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Progress, Volume III, Issue 4, 1 February 1908, Page 128

Here we have the four primary conditions of flight fulfilled. First, a machine that can raise itself off the ground without outside help ; second, that has propelling power ; third, that is steerable ; fourth, that can be brought to the ground easily. The course was 1100 yards, the pace 25.5 miles per hour, and the trip was repeated as easily as a singer on the concert platform takes an " encore." We know that this beats the record of «M. Santos Dumont, who, towards the end of 1906, flew 250 yards in the Bois de Boulogne with his famous " No. 14, Bis."

Daily Mail prize of £10,000 for the^first successful flight from London to Manchester. We have heard nothing about the weather conditions during the flight, and without that knowledge it is not possible to come to any definite conclusion as to the future. What is certain, however, is that flight of the bird order has been accomplished at last by man. Will man fly always like the birds ? That is the question for the future. We know how it was said : " Santos Dumont has flown. Everybody will fly.'" A year later one man has flown. The rest are still looking upward.

earth intcTtlie air before we can traverse it, or as we say, " fly," but it is not necessary to rise vertically nor to great heights ; indeed, that is impossible with aeroplanes or " heavier - than-air " machines, because of the great power required and coosequent excessive weight. \\ c may, howe\ er, rise on the bosom of the air at an angle, say an angle of 1 in 10. One-tenth of the power will then suffice (neglecting of course minor resistances), that is to say, we shall perform 10 feet of incline movement to gain one foot vertical, following tbatgreat fundamental la^ in mechanics that

what is gained in power is lost in time," or in engineering parlance the principle of virtual velocities. Here comes in the crux upon vhich the "heavier lhan air" machine depends for success ; we must keep woving, the engine power effecting the incline movement upward, and gravity (the stored engine power) the incline movement downward, the resultant being an ultimate horizontal movement from place to place. The aeroplanes must of necessity have sufficient area to act on the air and be skilfully handled. One small error would cause disaster, as an error on the part rf a coachdriver on the edge of a precipice would precipitate ruin. According to experiments on the pressure of air on sails, the area of aeroplane necessary is well within practicable limits for light loads, say a man machine, and engine, provided sufficient incline speed is maintained. There is one very important fact to remember in this connection, «.«., gravity is a constant, and acts in a ceaseless unvarying direction. This fact can be made use of in steering, and but for this fact we should have nothing to la3^ hold of in the ait as an abutment — to use a comparison — just as a ship could not steer against the wind but for the denser medium — water — against which of course the rudder acts. Once in the air, say at a height of 500 feet (which with a movement on an incJine of lin 10, ta I<es1 <es 5000 feet of motion to attain) the planes may be set to descend, say, 50 feet, the engine being slowed or stopped, the descent will take place through 500 feet of incline, the planes being then chaaged for upward motion and the engine power again exerted, whereby the 50 feet is regained tnrough another 500 feet of upward incline motion, the resultant being nearly 1000 feet of horizontal motion. The manipulation of planes, engine, steering, etc., will require marvellous skill and dexterity which can only be obtained by long practice and probably at the cost of many lives; for L to learn to fly even with the best possible appliances will probably be the hardest task ever essayed by man — so much depends on that sub-consciousnes which is only born of experience. It will be seen that the principle I have sketched out is one of undulations through the air, a series of movements neither vertical nor horizontal, but diagonal, curving reversely upward and downward like the flight of a goldfinch. Gales and strong air-currents will also have to be negotiated, and this is where the aeroplane is likely to supersede the gas bag. With the aeroplane, air-currents can be utilised as power to assist the engine-power, it being all a matter of setting the planes, steering, etc., a la the la.rger kind of " fowls of the air " already stated, and we have gravity always acting in an absolutely certain and unvarying direction. Nice adjustments there must be, which time and experience only can suggest, and after all when the stress and turmoil has evolved the successful machine, I opine that it will be exceedingly simple and the usual outburst will be heard, " who would have thought it, why was not so simple a machine invented before." Having several other pressing inventions on hand, I can do no more now than point the way to those who have opportunity to experiment and plod on with this interesting problem. Failure after failure is still before us, but I feel sure that out of it all will come the commercially - successful air-car. Should any readers of Progress desire to see my rough sketches of my ideal, I will hand them to the publisher for future publication.

The sun yields about 300,000 times as much light as does the moon at its full.

1905 Flight. Sept. 26 — 11 1/8 miles „ 29—12 „ 30—12 )ct. 3— ls£ 4— 2 of 5—25 1/5 „ lime. 18 mins. 9 sees. 19 „ 55 „ 17 „ J5 , 25 „ 5 „ 3? „ 17 , 38 „ 3 „