Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-11


Flight with a robot pilot not only !,
steadier than with the best of human
pilots, but its unerring accuracy /:
not in the least affected by storms
darkness or the most binding fog
Human errors which have sent scores
of pilots spinning to death in blank
fogs are foreign to the robot, who tires
not, nor does he develop nerves" after
hours Of flying blind.
The robot pilot relies for his
accuracy on two horoscopes, which are
sensitive to the slightest change OF
angle in any of the three dimensions
in which an airplane travels. An
azimuth gyroscope takes care of the
directional control and a vertical syro
provides for lateral and longitudinal
control.
The horoscopes. resisting changes of
direction, operate electrical switches
controlling electric motors which In
turn operate the aileron rudder and
elevator controls of the airplane.
The power required to operate the
system is provided by a constant-speed
wtnd-driven propeller mounted out
side the fuselage. The two gvros. cleo
trically driven, run at $4,000 revolutions
per minute, which gives them sufficient
directional force to prevent disturbance
by any OF the varied accelerating and
centrifugal forces continually encount-
cred in airplane flight.
Human Skill Required
The robot is not used for taking of
or landing where judgment and in
telligence are required. It is used
purely for taking over the drudgery of
flying large planes on fixed courses and
at fixed attitudes. With a large mod
fe -
cal burden after a short time, though
this is not so serious as the nervous
and mental strain.
While the robot Is at the controls
the human pilot is absolutely free TO
work his radio, handle problems of
navigation. watch for other planes
which might cross his path and per-
form the other important duties of
lying which require a human intelli-
gence. Without disengaging his robot
co-pllot, the pilot may change course.
climb or dive at will merely by press
ing one or the other of two buttons
or turning knob, which communicate
his wishes to the robot and cause an
immediate response.
The robot is the result of work over
Q period Of nearly 20 years by the
SperryS, father and sons. Most of the
work, however. has been done by
&AAACA "a OPC1IJ, NHO IldS maze
use OF the gyroScopic principles ap-
piled by his father to the control Of
ships. The robot pilot, Sperry explains,
Is nothing new. One was flown sue
cessfully before the World War and
the Army Air Corps has made entirely
successful demonstrations with the de-
vice at various times since the war.
1t Is little ahead Of its time"
Sperry said. That is the reason it
has not been used. Our air transport
development has been too recent to
create demand yet for such refine
ments as an automatic pilot. But it
certainly Is not a mere stunt and I
am convinced that in time 1t will fnd
widespread application"
Pilots Like Robot Aid
Pilots who have flown with the
"gyrobot," as the device has been called
are less restrained than Sperry in de-
scribing the niche to be filled by this
new scientific aid to flying They like
the robot and feel that he has a real
place today. They would like to have
a robot along to do the dirty work"
for them when they get caught in fog
and thick weather
Such weather was encountered bv
Walter j. Shaffer on the early morn
ing trip to New York with passengers
who were taken up from WASHINGTON
TO witness the first robot passenger