lO 



The National Geographic Magazine 



progress in the art of aviation that the 

 first attempts to gain experience in the 

 air should be made under such conditions 

 of safety as to reduce to a minimum the 

 habilit}' to fatal results. 



A MACHINE THAT WII^I, SUPPORT ITSELF 

 AT LOW VELOCITY DESIRABLE 



The Wright brothers' successful 

 flying-machine travels at the rate of 

 about thirty-seven miles an hour ; and, 

 judging from its great flying weight 

 (nearly two pounds per square foot of 

 supporting surface), it is unlikely that 

 it could be maintained in the air if it had 

 a very much less velocity. But should 

 an accident happen to a body propelled 

 through the air with the velocity of a rail- 

 road train, how about the safety of the 

 occupants? Accidents will happen, 

 sooner or later, and the chances are 

 largely in favor of the first accident 

 being the last experiment. While, there- 

 fore, we may look forward with confi- 

 dence to the ultimate possession of flying- 

 machines exceeding in speed the fastest 

 railroad trains, it might be the part of 

 wisdom to begin our first experiments at 

 gaining experience in the air with ma- 

 chines traveling at such moderate veloci- 

 ties as to reduce the chances of a fatal 

 catastrophe to a minimum. This means 

 that they should be light-flying ma- 

 chines — that is, the ratio of weight to 

 supporting surface should be small. 



While theory indicates that the greater 

 the weight in proportion to supporting- 

 surface consistent with flight, the more 

 independent of the wind will the ma- 

 chine be, yet it might be advisable to 

 begin, if possible, with such a moderate 

 flying weight as to permit of the machine 

 being flown as a kite. There would be 

 little difficulty, then, in raising it into the 

 air, and should an accident happen to the 

 propelling machinery, the apparatus 

 would descend gently to the ground ; or 

 the aviator could cast anchor, and his 

 machine would continue flying, as a kite, 

 if the wind should prove sufficient for its 

 support. If it could fly, as a kite, in a 

 ten-mile breeze, then a velocity of only 



ten miles an hour would be sufficient for 

 its support as a flying-machine in calm 

 air, while a less speed would suffice in 

 heading into a moderate wind. 



Such velocities would be consistent 

 with safety in experiments, especially if 

 the flights should be made over water 

 instead of land, and at moderate eleva- 

 tions above the surface. Under such 

 circumstances the inevitable accidents 

 which are sure to happen during first ex- 

 periments are hardly likely to be fol- 

 lowed by more serious consequences than 

 a ducking to the man and the immersion 

 of the machine. If the man is able to 

 swim and the machine to float upon 

 water, little damage need be anticipated 

 to either. 



There are two critical points in every 

 aerial flight — its beginning and its end. 

 A flying-machine adapted to float upon 

 water not only seems to afford a safe 

 means of landing, but also promises a. 

 solution of that most dii^cult of prob- 

 lems — a safe method of launching the 

 apparatus into the air. If the supporting- 

 floats are so formed as to permit of the- 

 machine being propelled over the surface 

 of the water like a motor boat, then, if 

 sufficient headway can be gained under 

 the action of her aerial propellers, the ma- 

 chine can be steered upward into the air., 

 rising from the water, after the manner 

 of a water bird, in the face of the wind. 

 This seems to be the safest method of 

 gaining access to the air ; but, of course,, 

 its practicability depends upon possibili- 

 ties of lightness and speed yet to be 

 demonstrated. 



In any event, if the machine, man and' 

 all, is light enough to be flown as a kite, 

 it can be towed out of the water into the- 

 air through the agency of a motor boat;, 

 and, upon land, it would not even be 

 necessary for it to gain headway before 

 rising, for in a supporting wind it would 

 rise of itself into the air, if relieved of 

 the weight of the man, and fly as a kite. 

 It would then be a comparatively simple 

 matter to lower the kite to a convenient 

 height from the ground, and to hold it 

 steadily in position by subsidiary lines- 



