Evening star., 1936-09-26
BY Joseph S. Edgerf0n.

BY Joseph y. EdgeffOn.
TINISHING leisurely breakfast.
- Mr.. A., commuter, rose and
went to the window.
Looks like q pretty good
morning, except for those alto-cumu-
lus clouds in the West" he observed
to his wife. Il don't think they will
amount to much. but guess better
get an early start, just in case"
He went out to the garage, threw
open the double doors. A moment
later came the whine of a starter
and the purr Of an engine. The purr
gathered volume and into the drive
way rolled a strange vehicle.
In front Of blunt, rounded nose,
all windows, was an airplane propeller,
now idle. The body of the vehicle
resembled an airplane fuselage and
1t rested on three rubber-tired wheels,
the single wheel in the rear. Above
the roof of the cabin rose sturdy
center post or pylon. Three long vanes,
hinged from the pylon top, were folded
together and extended back along the
top of the body, overhanging the tail.
This tail terminated in a rather Pc
culiar arrangement, like the cell of a
large box kite, the upper and lower
wings being joined at the ends by
nearly vertical panels.
In other respects the vehicle Is
like an automobile, we observe as Mr..
A. climbs out and goes back to close
the garage doors. There are head
lights, license plates, horn and tail
light. There is leather upholstered
seat. like that of an automobile, ex-
tending across the cabin from door
to door. In front of the seat is a
steering wheel much like that of an
automobile and an instrument panel,
with rather more than the usual
number of dials and controls found
in the average car.
Mr.. A., having climbed back to
his seat and closed the door, meshed
. set of gears, opened the throttle
and began to roll down the drive
way to the street. At the sidewalk
he sounded his horn warningly to
attract the attention of a couple of
children, on their way to school, and
rolled out into the street.
Il see those poor fellows who have
to ride the train have all gone,"
he said. looking up and down the
nearly deserted street, which led past
the railroad station.
He waved his hand to Mrs. A. and
turned, not toward the station, but
away from town. Let us follow him
as he rolls away from home.
A block or two away there is a va.
cant lot. Mr.. A turns out of the road
and drives into the middle of the lot,
the vehicle jolting on the uneven
ground. causing the three long vanes
overhead to fex and bend little. Mr.
A stops. climbs out and goes to the
tail Of the vehicle. where he unfastei.s
. strap holding the vanes. He pulls
one of them around in sweeping arc,
pivoted on the pylon. and there is
click as 1t locks into place. He goes
around to the other side and moves q
second vane forward on that side.
rotor above the cabin. The operation
has required only a few seconds.
MR.. A climbs back to his seat, the
engine speeds up and the rotor
begins to turn slowly, steadily picking
up speed. In a moment the rotor is
up to speed. as Mr.. A determines By
. glance at the instrument panel. Now
watch!
If your eyes are keen enough, you
may see the three rotor blades twist
Just bit. Instantly the vehicle rises
vertically OF the ground 20 to Is feet,
the airplane propeller bites the air
and of goes Mr.. A in full flight, climt-
ing easily over the fence and trees ct
che end of the lot.
In imagination we still can follow
him as he climbs steadily to an alti-
tude of about 5000 feet and heads
toward the city and his office, so miles
away.
Huh" he mutters to himself.
Its a good thing got started early.
Those clouds certainly are piling up
fast. Unusual this early in the
morning. Looks as though I had
better get down for while"
So. after flying along is or 20 miles,
until the sun is blotted out behind a
bank Of heavy, menacing clouds and
the lightning begins to flare near at
hand, down goes Mr.. A to q spot
landing in an open field alongside the
highway. He jumps out, folds back
the rotor blades and fastens them,
gets back into his seat and drives
back onto the highway. The wind
blows and the rain comes down in
sheets. He cranks up the window and
drives along toward the city, In an
automobile among automobiles.
Presently the rain stops, the clouds
roll aside, and there Is q splatter of
sunshine. Another open lot beckons
Mr.. A of the crowded highway. He
"unships" the blades once more, takes
on and. without further ado. flies on
to his destination. driving the road
able autogiro to q parking lot near
his office. In the evening, q quick,
cool flight takes him to within q
block or two of his home and he
drives into his own garage.
The quiet and uncrowded comfort
of . beautiful residential town far
removed from the city in miles, but
close In point of time, are his. thanks
to his combined automobile and air.
plane. On week ends and vacations
hundreds Of miles are within the
range Of his holiday jaunts, without
trafic jams, without dusty, rough
roads and without delays.
A fanciful glimpse into . possible.
but perhaps dubious future. you say?
Not ct all: Mr.. AS travels are en-
tirely possible today. The readable
autogiro with the jump take-o6 fea-
ture has been achieved, and one Of the
strange new craft combining these
features now is being completed for
the Bureau of Air Commerce, DEPART
ment Of Commerce. as part Of It's
program of developing types Of air-
planes suitable for operation by the
average citizen.
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