THE 



POPULAR SCIENCE 



MONTHLY, 





MAE OH, 1904. 



AERIAL NAVIGATION.* 



By O. CHANUTE, 

 chicago, ill. 



'A I 



ku I. I S K- A R Yj'iDj, 



SL. -^ 





rr^HERE are now dawnings of two possible solutions of the problem 

 -'- of aerial navigation; a problem which has impassioned men for 

 perhaps 4,000 or 5,000 years. Navigable balloons have recently been 

 developed to what is believed to be nearly the limit of their efficiency, 

 and after three intelligent but unfortunate attempts by others, a suc- 

 cessful dynamic flying machine seems to have been produced by the 

 Messrs. Wright. 



It is therefore interesting to review the present status of the ques- 

 tion, the prospects of its solution and the probable uses of the hoped- 

 for air-ships. 



Balloons. 



As to balloons, we may pass over the early gropings and failures to 

 make them navigable. It was recognized very soon that the spherical 

 balloon was the sport of the wind, that it was necessary to elongate it 

 in order to evade the resistance of the air, and that, inasmuch as aerial 

 currents are much more rapid than aqueous currents, it was necessary 

 to obtain considerable speeds in order to have a useful air-ship. This 

 means that there must be great driving power, and that this power 

 shall weigh as little as possible; for in any case the balloon itself with 

 its adjuncts and passengers will absorb the greater part of its lifting 

 power. 



Giffard was the first to apply in 1852 an artificial motor to an 

 elongated balloon. This motor consisted in a steam-engine of three 

 horse power, which weighed with its appurtenances 462 pounds, and 



* Paper read before Section D, American Association for the Advancement 

 of Science, December 30, 1903. 



VOL. Lxrv. — 25. 



