THE I.ANGLEY AERODROME. 



I, NOTE PREPARED FOR THE CONVERSAZIONE OF THE AMERICAN INSTI- 

 TUTE OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS, NEW YORK CITY, APRIL 12, 1901. 



What is popularly known as the "flying machine" is literally a 

 machine, without gas to support it, in no way resembling a ])alloon, 

 and which its inventor has called the Aerodrome. The Aerodrome 

 (from words signifying "air runner") is, then, the name given to 

 this apparatus by Mr. Langley to indicate the principle of its action, 

 which in no way resembles that of a balloon that floats, because 

 it is lighter than the air, while the aerodrome is hundreds of times 

 heavier than the air. The weighty machine owes its support to another 

 principle — that is, to the 7xij)idi.ty with which it runs over the air, like 

 a skater on thin ice. The balloon in a calm remains indefinitely sus- 

 pended over one spot. This machine, built almost entirely of steel, is 

 far heavier in relation to the air than a ship of solid lead would be in 

 relation to the water, and could not remain in the air if still. 



The essence of its action, then, is in its motion, without which it 

 could not remain suspended. It is moved rapidly b}^ a steam engine, 

 carrying its own fuel and its water supply, by which it can be kept 

 up indefiniteh', while it is also, and by the necessity of its own action, 

 rapidly advancing. 



This may all be admitted as probably true in theory, but it is not 

 generallv known that this has actually been done. 



The two large photographs are each about one-third the full size of 

 one of several working models,^ each of which is driven by a steam 

 engine of over 1:^ horsepower. This and other like models have re- 

 pcatedl}^ flown distances of over half a mile, at a speed of from 20 to 

 30 miles an hour. 



This actual result has not been advertised, and is comparatively little 

 known, though these models are believed to have done something 

 absolutely new in the history of the world. They are the product of a 

 great many years of assiduous labor, and represent the condition of the 

 experiments in Mr. Langley's hands up to the close of the year 1896, 

 since which time he has made no public statement of his work, which is 

 understood to be still going on in connection with experiments for the 

 War Department in demonstrating the possible uses of the future 

 aerodrome as an engine of war. 



1 Here shown in reduced size, Plates IV, V. 

 SM 1900 li 



