Engineering Wonders of the World
Volume III

12 ENGINEERING WONDERS OF THE WORLD. The Voisin biplanes are provided with vertical curtains situated between the main decks and the upper and lower planes of the tail. Monoplanes usually have Vertical one or more vertical fins at- Curtains. tacjie(j the framework of the rear part of the body. These devices belong to the automatic class, and may be compared, to the fins on a torpedo or the deep keel of a sailing ship. Though the permanent shape of deck and the employment of curtains and fins may help to prevent tilting, they cannot correct it when it occurs. For this purpose it Auxiliary -s necessary to use auxiliary Devices. planes attached to the decks or tail, or to alter temporarily the shape of the decks themselves—to “ warp ” them, as it is now termed. The Wrights warp both main decks by means of a device which will be explained on a later page, bending down- wards the end of the deck which is lowest and thereby increasing the lift at that end. To prevent the resulting drag slewing the aero- plane round, the warping mechanism is linked up with the rudder, and moves it simulta- neously to the side away from the warped end. The wings of the Blériot monoplane are warped in a> sornowliJvt similar manner. The Farman biplane and the Antoinette mono- plane have “ ailerons,” or flaps, attached to the rear edges of the main decks. (See Figs. 4 and 8, pages 23 and 28.) Cody uses a front elevator, the two halves of which can be moved in opposing directions, as well as small balancing planes between the main decks. On the whole, the problem of maintaining stability has been solved in a considerable degree. This is proved by the fact that the difficulties of balancing a well-designed aero- plane are soon overcome by a clever learner. One of the most remarkable features of the development of aviation has been the sudden rise to fame of aviators after but a few weeks of practice. We must not forget, however, that even the hardiest pilot will not venture forth in rough weather ; that the aeroplane is as yet a fair weather machine, which cannot be depended upon to keep steady if struck by a squall, however skilfully handled. The Wrights, though advocates of the “pilot-balanced” machine, have applied for a patent covering a mechanical device for maintaining automatic stabil- . ® , , i • Mechanical ity. In this the human bram stabinty. is replaced by the pressure of air on a plane as regards longitudinal, and by the movements of a pendulum as regards lateral stability. Compressed air is substituted for muscular action. The plane and pendulum open valves which, admit compressed air to an engine operating the elevator and the rudder and warping mechanism. The appar- atus has not, so far as is known, been sub- jected to any actual tests, but it may play a part in the future of aviation. The gyroscope has been used successfully on the Whitehead torpedo to maintain direc- tion, and on small vessels to prevent rolling. Also, the Brennan mono-rail ^he railway carriage is balanced Qyroscope. entirely by means of a gyro- scope. It is thought that the same mechanism might be of use for stabilizing an aeroplane, if arranged so as not to cause too violent strains in the machine. A combination of gyroscope and pendulum has been proposed, whereby the decks or auxiliary planes could be warped or deflected automatically to main- tain equilibrium. Another solution of the problem lies in high speed. The faster a body moves, the less easily is it diverted from its path or turned about on itself. A bicycle .. Speed and driven at twenty miles an stability. hour requires no steering, whereas only an expert could balance the bicycle, without the use of his hands, at walk-