40 YEARS OF AERONAUTICAL RESEARCH — HUNSAKER 249 



if our organization were to be transferred to any executive department as such, 

 because if our Committee were to be a part of any department it would neces- 

 sarily follow that the aeronautical needs of that department would be primarily 

 served .... 



We think, therefore, that in our independent existence we offer a wonderful 

 opportunity for serving all the departments. 



In 1915 one of the first projects undertaken by the executive com- 

 mittee was a survey of facilities available "for the carrying on of 

 aeronautic investigations." It was determined that "a number of 

 institutions have available mechanical laboratories and engineering 

 courses capable of application to aeronautics, but only the Massachu- 

 setts Institute of Technology and the University of Michigan so far 

 offer regular courses of instruction and experimentation." Note was 

 made of the experiments with full-scale propellers mounted on a 

 whirling table, being conducted at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. 



"It appears that the interest of colleges is more one of curiosity than 

 that of considering the problem as a true engineering one, requiring 

 development of engineering resources and, therefore, as not yet of suffi- 

 cient importance to engage their serious attention," the NACA com- 

 mented in its first Annual Report. "Manufacturers are principally 

 interested in the development of types which will meet Government 

 requirements or popular demand, but which will not involve too 

 radical or sudden changes from their assumed standard types." 



The Committee recognized that "considerable work had already 

 been accomplished with which the general public is not acquainted." 

 The Amiual Report said of this point : "This covers lines of develop- 

 ment and investigation which if published would save money and 

 effort on the part of individual investigators and inventors who are 

 now duplicating investigations already made by others .... Some of 

 this information is already embodied in reports which are only ac- 

 cessible to a few interested parties who know of its existence." 



The Smithsonian Institution had published a bibliography of aero- 

 nautics, covering the period through the middle of 1909. Now the 

 NACA undertook publication of later bibliogi-aphies compiled by 

 Paul Brockett of the Smithsonian. The first such volume covered the 

 period 1909-16 ; as soon as past years had been "caught up," the bib- 

 liography was published annually into the early thirties. 



The Committee was fully aware that to fulfill its obligations would 

 require not only a well-equipped, suitably staffed laboratory, but also 

 a flight test center where engineers could determine "the forces acting 

 on full-sized machines." It was felt, however, that "since the equip- 

 ment of such a laboratory as could be laid down at this time might 

 well prove unsuited to the needs of the early future, it is believed that 

 such provision should be the result of gradual development." 



