Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-31
AV "A TION
! NE Of the most hopeful
signs Of the times, aero-
J nantically speaking. y
BY JOSEPH S. EDoERToN.

or the most nope1ul
signs Of the times, aero-
i1autically speaking, y
the extensive and thor
ough research work being con-
Quoted in this country by the Fed.
eral Government, the Army and
Navy, educational institutions
and Semi-public and private or
ganizations such as the Guggen-
Helm Fund for the Promotion Of
Aeronautics and the laboratories
of the larger commercial air
transport systems.
In the field OF aeronautical re-
search the United States today
leads the world, thanks largely to
the work Of the National Advisory
Committee for AeronauticS and
the Guggenheims. Both these
agencies, one Federal, the other
private in character, but public in
spirit and effect, are dealing with
the most pressing problems OF
aeronautics as they come up,
patiently and painstakingly.
Benefits from the activities OF
these investigators flow to every
airplane designer and builder,
operator and passenger. Safety,
reliability and public confidence
in ever increasing measure are
the fruits Of their efforts.
Big Demand for Aircraft.
There is a tremendous demand
for aircraft in the United States
today and manufacturers of every
type OF airplane are hard pressed
TO fill orders already booked, In a
way this situation is unfortunate.
When such O boom is in progress
manufacturers are likely to strive
for production rather than for
the Improvement of their product
except as may be necessary to
meet the immediate demands Of
their purchasers.
At this point, however-luckily
for the public and aviation-the
research organizations, which are
not working so much for the
money that 1t brings in as they
are for the sake OF the work in
hand and q desire for honest
progress, step in to keep Scien-
tific advancement in line with
physical development.
The importance Of this work
cannot be over estimated. G. G.
Grey, one of the greatest British
aeronautical authorities, speaking
of the necessity for thorough re-
search work, says: 1.-THE more
one thinks over this subject the
more one envieS America the pos
session of Mr.. Daniel Guggenheim
and Mr.. Harry Guggenheim and
the very sound, practical council
which initiates the various phases
of the work of the Guggenheim
Fund"
Continuing his discourse on re-
search, Mr.. Grey, whose widely
known and eloquent admiration
of all things British makes any
word of his in praise of anything
American amount almost to a
benediction, says:
Research Plans Outlined. =
"Research is of two kinds, that
which Is known as basic research,
and that which Is known as 'ad
hoe research. In the former kind
seekers after truth dig around
blindly, working on more or less
established scientific facts, in the
hope that something may turn up.
In, the latter kind deliberate re-
search is made to discover a GER
tain thing-ad hoe meaning to
this the word object or end
being understood.
Occasionally in ad hoe re-
search for one thing quite a diff
ferent thing, or different appli-
cation of the same thing, may be
discovered accidentally-as, for
example, the usefulness Of the
Handy Page slot in assuring con-
troll below stalling point, when In
fact search was being made for
a method of improving lift and
slowing landing-speeds. Basic
research may by sheer luck dis
cover something which revolu-
tionises the whole industry, or
science, with which it is con-
cerned. But, on the whole, the
cheapest and quickest way of
making progress Is by means OF
ad hoe research.
THAT is Just where the Ameri-
cans have scored over us so far.
Over and over again their prac-
tical aeronautical engineers have
started out with one definite end
in view, and they have pursued
that end until they have got it.
Improved Performance Noted.
'aThe present improved per-
formances of aircraft practically
all over the world is due primarily
to the search for, the proper
stream-line shape Of fuSelageS
and engine housings for high
speed racing machines in the Cur-
tisS company's wind tunnel. The
Curtiss designs were brought to
this country by MIR. G. R. Fairey
five years ago, and those lines
dominate the design Of the de-
sign of the machines with the
highest performances AL over the
world.
..'Further search for improved
performance, and consequent
economy Of running, caused the
invention Of the high-pressure
wind-tunnel (300 pounds to the
square inch) by q German engi-
neer who was imported to the
States just after the war. And
the high-speed wind-tunnel with
its. air-stream of ITO miles an
hour, and 20 feet diameter, which
the American National Advisory
Committee for Aeronautics have
at Langley Field was built because
the N. A. G. A. wanted to expert
ment with engines and airscrewS
on fuselages under flying con-
ditions.
ssThe N. A. C. A. has had its
high-preSsure wind-tunnel for
i've years or SO, and It has dis