Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-12
AVIATION
BY JOSEPH S. EDdERToN.

MI way back into the HmetlBnI
V after two years or more, dur
1 i ing which it has been sub
merged, 70 q large extent, be-
meath the tidal wave Of civil aeronautical
development.
Public attention is being directed
more forcefully to military aviation this
Spring than for several years past be-
cause of international military devel-
opments, progress in development Of
new military airplanes and equipment
increased peace-time activities OF the
military air forces and the furtherance
Of aerial defense efficiency by concen-
trations and mass maneuvers.
The international aviation situation
has been accentuated by the approach
ing completion of the five-year pro-
grams of the Army and Navy Air SerV-
ices, both OF which still are below the
program status. Congressional action
looking toward high-Speed develop
ments by the Navy also have attracted
international attention, and the Navy
now is at work on a speed program.
One of the first fruits of the speed
development activity Is an experimental
single-seater fighter now undergoing
fight test at the AnacoStia Naval Air
station Though this plane is expected
to prove faster than present standard
types, it still is said to be slower by
considerable margin than British com
bat planes, developed as a result OF
Schneider racing competition, from
which the United States withdrew sew
eral years ago
New Flying Equipment.
Both Army and Navy are at work on
new planes and equipment. The Navy
soon will have available for tests the
first of its two giant new airships, the
ZRS-4, or u S. S. Akron, and the
ZRS-5. The Akron is to be completed
in June and will be taken over by its
skipper, Lieut. Comdr. Charles E. Rosen-
dahl appointed to command during the
past week.
Several new-type experimental fight
ers and diving bombers have passed
through the flight-test section at Ana
costa during recent months, and some
of them are making their way into the
squadrons of the feet though more
have fallen by the wayside. Develop
ment of two-Seaters capable OF carry
ing adequate radio equipment to lead
the single-seater fighter and diving
bomber squadrons Is in progress.
The Army Air Corps has just ordered
is two-seater pursuit planes, the flrst
of this type ever used in Army service
eQuadrons Experiments are being made
with new types of bombardment and
attack planes, which promise further TO
Tevolutionize Army aviation.
Both Army and Navy are carrying on
peacetime activities Of great value TO
civil aviation and to aviation and nom
aviation branches of the Federal and
State Governments. The list of these
activities would fill pages of writing.
The Navy has just completed Sc
ries Of highly important tactical prob
lens and maneuvers in Caribbean
waters, winding them up just in time to
engage in earthquake relief work at
Managua, Nicaragua. The Army Air
Corps Is completing preparations for its
greatest concentration and maneuvers
next month, during which 672 planes Of
all types will be assembled for maneu-
verS over many thousands of square
miles Of the Atlantic coastal area.
Autogiro Wins Collier Trophy.
After being held for two years by the
Federal Government, the coveted Col
uer Trophy, awarded annually for the
greatest achievement in aviation in
America, the value Of which has been
demonstrated by actual use during the
preceding year." has been awarded to
Harold 2. Pitcairn and his associates
for their work in developing and max
ing practical application Of the auto
giro.
The award is made as q recognition
Of pioneering in new fields-daring and
successful pioneering based upon a de-
parture from tried and universally ac-
cepted principles. The autogiro Is re-
garded by members of the committee
which made the award as the most
revolutionary development in heavier
than-air craft since the first fights of
the Wright brothers, in 1908"
Since the beginning Of human flight
atrplanes have depended for their sup.
port upon fixed or stationary wings.
There has been no departure from this
principle, though the size and efficiency
OF atrplanes has grown immensely.
The nXed wing must be kept in for
ward motion TO maintain its power Of
lift If the plane loses forward speed
below, what is known as the "stalling"
point, the wings no longer are able to
support the weight Of the plane. The
plane either falls of into spin or the
nose must be dropped to regain speed,
and II the ground gets in the way be-
lore normal flying speed is regained the
result Is likely to be too bad.
Fixed Wing" Discarded.
The autogiro discards the fixed wing
idea. The wings on an autogiro, four in
numbsr, are fastened at one end to a
king post rising above the fuselage and
are free TO revolve about their COM
mon center. They rotate at an almost
constant speed, regardless Of the speed
of the machine which they support in
the air, and so are able to maintain
I1fclE power OF nIL Wnetner the machine
Is moving at 100 miles per hour or is
lowering with little If any forward mo-
ton. Thus an autogiro cannot stall or
spin, because the wings never lose flying
speed.
Rotation Of the wings or rotor" as
The wing structure is called, does not
depend upon mechanical means. The
rotor Is not pover-driven and engine
failure has no effect on its spinning
The wings turn continuously while the
machine Is in the air because of phe-
nomenon known as authorization"
II the motor, upon which the autoRiro
depends for forward speed as does the
airplane, should fail in fight, the rotor
continues TO spin and support the ma
chine. The pilot can either glide down
70 normal landing as ne would in the
conventional airplane, or can float down
as though the machine were suspended
beneath huge parachute, at a speed no
faster than that Of a man with a para
chute. In either case he is virtually as
eured OF personal safety even in a land
ing on rough ground, as the autogiro
can be landed with no forward speed at
al in case Of necessity.
Invention of Spaniard.
Though the autogiro is the invention
OF Spanlard, Juan de la Cierya. the
pioneering work in It's development in
TINS country has been carried on by Mr.
Pitcairn, who gave up the operation of
highly successful contract airmail line
between the National Capital and New
York 10 devote his fun time to the auto
giro. He and his engineers hare made
many improvements in the original
principles Of the autogiro.
AuCog1ro development also Is going
forward In Great Britain, where expert
mentS now are being made with auto