Transportation in the Air 395 



pounds, that began its flight and returned suddenly but safely 

 to land because of a broken propeller blade. 



Langley's experiments. The other series of experiments was 

 carried on by Professor S. P. Langley of the Smithsonian 

 Institution, Washington, D. C. All of Professor Langley's 

 work was most carefully calculated and tested in detail. His 

 " aerodrome," equipped with a steam engine, made a trial 

 trip of more than 900 yards at the rate of 25 miles per hour. 

 But this demonstration won from the newspapers and the public 

 little more than ridicule and discouragement. Langley labored 

 on faithfully and by his discoveries made possible the success 

 of the present aircraft. The great obstacle to unqualified 

 success in his machine was the motor. Late experiments with 

 his " aerodrome " when equipped with a suitable gas engine 

 prove that his belief in its lifting, flying, and landing properties 

 was justified. He had determined the essential conditions of 

 flying; starting the machine on its course, lifting, balance, 

 rigidity, and landing. 



183. Recent progress. Undaunted by the accidents that 

 befell other experimenters in aerial navigation, the Wright 

 brothers, Wilbur and Orville, attacked the problem. They made 

 themselves masters of what others had learned, especially the 

 discoveries of Langley and Chanute. In 1901 they could glide 

 about 600 feet 'downhill against the wind. By gliding they 

 learned to control the direction and the balance of the wings or 

 planes. In 1903 they combined with the planes a gasoline 

 motor and made flights of about one minute's duration. Thus 

 they created a machine that lifted and sustained itself and its 

 load, the pilot, in the air by its own power. Gradually they 

 perfected the machine, planes, and motor, until they could fly 

 farther and for a longer period of time. In 1908 Wilbur Wright 

 took his machine to France, where he made flights with 

 passengers. He remained in the air about two hours and rose 

 to the height of 400 feet. 



Progress has been since made at a fairly rapid rate. In 1909 



