MASTERY OF THE AIR. AEROPLANES AS CHEAP AS BICYCLES.

Progress, Volume II, Issue 8, 1 June 1907, Page 294

MASTERY OF THE AIR. AEROPLANES AS CHEAP AS BICYCLES.

Colonel J. D. Fullertcn, R. E-, lecturing before the Aeronautical Society. London on "Wings v. Screws," expressed the opinion that practical flyers would soon be as cheap as bicycles. The lecture was illustrated by practical experiments with wing models designed by Major Moore. These were of the flying fox type. f By means of a clock spring, the wings were caused to flap up and down, and the model being placed on a groove-slide, a jerking forward movement of the contrivance took place, showing that an up and down movement of wings designed on this principle will produce a forward propulsion. The conclusions arrived at by Colonel Fullerton were that the propeller in the form of a screw, as in a ship's propellor, is quite as efficient as the wing type, and that the former is the safer type as a machine fitted with bird-wing propellers unly would be highly dangerous, if the motor were to stop accidentally when the wings were at an awkward angle. Colonel Cody, the box-kite expert, stated that in his opinion wing machines would never be practicable. M. Jose Weiss the well-known landscape painter, showed some successful model birdflight wings with pieces of thin cardboard cut into the shape of a bird with outstretched wings, and weighted with pieces of lead to represent the weight of the bird's body. These gliders soared across the large hall of the Societ}^ of Arts in a series of curves, exactly imitating the flight of a dropping sea-gull. A paradox of flight also demonstrated by experiment, is that the stronger the wind blowing against a certain form of curved wingsurface the less resistance does the bird offer to it!

This effect was described by the French Captain I/aßrie, whose " Albatross " was illustrated in Progress for March last. The same principle was the object of the researches and experiments of I/ilienthal and the Brothers Wright ; it has influenced the form of their " gliders " and aeroplanes ; and their experience has enabled them to work out valuable tables of its effects.