THE WILBUR-WRIGHT AEROPLANE.

Progress, Volume IV, Issue 1, 2 November 1908, Page 12

THE WILBUR-WRIGHT AEROPLANE.

We have at last an expert account of the remarkable machine which has set all the world agape for the last two months. It is from the pen of the French aeronaut, M. Francois Peyrey, who was present at the celebrated trials at Lemans, on the Hinaudieres racecourse. It will be seen that this authority first gives a minute description in popular terms of the aeroplane and its working, that he passes on to designate the "mos* interesting feature," indicating at the

same time the almost automatic maintenance of equilibrium — a point on which it Avill be observed that he is not disposed to go as far as one could have wished — and that he ends with a description of the start of the machine, without wheels, by a rail with, in cairn weather, the use of a weight. This may be regarded as the first of irany detailed descriptions which will be forthcoming with the advance of the machine along the line of what is no\ v everywhere admitted as the line of successful flight. That the time has come for placing the machine on the market for the express purpose of enabling the prediction of less than two years ago to be verified — "Santos has flown; every one will fly," may be gathered from h cable message of the early days of las 4 month announcing the fact that the purchaser of the Wright aeroplane — M Weiler, who agreed to give £20,000 for the same in the event of its coming up to the specified conditions — has set about making fifty of them for general use. When fifty machines are in the air, each with a mounted aeronaut almost automatical in his balance, and driving through the air at considerable speed,

it will be said without any great straining of fact that "everybody is flying.''

M. Peyrey's Description. "The "Wright aeroplane is what is called a bi-plane, the surfaces of which are parallel, exactly one above the other and slightly concave on the lower stir face. They are made of cloth, stretche-1 on a framework of spruce. They are 12 i metres long and two metres wide, giving a total area of 50 square metres. The distance between the planes is 1.80 metre. In front is a horizontal bi-plane rudder for regulating the height of

flight, at the back a veitical bi-plane rudder for steering 1 . The total length of the machine is ten metres. Between the planes is a four-cylinder water cooled 25-h.p. motor, designed by the brothers Wright. On its right is a ra diator with flat copper tubes, and on its left sit the pilot and passenger. The motor drives two wooden propellers. 2.80 metres in diameter, by means of crossed chains. The propellers revolve in opposite directions and are geared down in the ratio of 33 to 9. The totgl weight of the aeroplane, with one man on board, is 450 kilogrammes. The motor in working order weighs 90 kilogrammes. "The method of operation seems very simple. The most interesting feature consists in the ' working ' of the extreme under pa it of the wings, whereby fl-.p flight of a bird is imitated and perfect lateral stability is secured. The rudder which regulates the horizontal balance lias to be used almost continually, but, as in the case of a bicyclist, the movements necessary to maintain equili biium probably soon become instinctive. " Id order to make a flight a wooden rail about 72ft. long was laid on tho

ground. The aeroplane rests upon wooden 'skates,' and has two rollers in front. On the rail runs a little car upon which the aeroplane rests and the rollers on the rail. When the screws begin to revolve the bird flies rapidly along the rail and at its extremity ri<-es into the air by the help of the horizontal rudder. "When there is a wind the rail alone is sufficient. In calm weather the aeroplane is launched as by a catapult, by means of a weight of 700 kilogram mes, which fall from the top of a pillar 18ft. high and pull* upon ropes passing through pulleys.

" Mr. Wright has realized the most delicate problem of aviation — namely, the question of balance. To behold th'a Hying" machine turn sharp round at tli2 edge of the wood at a height of (>() ft., and continue on its course, is an en chanting spectacle. The wind does not seem to trouble him, Wright having flown in fairly stift breezes. In a word, the Wright brothers are the first men who have succeeded in imitating birds. To denj it would be childish."

General Appreciation and Criticism. It has been known from the first that the great authorities on aviation who have been experimenting and flying for the amusement of the Parisian public admit the superiority of the Wright aeroplane. Farman challenged the AVrights to a trial before they had made up their minds to exhibit, to a special trial of speed and endurance, and received no reply, but after the exhibitions at Lemaas he subsided contentedly enough. Delagrange, who had surpassed Farman so decisively as a flyer, ex pressed his unqualified admiration of tho Wright performance at which he was present, and admitted the superiority of

the Wright machine most generously Bleriot did the same ; of course, not from the same standpoint of success as either Farman or Durnont (who also admitted the superiority of the new machine), but with fulness of expert knowledge, as proved in tnauy an ascent oi some success. The famous Voisin Brothers, of Paris, who constructed the machines for the above aeronauts, made similar acknowledgments. They, however, drew the line at any admission of usefulness. Their criticism in this respect may be valuable, but if it is, theti the only present basis of value is distinctly prediction. What prediction is in these matters has been demonstrated over and over again. In these days of swift pursuance of performance on the heels of prediction it is better to Avait for performance before accepting the verdicts of the prophets no matter how well informed. As a matter of fact, one cannot see why, if a machine of a certain weight and size can rise into the air and sail away like a bird, another machine on the same piinciple, but of greater size, may not do

the same thing 1 . Between the Thames, twopenny boats of fifty years ago and the Lusitauias, Dreadnoughts, and Indomitables of to-day, there is a great difference in size, but m the work they do there is an essential similarity, with the advantage distinctly on the side jE the larger type. Of course, this has been made possible by the inventions of the engineers and ship-builders. But Science once said that steam would never take ships across the Atlantic with profit, and it is clear now lo the meanest capacity that then Science did not in its prediction of results take into account the possibilities of invention. May not the same objection lie against these prophets of the aeronaut world ? Amongst the most advanced of these are, as we have said, the Voisin Brothers. In an interview with the Paris newspaper "Matin," they repeat their statement that the Wright aeroplane can never have any value for practical purposes. They remark at the same time that the new aeroplane is the monocycle of aviation. Anyone, they say, can learn to work a tricycle ia

half an hour, while for a bicycle a few hours are required to gain any sort of mastery, but that the rnonocycle requires a long time ?nd the gifts to boot of the acrobat. Here it is evident that they have not mastered the secret of the new aeroplane, as we shall show presently by quoting the views of one of the Wright Brothers. These critics seem to think that the stability of the Wrights is a matter of acrobatic balance to a very large extent, and they imagine that they have invented a machine which is much happier in thai respect. They have hit upon the idea o{ making tiiplanes which they declare are more stable, a great deal than the biplanes of the Wrights, and, of course, of superior stability to those preceding the Wrights. This explains their line of argument, beginning with the tricycle anJ its easier mastery, and, therefore, more likely sale. Believing in the superior stability of their triplanes, they announce their intention of "putting on the market aeroplanes of that type no bigger than large automobiles, which anyone accustomed to driving carriages or motor cars

can learn to work within a few hours. This is a distinct announcement of oppo sition, with something very like a challenge for superiority of type, for stability, for usefulness, and for rapid mastery of all secrets of management.