EXPERIMENTS WITH THE LANGLEY AEKOUKo.MK. 121 



engines in tlie open, thonoh they liad not done so in Hie shop, and this 

 is mentioned as another instance of the nnnici-oiis causes of trying 

 delay whicli it \vas impossible U) foresee. 



Finally, however, on the Vh\ of Septeml)er, everything seemed to 

 be in readiness for the experiments, and the large aerodrome was 

 accordingly placed in position and all orders given and arrangements 

 made for a test that day. After stationing the vai'ious tngs, launches, 

 etc., at their predetermined positiows so that they might render any 

 assistance necessary to the engineer or the aerodrome, in case it came 

 down in the water at a point distant from the house boat, and after 

 the photographers, with si)ccial telephoto cameras, had been sta- 

 tioned on the shore in order that photographs with their trigonomet- 

 i-ical data might be obtained, from which speed, distance, etc., might 

 be later determined, and when everyone was anxiously expecting 

 the experiment, a delay occnrred from one of the hardly predictable 

 canses just mentioned in connection with the weather. An attempt 

 was made to start the engine so that it might be running at its proper 

 rate when the aerodrome was launched into free air after leaving 

 the tra<-k. ])ut the dry batteries used for sparking the engine, together 

 with the entire lot of several dozen which were on hand as a reserve, 

 had become useless from the dampness. 



T have merely instanced some of these causes of failure Avhen every- 

 tliing was apparently ready for the expected test, but only one who 

 was on the spot and who had interest in the outcome could appre- 

 ciate trials of this sort, and the delays of waiting for weather suitable 

 for experiments. 



It was found that every storm Avhich came anywhere in the vicinity, 

 immediately selected the river as its route of travel, and although 

 a 10-mile wind on the land would not be an insurmountable obstacle 

 (luring an experiment, yet the same wind on the river rendered it 

 impossible to maintain the large house boat on an even keel and free 

 from pitching and tossing long enough to make a test. 



AMiile speaking of the difficulties imposed by the weather, it should 

 also be luiderstood that to take the aerodrome in parts from under the 

 shelter of the roof and assemble and mount it upon the upper works 

 was a task requiring four or five hours, and that during this time a 

 change in the weather was altogether likely to occur, and did re- 

 peatedly occur, sufficient to render the experiment impossible. P]xi)e- 

 rience has shown, then, that the aerodrome should be sheltered by a 

 building, in which it shall be at all times ready for immediate launch- 

 ing. During all the delay resulting from this and other causes— 

 since it was never known on what day the experiment might take 

 place — a great expense for iuii boats waiting at a distance of 40 

 miles from the city, was incurretl, and this was a part of the con- 



