The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-06-20
HEL|COPTER 7 D.
FLY 50 MILES
AN HOUR
Or. de Bothezat, inventor,
Building New Machine at
Cost of $4,000.
(CopyriKht, 1928. by Cosmopolitan
NIanun SArYica

NEW YORK, June 20.-"The
next helicopter / build will be able
to fly at the rate of about sixty
miles an hour and go to an altitude
of several thousands of feet" DIR.
George de Bothezat, inventor and
builder of the first helicopter which
was able to fly, predicted today.
1.-THE reason did not permit the
first machine to go high was be-
cause 1 did not wish to wreck it, ;"
he said 1T took a large amount
of money and sixteen months to
bring it into being. / wanted to
study the first machine thoroughly,
discover its weaknesses, and then
like the flying machine, must
gradually be evolved intp a perfect
machine.
You may remember that the
Wright brothers made only four
flights with their first machine and
wrecked it on the fourth attempt
to fly 1t, each Of the flights of the
first airplanea lasting less than
minute. We have made 100 flights
with the first helicopter and there
10 not scratch on it.
Had Two Accidents.
I'VE had two accidents, both of
which justified further my faith in
the machine. One consisted OF
propeller tip being bent and strik-
ing rod, so we had to stop the
engine. The helicopter, with the
engine sshut. off, gradually settled
back to earth, unchanged. An
other time one of the gears which
helps turn the propellers flew
off. Again the engine was stopped
and the machine came down safely"
DR.. de Bothezat said he was per-
fectly willing to go ahead and con-
struct the second machine. He was
surprised that experimental work
on the first machine was stopped 80
abruptly, following the successful
April tests. He said he did not
know the intentions of Major Gen.
eral Patrick, of the air service, 10
this matter, and did not know
whether he was to build second
helicopter or not.
This statement by the inventor
was regarded as amazing in face of
the following expression by Major
General Patrick:
1.-THE army air service is still
greatly interested in the de Bothezat
helicopter and has not discontinued
the experiments Herewith. It il
expected and intended to continue
tests conducted as required by the
cir service"
DIR. de Bothezat, while amazed at
extent Of equipment at McCook
Field, Ohio, and the latent oppOr-
tunity for developing new devices
there, was shocked at what he
termed the inefficiency Of the place.
In the research section" he said,
"there are few men with any scien-
tific knowledge, factory experience
or technical training. In addition
most of the employees ara lazy and
would rather loaf on tht Govern
ment's time than work. / had a
difficult time getting good work
done. / believe the research Sec
leading scientific and experimental
brains Of the country
Commenting further on the posi-
bilities OF new helicopter and
lines he would follow in construct
ing it, DR.. de Bothezat said:
Would Cost $4,000.
IL would make numerous struc-
tural changes. Five hundred
pounds of the $500 pounds weight
could come off. I would install a
more powerful motor, the present
one being 1S0.horsepower. The
propellers ana special driving gears
would remain the same
DIR. de Bothezat said that to
build a. second helicopter under his
plans, privately, would cost SIS 900,
but that for the Government, with
its inefficient methods, to con-
struct it would entail an expendi-
ture of around $4,000.
THE first helicopter was not
built for extensive flying purposes"
he asserted. 1T was built for the
practical verification of certain
scientific principles"
The inventor said there was not a
single man, besides Major T. II.
Bane, who worked with him in de-
veloping the machine, that knew
something about it, and practically
nobody at McCook Field today un-
derstands the principles of the
helicopter.
After Major T. H. Bane left the
engineering division only slight in.
terest was taken by the officials
there in the development of the
helicopter," DR.. de Bothezat con-
cluded.