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Aviation History
1909
1909 - 0801.PDF
DECEMBER II, 1909 FLIGHT IN 1915. WITH the object of eliciting what various prominent folk in France really thought about flight at the time a French contemporary hit a month or two ago upon the happy idea of inviting expressions of opinion from several of its readers. They were, in fact, asked to give their individual ideas as to what the position of flying would be in six years' time from now. We append abstracts from some of the replies received—replies which are amusing if only because of the diversity of styles in which the subject was treated, some prophetic, some hesitating, and others jocular. We also give at the end the views of M. Jules Bois, the distinguished French writer, as to the changes he thinks likely to take- place in Europe in one hundred years' time. Michel Corday. Multiplanes will he about four metres in span, will carry three passengers, and travel at 150 Idioms, per hour. Flight will never be more than a sport, and it will be handicapped by the restrictions of the octroi arid customs. There will be 300 French aeroplanes in 1915, and it will be possible to fly from town to town; each city will have a proper landing space. It will be possible to cross the Channel and fly straight to Paris. There will be seventy compe- titors for the Bordeaux-Paris Race, and about this time a machine known as the helicoplane, being a combination of the helicopter and glider, will commence to give interesting results. Emile Bergerat. * Flight will have the effect of virtually turning modern houses upside down. The sixth floor will be considered the best, being in closest proximity to the aerial way. The concierge will live under the roof. L'Ascenseur devient le desendeur et k rez-de-chaussec la mansarde anx poetes. Pierre Giffard. I hope that in five years the aeroplane will become the aerial cab, and that the aerobus will run from town to town. I hope that by Easter, 1915, the French Army will have an aeroplane corps. I hope, I know not what ! The Late Captain Ferber. In five years the aeroplane will achieve a speed of 150 kiloms* an hour, and will carry from four to five passengers. It will be a larger machine than at present, and will neither possess lifting screws nor devices for automatic stability. It will possess wheels and ski, and round about towns will be placed garages provided with starting devices. A regular aeroplane service will be in operation between Calais and Dover, and there will be in course of construction at most ports flying machines of from 1,000 to 2,000 h.p. Luxury and snobbishness will have commenced to invade flight, and I shall be no longer " admiral of the air." Victor Margueritte. Failh in the progress of the new science, faith in the persistence and ingenuity of our aviators, faith in the endless resources of France, this country of revolutions which, having subjugated earth to her purpose is among the first to penetrate sky and sea ; it is by an expression of faith alone that it is possible to reply to this question. M. de Castillon de Saint Victor. In 1915 the aeroplane will be a very fast flyer, travelling at 120 kiloms. an hour at least. It will always be very limited as to its carrying capacity, and will be unable to accommodate more than three or four passengers. If, on the contrary, this speed is not realised by the date in question, flight will no longer exist. Major Driant. My opinion is that the aeroplane, in five years, will be what the racing motor car has already become, with this difference, that costing less it will be more used. We shall see aeroplanes traversing the air at an altitude of 50 metres, evading towns, flying by recognised courses, and attaining a speed of 200 kilorns. an hour. Sportsmen and dare-devils will alone use them, on account of the frequent accidents which will take place. It will only be possible to carry two or three persons on board. Should we happen to have war between now and 1915 the aero- plane will certainly play its part in reconnoitring. Maurice Leblanc. In five years social life will be transformed by the flyer. Rich men, if there are any, will live on the sixth floor and lifts will be called " descenders." Distance will cease to exist, for Nice will be within two hours by the cote d'azure Aerien. But in five years the aeroplane will still be called "aeroplane," and that will break my heart. Maurice Farman. 1. I believe that the aeroplane will exist only for sport, and will be reserved in consequence for a very small number of users. 2. As to the aeroplane from the point of view of transport, it will not exist in six years' time. Henry Kistemaeckers. You wish me to give an opinion on this subject in ten lines 't Heavens ! I should find it difficult to cram my ideas into 300 pages. My new novel of aerial life, " Aeropolis," is itself no less than an impressionist anticipation, and decidedly I will not give you a rt'siime oi the plot here in ten lines ! At Easter, 1915, my friend,, we shall no longer recognise life. Tristran Bernard. In five years the aeroplanes will be so numerous as to obscure the sky, and it will have become necessary to prohibit their flight ; butt like the Metropolitan Railway, they will be used underground. This prophecy is not more at a guess than most. Victor Tatin. In five years the aeroplane will be much more simple than it is to-day ; I have always thought the best way of obtaining a rapid flyer that should not offer much resistance would be to make them like projectiles as near as possible ; we are far from it yet, but I believe it will soon come. Such machines would probably consist of an enclosed body fitted with a single pair of wings and a rudder at the rear, where the propeller will also be situated. The Bleriot and Pelterie machines are prototypes which it will be well to develop. Ernest Archdeacon. In principle aeroplanes will remain unaltered in five years' time 'r at present they could be built to attain 200 kiloms. an hour, which would considerably reduce their size. From the sporting point of view they will be admirable, and they will have, moreover, a military importance. As machines of transport their scope is more doubtful. I rule out at once all heavy load carriers, for the reason that it would be impossible to develop such machines in the time. As to the pos- sibility of special machines in this class, I hesitate to predict. I believe that in the present state of the science the aeroplane is very far from being used for transport, mainly because of the difficulties of starting and landing, and because of the dangers which would attend a forced landing with a heavy machine on account of a break- down en route. Stephane Lauzanne. No doubt there will be a daily service of aeroplanes between Marseilles and Algiers, while two flyers a day will do the journey from Paris to London. No doubt there will be 10.000 aeroplanes- registered with the Paris police, of which 7,000 will be fitted with taximeters. M. Lepine, it is certain, will have an aerial police force of 400 men-birds to regulate traffic and maintain order. It alone remains to be seen if they will do better there than on earth. The dark side of life will then be for the pedestrian, who will no longer be able to go out without risk of being damaged by a falling petrol tin or struck by some tool which has slipped from the celestial mechanic's hand. But the happy side will be that customs and octroi will cease to exist; it will be the taxpayers' turn to annoy the Ministers of Finance of the Third Republic, which will be but justice, as it is for long enough that the Ministers have plagued taxpayers. MM. Max and Alex. Fischer. Replying to your query, allow us to place before you the following documents, which will doubtless appear in L'Auto, April 28th, 1915 :— Unification of Aero Taxi Fares. —The great difference in fares charged by aero taxis is confusing to the public. Certain short 8O3
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