flying machines-第24章

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he　wishes　to　turn　to　the　right；　he　presses　the　control

under　the　fingers　of　his　right　hand；　if　to　the　left；　that

under　the　fingers　of　his　left　hand。　The　elevating　rudder

is　operated　by　the　aviator's　right　foot；　the　control

being　placed　on　a　foot…rest。



Motor　Is　Extremely　Light。



Not　the　least　notable　feature　of　the　craft　is　its　motor。

Although　developing；　under　load；　30…horsepower；　or　that

of　an　ordinary　automobile；　it　weighs；　complete；　hardly

100　pounds。　Having　occasion　to　move　it　a　little　distance

for　inspection；　Mr。　Burgess　picked　it　up　and　walked

off　with　itcylinders；　pistons；　crankcase　and　all；　even

the　magneto；　being　attached。　There　are　not　many　30…

horsepower　engines　which　can　be　so　handled。　Everything

about　it　is　reduced　to　its　lowest　terms　of　simplicity；

and　hence；　of　weight。　A　single　camshaft　operates

not　only　all　of　the　inlet　and　exhaust　valves；　but　the　magneto

and　gear　water　pump；　as　well。　The　motor　is　placed

directly　behind　the　operator；　and　the　propeller　is　directly

mounted　on　the　crankshaft。



This　weight　of　less　than　100　pounds；　it　must　be

remembered；　is　not　for　the　motor　alone；　it　includes　the

entire　power　plant　equipment。



The　〃thrust〃　of　the　propeller　is　also　extraordinary；

being　between　250　and　260　pounds。　The　force　of　the

wind　displacement　is　strong　enough　to　knock　down　a

good…sized　boy　as　one　youngster　ascertained　when　he

got　behind　the　propeller　as　it　was　being　tested。　He

was　not　only　knocked　down　but　driven　for　some　distance

away　from　the　machine。　The　propeller　has　four

blades　which　are　but　little　wider　than　a　lath。



Machine　Built　by　Students。



Students　at　the　University　of　Pennsylvania；　headed　by

Laurence　J。　Lesh；　a　protege　of　Octave　Chanute；　have

constructed　a　practical　aeroplane　of　ordinary　maximum

size；　in　which　is　incorporated　many　new　ideas。　The

most　unique　of　these　is　to　be　found　in　the　steering　gear；

and　the　provision　made　for　the　accommodation　of　a

pupil　while　taking　lessons　under　an　experienced　aviator。



Immediately　back　of　the　aviator　is　an　extra　seat　and

an　extra　steering　wheel　which　works　in　tandem　style

with　the　front　wheel。　By　this　arrangement　a　beginner

may　be　easily　and　quickly　taught　to　have　perfect　control

of　the　machine。　These　tandem　wheels　are　also

handy　for　passengers　who　may　wish　to　operate　the　car

independently　of　one　another；　it　being　understood；　of

course；　that　there　will　be　no　conflict　of　action。



Frame　Size　and　Engine　Power。



The　frame　has　36　feet　spread　and　measures　35　feet

from　the　front　edge　to　the　end　of　the　tail　in　the　rear。　It

is　equipped　with　two　rear　propellers　operated　by　a　Ramsey

8…cylinder　motor　of　50　horsepower；　placed　horizontally

across　the　lower　plane；　with　the　crank　shaft　running

clear　through　the　engine。



The　〃Pennsylvania　I〃　is　the　first　two…propeller　biplane

chainless　car；　this　scheme　having　been　adopted　in　order

to　avoid　the　crossing　of　chains。　The　lateral　control　is

by　a　new　invention　by　Octave　Chanute　and　Laurence　J。

Lesh；　for　which　Lesh　is　now　applying　for　a　patent。　The

device　was　worked　out　before　the　Wright　brothers'　suit

was　begun；　and　is　said　to　be　superior　to　the　Wright

warping　or　the　Curtiss　ailerons。　The　landing　device　is

also　new　in　design。　This　aeroplane　will　weigh　about

1；500　pounds；　and　will　carry　fuel　for　a　flight　of　150　miles；

and　it　is　expected　to　attain　a　speed　of　at　least　45　miles

an　hour。



There　are　others；　lots　of　them；　too　numerous　in　fact

to　admit　of　mention　in　a　book　of　this　size。







CHAPTER　XVIII。



DEMAND　FOR　FLYING　MACHINES。



As　a　commercial　proposition　the　manufacture　and　sale

of　motor…equipped　aeroplanes　is　making　much　more

rapid　advance　than　at　first　obtained　in　the　similar

handling　of　the　automobile。　Great；　and　even　phenomenal；

as　was　the　commercial　development　of　the　motor

car；　that　of　the　flying　machine　is　even　greater。　This　is

a　startling　statement；　but　it　is　fully　warranted　by　the

facts。



It　is　barely　more　than　a　year　ago　（1909）　that　attention

was　seriously　attracted　to　the　motor…equipped　aeroplane

as　a　vehicle　possible　of　manipulation　by　others

than　professional　aviators。　Up　to　that　time　such　actual

flights　as　were　made　were　almost　exclusively　with　the

sole　purpose　of　demonstrating　the　practicability　of　the

machine；　and　the　merits　of　the　ideas　as　to　shape；　engine

power；　etc。；　of　the　various　producers。



Results　of　Bleriot's　Daring。



It　was　not　until　Bleriot　flew　across　the　straits　of

Dover　on　July　25th；　1909；　that　the　general　public　awoke

to　a　full　realization　of　the　fact　that　it　was　possible　for

others　than　professional　aviators　to　indulge　in　aviation。

Bleriot's　feat　was　accepted　as　proof　that　at　last　an

absolutely　new　means　of　sport；　pleasure　and　research；

had　been　practically　developed；　and　was　within　the

reach　of　all　who　had　the　inclination；　nerve　and　financial

means　to　adopt　it。



From　this　event　may　be　dated　the　birth　of　the　modern

flying　machine　into　the　world　of　business。　The　automobile

was　taken　up　by　the　general　public　from　the

very　start　because　it　was　a　proposition　comparatively

easy　of　demonstration。　There　was　nothing　mysterious

or　uncanny　in　the　fact　that　a　wheeled　vehicle　could　be

propelled　on　solid；　substantial　roads　by　means　of　engine

power。　And　yet　it　took　（comparatively　speaking）　a　long

time　to　really　popularize　the　motor　car。



Wonderful　Results　in　a　Year。



Men　of　large　financial　means　engaged　in　the　manufacture

of　automobiles；　and　expended　fortunes　in　attracting

public　attention　to　them　through　the　medium　of

advertisements；　speed　and　road　contests；　etc。　By　these

means　a　mammoth　business　has　been　built　up；　but　bringing

this　business　to　its　present　proportions　required

years　of　patient　industry　and　indomitable　pluck。



At　this　writing；　less　than　a　year　from　the　day　when

Bleriot　crossed　the　channel；　the　actual　sales　of　flying

machines　outnumber　the　actual　sales　of　automobiles　in

the　first　year　of　their　commercial　development。　This

may　appear　incredible；　but　it　is　a　fact　as　statistics　will

show。



In　this　connection　we　should　take　into　consideration

the　fact　that　up　to　a　year　ago　there　was　no　serious　intention

of　putting　flying　machines　on　the　market；　no

preparations　had　been　made　to　produce　them　on　a　commercial

scale；　no　money　had　been　expended　in　advertisements

with　a　view　to　selling　them。



Some　of　the　Actual　Results。



Today　flying　machines　are　being　produced　on　a　commercial

basis；　and　there　is　a　big　demand　for　them。　The

people　making　them　are　overcrowded　with　orders。　Some

of　the　producers　are　already　making　arrangements　to

enlarge　their　plants　and　advertise　their　product　for　sale

the　same　as　is　being　done　with　automobiles；　while　a

number　of　flying　machine　motor　makers　are　already

promoting　the　sale　of　their　wares　in　this　way。



Here　are　a　few　actual　figures　of　flying　machine　sales

made　by　the　more　prominent　producers　since　July　25th；

1909。



Santos　Dumont；　90　machines；　Bleriot；　200；　Farman；

130；　Clemenceau…Wright；　80；　Voisin；　100；　Antoinette；

100。　Many　of　these　orders　have　been　filled　by　delivery

of　the　machines；　and　in　others　the　construction　work

is　under　way。



The　foregoing　are　all　of　foreign　make。　In　this　country

Curtiss　and　the　Wrights　are　engaged　in　similar

work；　but　no　actual　figures　of　their　output　are　obtainable。



Larger　Plants　Are　Necessary。



And　this　situation　exists　despite　the　fact　that　none　of

the　producers　are　really　equipped　with　adequate　plants

for　turning　out　their　machines　on　a　modern；　business…

like　basis。　The　demand　was　so　sudden　and　unexpected

that　it　found　them　poorly　prepared　to　meet　it。　This；

however；　is　now　being　remedied　by　the　erection　of　special

plants；　the　enlargement　of　others；　and　the　introduction

of　new　machinery　and　other　labor…saving　conveniences。



Companies；　with　large　capitalization；　to　engage　in　the

exclusive　production　of　airsh