most of the pres
ent-day gliders are patterned after
the original Langley machine. The
glider that remained in air long
est during the recent German
contests is described as almost an
exact duplicate of the Langley
machine.
The first glider, built by Prof.
Langley, now reposes in the Smith
sonian Institute at Washington.
See it next time you visit the
national capital 1t was wrecked
in the Potomac river, when the in
ventor launched his machine from
one of the banks of that stream
The fact that "air waves" that day
were notzpropitious for flying prob
ably delayed the Introduction of
flying for several years. Maybe it
postponed the world war a few
years, too. Aviation has already
had a wonderful effect upon the
world, and its pleasures, Later
flying machines are destined to rev.
olutionizc commerce.
Present-day flying machines
aren't ali they might be- Their
powerful motors make flying un-
pleasant, and may add danger to
the pastime. The ideal manner Of
flying is that practiced by the
birds of the air. Ever see a spar
row alfght upon a protruding cor
nice of high building. Notice
how accurately the little bird
judges its speed; how carefully it
alights without injury to its feet,
Ever see a lark glide gracefully
above a field of ripening corn,
alighting whenever and wherever
desired without effort? Ever see
an eagle, soaring swiftly through
the skies, or other large birds loll-
ing Iazily in the heavens, appar-
entity without effort of any kind?
Man will one day attain the same
knowledge Of flying now possessed
by the birds about us. Maybe
some of Us will live to see humans
flying with light, cheap, safe equip
ment that will enable one to re-
main aloft for hours, with. neither
danger nor fatigue.
There remains much to be learn
ed about the mysteries of the air.
Prcaent-day successful flying ma
chimes are kept in the air by pow
cTful motors. When one of these
motors fails to function thousands
Of feet up in the clouds, the avia-
tor faces a difficult situation Not
so with the air-glider Operating
one of these new flying machines
is more like riding bicycle. At
present, its rather like riding an
old.fashioned "ordinarN bicycle
with one high wheel and a small
trailer. The first type of bicycle
was a dangerous proposition. So
arc the first gliders. Later, we
will have Safety" gliders. Remem-
Der when the present-day type of
bicycle was called safety"
a glider is machine that trav-
els on "air waves" much the same
as a sailboat travels on water. It
has rudder for steering, also
control surfaces which the pi-
lot tits to make the craft rise or
descend and to balance the glider
if it gets lopsided and starts to
tilt. First you have to master
aerial balance" the same as you
learn to balance on a bicycle. Sut
cess as glider depends alto
gether on the pilots skill. He has
to learn to use his artificial wings
as young bird learns to fly with
wings nature provides. To start
flying in glider, you sit in the
car, preferably on a hillside. Help
ers grasp long rope, attached
to the glider, and run with it un-
til the wind catches under the
wings and you "take Off like a
kite.
A motorless~ glider of the type
used by Herr Hentzen, German
gliding champion, moves forware