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Aviation History
1911
1911 - 0821.PDF
In this last case, so long as sufficient air energy was available, the cheels were flex-gliding at high speed with secondaries relaxed and with wings strongly flexed. When, owing to the development of •Cloud shadow, less energy was available, the cheels at first decreased the flexing of their wings and the relaxation of their secondaries, and flex-glided at lower speed. Then, as the available energy continued to diminish, they extended their wings still further, and with a further decrease of speed began circling. It might be thought that this last observation proves that the bird •has some mysterious power of knowing how much air energy is available, and that in consequence it can trim its wings accordingly. Though I have no wish to allow abstract speculation to obtrude on this record of observations, I may briefly state my opinion that the facts now described prove nothing of the kind. For, as will be apparent in later chapters, existing evidence goes to show that the centre of effort of the wings bears a different relation to the centre of gravity according as the bird is or is not taking energy from the air. Thus the only assumption necessary is that the bird is aware when it '.V CV is losing its balance, and that it can recover or preserve its balance by appropriate adjustments. Some of these adjustments have been already described ; others will be described in later chapters. The following is a case Of flex-gliding observed in Naini Tal:— June 21st, I9IO, at 12.57.—A vulture seen flex-gliding up wind at 20 metres per second and at a height of 8co metres above my point of observation. This was on Sherka Danda, at a point 7,400 feet above sea level. After passing over me it glided in and out of thin cloud. Several clouds were near, but the sun was shining. Wind light, occasionally moving leaves. In Naini Tal, whenever the air had full soarability owing to the presence of bright sunshine, vultures could be seen circling up to a height of several hundred metres above the mountains. When they had thus reached a sufficient height they would flex-glide away, and could sometimes be seen thus gliding for several miles before they went out of sight. 7o be continued.) © © EDDIES. E. V. B. FISHER still manages to retain a happy and more or less •contented face, even though the arrival of his new " 'bus " has been so long delayed. However, it should not now be long before the Vickers II is seen at Brooklands, as during the week " E.V. B." is going over tc the works at Erith to take charge of the new machine. It is likely that preliminary tests will be carried out at Dartford before it makes its dibut at the Weybridge course. • • • The Rev. Sidney Swann, M.A., who will be remembered as having carried out experiments with a biplane of his own con struction at the Aintree Racecourse, near Liverpool, some eighteen months ago, has, since he abandoned the fascinations of flight, distinguished himself in other directions. Just recently he succeeded in lowering the record for rowing the Channel, in a light skiff, from 7 hrs. 15 mins. to 3 hrs. 50 mins. This, for one who has seen fifty summers, is no mean performance. * • • In my opinion, it would be well nigh impossible to find a con structor possessing a more complete grasp of his subject than does Howard Flanders of Brooklands. Indeed the way in which his monoplane carries passengers with the 60-h. p. Green seemingly at half-throttle is sufficient evidence of his worth as a designer. I should have thought that he would have made an attack on the Michelin prize ere now, but apparently he is not yet quite satisfied with its running, as he intends to spend another week or two in adjustments. Awfully particular chap, Flanders .' • • • Henry Farman is nothing if not vigorous as a designer, for he seems to produce new machines on the average of about one a month. His latest product is a biplane of a "Light Military Type." The front elevator and outriggers have been revived, extensions are still fitted, and the number of struts in the cellule has been reduced from 16 to 12. Farman has also effected a change in his landing chassis, for it now presents a track of no less than 14 ft., while 4 vertical chassis-struts replace the eight originally employed. • • * It is a peculiarity of the Farman brothers that while Maurice is gradually approaching the " aerobus " in each design he produces, his brother Henry undoubtedly favours the biplane which possesses the lightness, the rapidity, and general handiness of the monoplane. Henry Farman is really not far wrong, for the advantages of an aeroplane from a military point of view are not solely confined to weight-lifting, but include such factors as speed and portability. In the matter of radius of action there is not much to choose between the two machines, for whereas the Maurice Farman biplane can carry loads of petrol, and keep plodding along, Henry Farman's new machine need carry much less fuel in travelling a similar distance in shorter time. By-the-way, I wonder what has become of the Henry Farman monoplane. • • • Some of our waggish aviators simply cannot give up the awful habit of wagging when they are not .flying. While discussing, the other day, the merits and demerits of fostering the growth of mustard and cress on the under surface of aeroplane wings, in order that they may constantly work in the upward " remous " caused by the action of the sun on green vegetation, one such person cheerfully volunteered the suggestion ot " doping " the wings with a paste made from self-raising flour. With such ingenuity the days of the helicopter should not be far ahead. * « * Poor Charles Hubert, who recently suffered injury to the extent of two broken legs in a fall on a Military Farman at Hendon, has been taken from the Central London Sick Asylum to St. Mary's Hospital, Paddington, where he is progressing favourably. On the day after his smash Hubert got busy dictating replies to the many messages of sympathy that he had received. • • * Evidently Grahame-White is determined to embark upon the construction of aeroplanes on a large scale, for in two of his hangars at Hendon he is laying down a fairly cjmplete plant of power- driven wood and metal working machine tools. A third shed is destined to become an erecting shop. Let us hope that he will meet with as much success in his new expansion as has hitherto been his. • • • " There is at least one man who never brags of his descent—the aviator."—Satire, New York. In some cases, perhaps ; but there are aviators to be found who are not altogether affected by an acute fit of depression when you ask them to recount the story of a " rather good crack-up," especially if they have been lucky enough to come out of it without personal injury. • • • The new monoplane under construction at the Martin and Handasyde shed at Brooklands is taking an aeroplane-like form and, if all goes well, should be ready for its trials by the end of the month. • • • Frank Champion is still doing well out in Southern California. The other day he flew from Oceanside to his home at Long Beach, a distance of eighty miles in fifty-five minutes. A newspaper report which he sent me describing this flight is more than usually interesting compared with most of the accounts that are written about cross-country flights. After making the assertion, " Hitching his aeroplane to a post he went in for breakfast," the journalist proceeds to venture the opinion that " aeroplaning, even more so than automobobiling, gives the partaker a hearty appetite." » • . Mr. Barber the designer and constructor of the well-known Valkyrie aeroplane, is at present in Paris, he having been approached in several directions, not only in France but in Austria, in connection with establishing constructional works for his particular machine in those countries, and the inducements which are being offered him in this respect are such as to probably incline him to take the matter up seriously. He, like most other British constructors, has received extremely scant official encouragement in this country, and it is hardly surprising therefore that those who are anxious to see the science go forward with greater strides should find an outlet for their work under more encouraging and congenial conditions than at present prevail on British soil. On the Con tinent, full appreciation is given to the future of the aeroplane and official encouragement with the leading Governments is as con spicuous there as indifference is conspicuous in official quarters in this country. " UISEAU BLEU."
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