Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-25
US. AGENC|ESL
IN AERIAL RESEARCH
Army, Navy and Bureau OF
Standards Take Part
In Development.

That the Federal Government still
problems, in spite Of the commercial
growth OF the industry. is plainly evil
dent In the contributions to the fourth
National Technical Aeronautic meeting
held during the past week-under the
auspices of the American Society OF
Mechanical Engineers at the Materiel
Division base of the Army Air Corps
Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio, according
to conference reports received here.
OF q total of 81 technical papers pre-
pared for the meeting, the Govern
for eight, the Wright Field Army staff
leading in contributions to the technical
program.
The aeronautical work of the De-
partment Of Commerce was represented
by an analysis by DR.. Hugh L. Dryden
chief Of the aerodynamical physics Sec
ton OF the Bureau of Standards, of
the problem of reducing noise In air.
plane cabins. In addition to discussing
the principles involved, DR.. Dryden told
Of experimental work in muf1ing en-
gines, reducing propeller noise and In
sulating cabins against sound.
Silencing . Problem.
1.-THE problem of silencing the air.
plane Is one Of great current interest"
DR., Dryden said. THE noise nuisance
is generally considered as one of the
most potent influences tending to dis
courage the use of airplanes by the
general public"
The results Of experiments % far
completed. DR.. Dryden said. indicate
elearly that q great deal can be done
by careful attention TO detail in design
ing and constructing airplane cabins
to provide greater comfort for the
passenger with only moderate increase
In weight. ......
A paper on the general problem Of
fire hazards in aircraft was contributed
by Lieut.. Comdr. C. G. McCord of the
Philadelphia Naval Aircraft Factory.
He covered briefly in his discussion the
causes, prevention and cures for air.
craft fires, with O description OF the
nature and manner Of testing extin-
gushing equipment.
The control of airp1anes at low speeds
by the use of wing slots, wing flaps
Lieut. Carl B. Harper, U. S. NJ, who
has been in charge of investigations of
this character in the Navy Bureau of
Aeronautics for some time.
Work on Vibration Reduction.
The Wright Field staff presented sew
eral highly technical papers, all OF i'm
portance to the development of the
aeronautic industry. Prof. Ford /. Pres
colt, temporarily on duty at Wright
Field on research work, told of the
work done there on vibration char
acteristics of aircraft engine crank
shafts, resulting, after army obstacles
had been overcome, in the develop
ment of a practical method of calcu-
lation for the use Of engine designers.
Another valuable piece Of research
completed by Wright Field, was an in
Ftestigation into aluminium alloys for
and cylinder heads of ir-ceoled
engines. This was described in q paper
by Lieut.. A. j. Lyon, Army Air Corps,
which covered the physical properties
Of the materials used, at normal and
high temperatures, in. comparison with
present alloys: Development Of alloys
Of 20 to IS per cent greater strength
than those now employed was a result
Of this work.
The result of experimental work with
fuel and oil used in high-performance
aircraft engines was described by 8. D.
Heron, mechanical engineer Of the
power plant branch ut Wright Field.