Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-15
BY r. o. TODD.

F. all the robots lately invented
4 to astonish the world of sci
ence easily the most sensa-
n tional is the mechanical pilot
which recently few from Day.
ton Ohio to Washington in demon "a
stration flight. Except for a distance M
of 80 miles not human hand had TO ~
touch the controls; fact that meant
that the plane few pilotless for about %
$50 miles, a record never approached
by any other mechanical device. S
Riding in the plane, tri-motored
Army transport, were three men whose
contributions to the advancement OF
aircraft science have made them ia 60
nous: Mai. A. H GilkeSon, chief OF the ~
equipment branch at the Army AIR
Corps experimental laboratories at -
Wright Field Dayton; Lieut.. Albert F.
Hegenberger, who piloted an Army MS
plane to Hawaii on the first transpaciflc SIS
flight and Elmer A. SpeIrry, jr., CO. ES
developer, with his father, OF Me 4
cha-ical Mike
Mr. Sperry ST., is the same interna-
tioually known scientist who startled
America few years ago with his device
that automatically keeps vessels on
their true courses at sea. 1t consists
of a gyro-compass, now used as stand
ard equipment by the navies of The
United States, Great Britain, Japan,
France. Italy and Russia.
During the epochal trip from Wright
Field all went well with the three flyers
until they reached Leesburg, Va, ony
80 miles from Washington. There the
propeller of small generator which
supplies current to the automatic aD-
paratus went "haywire," due to the
weight which served as governor to
maintain constant propeller speed So
the plane brought into Boiling
Field Washington by Lieut.. Hegenberger.
During that portion of its flight which was
controlled by the automatic pilot the plane
crossed the dangerous Allegheny Mountains
This, in the face of a terrific wind Is something
of a feat even for trained aviator, constantly
alert at the controls.
THE automatic controls of the "stabzer," as
Mr. Sperry calls his new invention, are con-
tanned in a housing measuring IA inches square,
located beneath the pilots seat. The entire de-
vice weighs so pounds. 1t includes two gyro-
sccpes, one mounted vertically and the other
horizontally, which actuate make-and-bfeaK
electrical circuits operating the arplane controls
the rudder for direction, the elevator for up
and down movements and the ailerons for
maintaining the plane on an even keel under al
conditions of wind and weather.
The action of the gyroscope is familiar to all
children who roll hoops or spin tops. So long
as the top or hoop is motionless, it tends to
fall bat when it is rotating, it will remain up
right The same holds true in the case OF the
airplane, Mr.. Sperry, ST., found after numerous
tests The main trouble in operating aircraft
lies in the danger OF oVeIpalalclIIs 1e "PP"-
ratus when a sudden gust of wind strikes from
an unexpected direction, taking the hyer COM
pletely off his guard. The gyroscope stabilizer,
as limited above, corrects all such upsetting
movements.
Besides the trip to Washington, recent expert
mental flights with the robot have been con-
Quoted between New Bedford, Mass, and New
York City; New York and Wright Field, and
Wright Field and Detroit all under the direc-
ton OF Maj Gilkeson. Mr.. Sperry, jr.; Hegen-
berger and Capt. Cyrus A Blair, technical ex-
pert of the Air Corps and one of the developers
of the device.
The fight between Dayton and Detroit was
highly satisfactory in every respect, Lieut.
Hegenberger says. The robot functioned with
out hitch, requiring only two adjustments in
course direction, made necessary by changing
wind conditions.