The Truth About Aviation.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVIII, Issue 18, 30 October 1912, Page 60

The Truth About Aviation.

NO CONCERN FOR AUTOMATIC STABILITY IN THE AIR. By L. BLIN DESBLEDS. (Lectures in Aeronautical Engineering.) Aviation is in jeopardy! And, strange to say, it is the very method adopted to assist its progress that has delayed its development and is cheeking its evolution. It is time to look facts in the face and to draw attention fearlessly to the danger which threatens the immediate success of a science so full of import and of such far-reaching possibilities. It is useless and mischievous to ignore the fact that, from the time of the French military competition held last year until the present moment, the evolution of the aeroplane has been at a standstill. The present machines are certainly better and more strongly built than those in existence a year- ago; they are made of better material; they are provided with more powerful motors; they have derived advantage from the improvements in aero-motors and propellers; their pilots certainly know more about the atmosphere and are better versed in airmanship; but it cannot be too strongly emphasised that the aeroplane of the present day, in elemental design and principles, is no more developed than it was last year. Standing Still.

Certain French aeronautical firms are standardising their aeroplanes. But what justification have they for this, apart from the purely commercial point of view? In the present stage of aviation such a proceeding will be disastrous unless a serious effort be made to overthrow this artificial barrier to progress. Again our military authorities, by organising a competition with rules framed simply to lit existing types of machines, have tacitly discouraged the evolution of new types, and have strengthened the impression that exists in some quarters tnat the capabilities of the aeroplane are extremely limited.

lha existing machines have, to their

sjredit wonderiM {achievements. They hate opened up vistas of incommensurable consequences; they have shown that there is in them possibilities which may alter pursuits of peace and war. But the fact remains that during the last twelve months the progress of aviation has not only been checked, but has been misdirected. Who is it who will assert that the British military aeroplane competition of 1912 shows any real advance o fat as machines are concerned—on the French competition of 1911? There is not a single test passed at Salisbury Plain which could not have been passed last year at Rheinm. As a matter of fact, the limitations of the existing types of aeroplanes were well-nigh reached twelve months ago.

The well-deserved successes of Mr. Cody's machine on Salisbury Plain arc a striking example of the truth that the capabilities of the aeroplanes of 1912 are the same as 1911. The winning machine, which will now be purchased by the Government, is the identical one which the authorities rejected with scorn Ja-t year. If, instead of being influenced by the sensational feats of certain machines, our authorities had shown foresight and the power of appreciating, on its own merits, the value of an aeroplane, the Government would, twelve months ago. have been in possession of a type of machine which they are only now on the point of acquiring. No Fresh Types.

It is a thousand pities that aeronautical constructors, English as well as foreign, should, after the success, of certain aeroplane*, have simply adopted the principles of those machines without question, rather than have utilised the advance made to evolve fresh types which would mark yet another step in the evolution of the aeroplane. They have thus substituted imitation for invention and critical sense.

In their justifiable desire to be supplied with aeroplane*, as they now exist, the different Governments have, unfortunately, overlooked the immediate future and are encouraging the production of machines along lines w hieh, although of present value, will retard the evolution of the aeroplane, and will diminish its Scope even as a weapon of war. Existing types of aeroplanes depend for their safe flying upon the ability of their pilots, mid since it Is the expressed intention of the Government to be sup plied with a greater number of machines, the selection of pilots of exceptionally high qualifications must become more

difficult. Tiie natural result of this will be that the average capacity of the pilot will be lowered, and, in consequence the capabilities of military aviation will be reduced.

All the competitions that have been organised in the different countries, with a view to assist the establishment of an aeronautical industry, which should prove of national importance, have shown a serious misjudgment of certain essential qualities necessary to flying machines. Thus, stability and safety in flight have not received the same amount of attention as transport or quick-assembling, which qualities, however important they may be from the military point of view, sink into significance when compared with the primordial consideration of the actual stability of the machine.

Pilot's Skill. The airworthiness of a flying machine, under ordinary circumstances, ought not to depend on the ability of the pilot, any more than the seaworthiness of a ship depends on the ability of her captain. Just as a ship possesses in herself certain qualities which make for safe navigation, so an aeroplane must have certain inherent qualities which ensure safe flying. It, is, however unfortunately, too true that the good behaviour in flight of the existing types of aeroplanes depends almost entirely upon the cool-headedness and ability of the pilot. At the present juncture the most important features to be embodied in aeroplanes are not devices for quick-assembling, or quick-ris-ing, or similar considerations, but provisions which will ensure to the machine the same amount of stability in the air that ships have ou water. Whether from the military or any other point of view, the fact cannot be denied that the consideration of automatic (stability (has been grossly neglected in the various aeroplane competitions that have, up to now, been organised.