MOTORLESS AEROPLANE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 248, 19 October 1922, Page 11

MOTORLESS AEROPLANE.

KISES FROM WATER. SAN FRANCISCO.. September 1. An American motorless aeroplane, capable of rising from and alighting upon the water, has been completed, and will shortly be put through a series of tests, which, if successful, will far outdo anything in .the gliding line where the flyers start from mountain tops. (Jlenn Curtis. pioneer in the flying world, stated in }Cew York, when notified of the exploits in Germany and other European countries recently.

After commenting upon the achievements at Gersfleld, where a German airman remained aloft two hours and te:: seconds in a motorless plane, Curtiss said he expected shortly to demonstrate a glider in which the pilot literally '"lifted himself by the bootstraps" from the surface of the gea, instead of starting down a mountainside.

"Jlotorless flight., as demonstrated in gliding tests in the Rhine Valley, is not only an interesting but a mo?t useful development in the realm of aviation," the American pioneer aeronaut said. "But while this is mighty good sport, the real test comes when a man tries to get his plane, without any mechanical motive power, up off a level stretch such as the surface of the sea.

"If gliders without motive power can remain aloft two hours on a rising current upon the mountainside, it encourages us to believe we may yet learn to soar like the albatross over the ocean.

'It is this kind of soaring flight in which I am particularly interested, having just completed a motorless plane to start from and alight upon the water. The other line of progress, which may be advanced as a result of glider practice, is the development of a lowpowered and efficient aeroplane, in which the motive power may be an engine of five or ten horse-power, minimising cost of planes and popularising aviation in general. ,, NEW TYPE OF PEAPLAXE. The United States Navy is intensely interested in any evolution of the hydroplane and a new type of seaplane, which is almost capable of flying without a pilot, has been delivered to the Xavy Department in Washington.

The plane, designed for the training of student aviators, combines safety features never before equalled in aircraft, it is claimed, with qualities of speed and manoeuvre ability. This new plane recently made a successful 700-mile flight from the factory at Ogdenburg, in the State of Xew York.

"In testing the plane for stability the pilot released the controls, taking his hands and feet oil them." said Commonder T. G. Ellysen, of the Washington Bureau of Aeronautics, who took the craft to Washington. '"The throttle was cut to low speed and the plane went into a long glide. He then speeded up the engine and still without the controls being touched the- plane levelled off and continued in normal flight, making about sixty knots.

"Finally the engine vas speeded tip ■with the throttle vide open. The plane began to elimh a ml in so doing her speed *»s cut to about forty knots. She fell off on one wins and dived until a speed of 100 knots was registered, when the plane again levelled off in normal flight. Dnrinpr the entire demonstration the pilot. Lieutenant Xielson. did not touch the control with either his feet or his hands." The pane will be known a3 the Huff-Xaw-HXI.