The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 1908. AERIAL FLIGHT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2268, 13 August 1908, Page 2

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 1908. AERIAL FLIGHT.

Some twelve months ago or more tlio opinion was expressed by an eminent authority that the timo was rapidly approaching when aerial flight would become an accomplished fact, and he further added that the airship was at that time in a more advanced state than was the motorcar toil years ago. It may have appeared then that this was a somewhat wild statement to make, but the subsequent performances of various airships show that there was more than .a modicum of truth in liis, prediction. The journeys made by tho aerial machines of Air Farman and Count Zeppelin were of extreme significance, and tho extraordinary success just achieved by tho AVright Bros, must bo extremely gratifying to all who take any interest in the great problem. This aeroplane, according to our recent cables, was under perfect control, and the experts who witnessed its trial all describe it as a revelation in aerial Might. Tho AAT-ight Bros havo for a number of years been conducting experiments ill the United States and a trial conducted in 1905 met with more than a fair measure of success. Their subsequent advancement, however, has been kept very secret, but their latest trial for the benefit of the French Government, to whom their machine lias been sold, reveals the fact that substantial progress lias been made. Count Zeppelin recently made some remarkable journeys which created a profound impression, and the German Emperor referred to the experiments .as marking “the beginning of a new national era.” An order was also induced from the German AA’ar Office, with the-promise of further orders if it could bo shown that the ship was equal to a twentyfour hours journey. Unfortunately, Count Zeppelin met with a severe misfortune by tho destruction of his ship a few days ago; but the practical assistance which ho is receiving from thousands of interested people probably make it a matter of time until the inventor, who has spent practically a lifetime in the study of aerial flight, constructs a machine that will in all respects be equal to, if not better, than the one ho has just lost. It is interesting to note tlio lines on which the various inventors have been working. The Zeppelin ship is a dirigible balloon—a development of the ordinary balloon, though resembling it in no respect, except that it is kept afloat by contained gas, which is lighter than air. In this direction it is of the same class as the ships of Santos-Duniont, Lebaudy and others. The “ships” of Farmer and the AA’right Bros., on the other hand, are aeroplanes, or flying machines. Like a. bird, they are heavier than air, and are maintained in flight by tlio pressure of the air against the “wings” or planes. To keep aloft, however, they must he propelled at not less than a certain speed, and it was not until the ingenuity of tho motor-car engineers had furnished aeronautists with a J motor of great power and efficiency in proportion to bulk and weight,

and capable of developing power from i a concentrated fuel, that the Hying machine could bo said to have become a practical proposition. Thus in the case of the aeroplane not only movement but suspension in the air is dependent on the motor. In the dirigible balloon the motor is necessary only for propulsion and navigation, but that ships of any size must require very powerful motors is shown in the fact tlmt'Oount Zeppelin’s “ship” was equipped with a motor of 170 horsepower. Now that tho matter of actual flight lias been accomplished, the greatest problem yet to bo solved by ueroplanists is how to keep their machino aloft if anything goes wrong with tho motor —in other words, how to preserve it from too sudden precipitation to earth. Aloro certain means of keeping the machine on an “ovon keel” in the face of air currents linvo also to bo devised, and when these difficulties have boon surmounted then will airships bo a terrible menacing power in war anil a mighty factor in the preservation of the world’s peace.