AEROPLANE LIFE-SAVER.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15098, 22 March 1911, Page 4

AEROPLANE LIFE-SAVER.

AN AUCKLAND INVENTION,

(Faoii Oira Own Correspondent.) AUCKLAND. March 21.

The complete patent deeds lor improvements to aeioplar.es have been received by the Auckland inventor. Mr J. A. King, who mides at Devonport. The inventor, a working enginosr, lias bwn skdying flying machines dr.ee the successful monoplanes of Santo Dmnont and Eleriot, and the biplane of Voisin commenced to st:ntl,o the world. He soon noted the necersitv of K>mc invention by which an airman could control hie machine when his tngir.c failed him. l ; rom technical works and engineering periodicals he studied the features of the leading types for flying machines of England, America, arcl tho Con'i"cr.t. a.nd latterly lias been experimenting with models'unt : l he.has now pjrfeo'.ojl an entirely criminal k'ca. A simple gear operates the planes jointiv or .independently. Instead of falling plumb to earth on the stoppage of the enpine, tho (jear, it .is stated, eperates the plane to preserve a perfect balanca, and to permit a gliding action. Afterwards the same gen- can be brought into action when landing, and this feature of flyinsr, is thus made Si for. Another important point in the invention is that gear can operate the planes to reduce the incidence or angle of setting, and by thus diminishing the drift of the machine increase the speed with" tVc sirne m<. tar power. The gear can lie need on either a monoplane or biplane. The most intifpid airmen when at sufficient altitude iind with sufficient, jpced on, have successfully volplaned to earlh when faced with engine t:oubkfi. hut many -fatal accidents have cccu'.rcd, which Jlr King's invention is intended to prevent. His lukst testing model, built'to scale, ard fitted with a motaT has, he claims, proved the correct iwjs of his theory.