the mastery of the air(操纵空气)-第41章
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in skill or courage； immediately tries either to repeat the performance or to
perform an even more difficult evolution。 The result may very well end in
disaster； and
FAMOUS AIRMAN KILLED
is seen on most of the newspaper bills。
The daring of some of our professional airmen is notorious。 There is
one particular pilot； whose name is frequently before us； whom I have in
mind when writing this chapter。 On several occasions I have seen him
flying over densely…packed crowds； at a height of about two hundred feet
or so。 With out the slightest warning he would make a very sharp and
almost vertical dive。 The spectators； thinking that something very serious
had happened； would scatter in all directions； only to see the pilot right his
machine and jokingly wave his hand to them。 One trembles to think what
would have been the result if the machine had crashed to earth； as it might
very easily have done。 It is interesting to relate that the risks taken by this
pilot； both with regard to the spectators and himself； formed the subject of
comment； and； for the future； flying over the spectators' heads has been
strictly forbidden。
From 1909 to 1913 about 130 airmen lost their lives in Germany；
France； America； and the British Isles； and of this number the British loss
was between thirty and forty。 Strange to say； nearly all the German
fatalities have taken place in air…ships； which were for some years
considered much safer than the heavier…than…air machine。
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THE MASTERY OF THE AIR
CHAPTER XLVIII Some Technical Terms used by
Aviators
Though this book cannot pretend to go deeply into the technical side
of aviation； there are certain terms and expressions in everyday use by
aviators that it is well to know and understand。
First； as to the machines themselves。 You are now able to distinguish a
monoplane from a biplane； and you have been told the difference between
a TRACTOR biplane and a PROPELLER biplane。 In the former type the
screw is in front of the pilot； in the latter it is to the rear of the pilot's seat。
Reference has been previously made to the FUSELAGE； SKIDS；
AILERONS； WARPING CONTROLS； ELEVATING PLANES； and
RUDDER of the various forms of air…craft。 We have also spoken of the
GLIDING ANGLE of a machine。 Frequently a pilot makes his machine
dive at a much steeper gradient than is given by its natural gliding angle。
When the fall is about one in six the glide is known as a VOL PLANE； if
the descent is made almost vertically it is called a VOL PIQUE。
In some cases a PANCAKE descent is made。 This is caused by such a
decrease of speed that the aeroplane； though still moving forward； begins
to drop downwards。 When the pilot finds that this is taking place； he
points the nose of his machine at a much steeper angle； and so reaches his
normal flying speed； and is able to effect a safe landing。 If he were too
near the earth he would not be able to make this sharp dive； and the
probability is that the aeroplane would come down flat； with the
possibility of a damaged chassis。 It is considered faulty piloting to make a
pancake descent where there is ample landing space； in certain restricted
areas； however； it is quite necessary to land in this way。
A far more dangerous occurrence is the SIDE…SLIP。 Watch a pilot vol…
planing to earth from a great height with his engine shut off。 The propeller
rotates in an irregular manner； sometimes stopping altogether。 When this
happens； the skilful pilot forces the nose of his machine down； and so
regains his normal flying speed； but if he allowed the propeller to stop and
at the same time his forward speed through the air to be considerably
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THE MASTERY OF THE AIR
diminished； his machine would probably slip sideways through the air and
crash to earth。 In many cases side…slips have taken place at aerodromes
when the pilot has been rounding a pylon with the nose of his machine
pointing upwards。
When a machine flies round a corner very quickly the pilot tilts it to
one side。 Such action as this is known as BANKING。 This operation can
be witnessed at any aerodrome when speed handicaps are taking place。
Since upside…down flying came into vogue we have heard a great deal
about NOSE DIVING。 This is a headlong dive towards earth with the nose
of the machine pointing vertically downwards。 As a rule the pilot makes a
sharp nose dive before he loops the loop。
Sometimes an aeroplane enters a tract of air where there seems to be
no supporting power for the planes； in short； there appears to be； as it were；
a HOLE in the air。 Scientifically there is no such thing as a hole in the air；
but airmen are more concerned with practice than with theory； and they
have； for their own purposes； designated this curious phenomenon an AIR
POCKET。 In the early days of aviation； when machines were far less
stable and pilots more quickly lost control of their craft； the air pocket was
greatly dreaded； but nowadays little notice is taken of it。
A violent disturbance in the air is known as a REMOUS。 This is
somewhat similar to an eddy in a stream； and it has the effect of making
the machine fly very unsteadily。 Remous are probably caused by electrical
disturbances of the atmosphere； which cause the air streams to meet and
mingle； breaking up into filaments or banding rills of air。 The windthat is；
air in motionfar from being of approximate uniformity； is； under most
ordinary conditions； irregular almost beyond conception； and it is with
such great irregularities in the force of the air streams that airmen have
constantly to contend。
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THE MASTERY OF THE AIR
CHAPTER XLIX The Future in the Air
Three years before the outbreak of the Great War； the Master…General
of Ordnance； who was in charge of Aeronautics at the War Office；
declared： 〃We are not yet convinced that either aeroplanes or air…ships will
be of any utility in war〃。
After four years of war； with its ceaseless struggle between the Allies
and the Central Powers for supremacy in the air； such a statement makes
us rub our eyes as though we had been dreaming。
Seven yearsand in its passage the air encircling the globe has become
one gigantic battle area； the British Isles have lost the age…long security
which the seas gave them； and to regain the old proud unassailable
position must build a gigantic aerial fleet as greatly superior to that of
their neighbours as was； and is； the British Navy。
Seven yearsand the monoplane is on the scrap…heap； the Zeppelin has
come as a giant destroyerand gone； flying rather ridiculously before the
onslaughts of its tiny foes。 In a recent article the editor of The Aeroplane
referred to the erstwhile terror of the air as follows： 〃The best of air…ships
is at the mercy of a second…rate aeroplane〃。 Enough to make Count
