Airships past and present, together with chapters on the use of balloons in connection with meteorology, photography and the carrier pigeon . x flying machine withpropellers. FLYING MACHINES. 95 driver, besides about 30 lbs. of cargo. He used no sails, andthis would add greatly to the danger of an accident caused bystoppage of the motor. In such a case he would scarcely get offso easily as he has done in the past. No doubt this fact weighedon his mind, for he proceeded forthwith to build himself a kite,intending to drive it by propellers placed at the sides of thesails. The rudder is in the sh
Airships past and present, together with chapters on the use of balloons in connection with meteorology, photography and the carrier pigeon . x flying machine withpropellers. FLYING MACHINES. 95 driver, besides about 30 lbs. of cargo. He used no sails, andthis would add greatly to the danger of an accident caused bystoppage of the motor. In such a case he would scarcely get offso easily as he has done in the past. No doubt this fact weighedon his mind, for he proceeded forthwith to build himself a kite,intending to drive it by propellers placed at the sides of thesails. The rudder is in the shape of a cross, and capable ofbeing turned about both horizontal and vertical axes. The sailsare of silk, stretched over bamboo, and are 50 ft. long and 26 , with an area of 237 square feet; the weight of the wholemachine together with the driver is only 310 lbs. He hasalready made two ascents in this airship. On the first attempt,it rose in the air, but after a shortdistance it came tothe ground withrather severe in-juries. Santos Du-mont immediatelybuilt another, andin this he is statedto have travelled adistance of 200 ft. c. Fig. 50.—Santos Dumonts first flying machine. at a height of 12 ft. from the ground. This aeroplane is ofa totally different nature from the original design of flyingmachine adopted by Santos Dumont; and it cannot be doubtedthat it is the thing of the future. It would be exceedinglydangerous to propose to do without sails of any kind; a motor iscapricious enough, even when standing on solid earth ; in midair, it is likely to be more so. The weight of kites or aeroplanesis small, and they have the further advantage of presenting asmall surface to the wind, in consequence of their horizontalmotion. A kite may be defined as a flying machine, carrying sails,which support the weight of the apparatus. The sails may belarge or small, flat or concave, and are for the most part slightlyinclined to the horizontal. The forward motion may be produced 96 A
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