AERIAL LOCOMOTION.

Evening Post, Volume LII, Issue 155, 21 November 1896, Page 2

AERIAL LOCOMOTION.

The American correspondent of Nature reports that elaborate experiments in Hcriul locomotion are in progress at Dune Park, Nortliorn -Indiana, nonr Lake Michigan, under the.direotlon of Mr. QctaycrEhauute. The experiments begun two' months ago. Since then the machines have been reconstructed. Mr. A. M. Hering is assisting Mr. Chanute, and has invented a regulutor which is attached to the apparatus. Boginning about September 1, about seventy-, five flights havoboeu made without abruit-e or a break. A distance of 300 ft has been covered, at the height of about 30ft frum the ground, with less jar and shook than a ride in a rubber-tyred carriage. Two men carry l the apparatus up the Band- hill. About 35ft up the machine is lifted, and Mr. Horing fits himself under it, and allows the wind to raise it. His arms fall over the bars provided. He makes two or throe quick .steps towards the lake, and the machine Hoars from the ground and darts through the air with a velocity described an rivalling that of an express train. The motion is horizontal, without any swaying motion. To stop the machine, the operator moves his body enough to tilt the apparatus slightly upwards in front, wheu it coasts gradually and slowly to the ground. The experiments of September 10 were considered unusually favourable, because made under somewhat adverse conditions. In a strong wind the aeroplane lotted suddenly and unexpectedly, carrying with it four operators who were holdingth6 ropes, and lifting them 100 feet into the air. The combined weight of the four brought it down again soon without accident; whilst the performance of the maohino in this emergenoy was peculiarly gratifying to the inventor. > The apparatus is modelled after the general form of an albatross, but has seven wings. I

In the courao of a year a man requires a ton and a half of material, or nearly twenty times hiu own weight, in order to repair his wattid organs.