to¡¡the¡¡stopping¡¡of¡¡the¡¡motor£»¡¡which¡¡in¡¡the
past¡¡might¡¡have¡¡been¡¡avoided¡¡if¡¡the¡¡character¡¡of
the¡¡glide¡¡had¡¡been¡¡understood¡£¡¡The¡¡only¡¡thing
that¡¡now¡¡troubles¡¡the¡¡pilot¡¡when¡¡the¡¡engine¡¡¡¨goes
dead£»¡¨¡¡is¡¡to¡¡select¡¡a¡¡landing¡¡place¡£
The¡¡proper¡¡course¡¡in¡¡such¡¡a¡¡case¡¡is¡¡to¡¡urge
the¡¡machine¡¡to¡¡descend¡¡as¡¡rapidly¡¡as¡¡possible£»¡¡in
order¡¡to¡¡get¡¡a¡¡headway£»¡¡for¡¡the¡¡time¡¡being¡£¡¡As
there¡¡is¡¡now¡¡no¡¡propelling¡¡force¡¡the¡¡glide¡¡is¡¡depended
upon¡¡to¡¡act¡¡as¡¡a¡¡substitute¡£¡¡The¡¡experienced
pilot¡¡will¡¡not¡¡make¡¡a¡¡straight¡away¡¡glide£»
but¡¡like¡¡the¡¡vulture£»¡¡or¡¡the¡¡condor£»¡¡and¡¡birds¡¡of
that¡¡class£»¡¡soar¡¡in¡¡a¡¡circle£»¡¡and¡¡thus£»¡¡by¡¡passing
over¡¡and¡¡over¡¡the¡¡same¡¡surfaces¡¡of¡¡the¡¡earth£»¡¡enable
him¡¡to¡¡select¡¡a¡¡proper¡¡landing¡¡place¡£
THE¡¡LANDING¡£The¡¡pilot¡¡who¡¡can¡¡make¡¡a¡¡good
landing¡¡is¡¡generally¡¡a¡¡good¡¡flyer¡£¡¡It¡¡requires
nicety¡¡of¡¡judgment¡¡to¡¡come¡¡down¡¡properly¡£¡¡One
thing¡¡which¡¡will¡¡appear¡¡novel¡¡after¡¡the¡¡first¡¡altitude
flights¡¡are¡¡attempted¡¡is¡¡the¡¡peculiar¡¡sensation
of¡¡the¡¡apparently¡¡increased¡¡speed¡¡as¡¡the¡¡earth
comes¡¡close¡¡up¡¡to¡¡the¡¡machine¡£
At¡¡a¡¡height¡¡of¡¡one¡¡hundred¡¡feet£»¡¡flying¡¡thirty
miles¡¡an¡¡hour£»¡¡does¡¡not¡¡seem¡¡fast£»¡¡because¡¡the¡¡surface
of¡¡the¡¡earth¡¡is¡¡such¡¡a¡¡distance¡¡away¡¡that¡¡particular
objects¡¡remain¡¡in¡¡view¡¡for¡¡some¡¡moments£»
but¡¡when¡¡within¡¡ten¡¡feet¡¡of¡¡the¡¡surface¡¡the¡¡same
object¡¡is¡¡in¡¡the¡¡eye¡¡for¡¡an¡¡instant¡¡only¡£
This¡¡lends¡¡a¡¡sort¡¡of¡¡terror¡¡to¡¡the¡¡novice¡£¡¡He
imagines¡¡a¡¡great¡¡many¡¡things£»¡¡but¡¡forgets¡¡some
things¡¡which¡¡are¡¡very¡¡important¡¡to¡¡do¡¡at¡¡this
time¡£¡¡One¡¡is£»¡¡that¡¡the¡¡front¡¡of¡¡the¡¡machine¡¡must
be¡¡thrown¡¡up¡¡so¡¡as¡¡to¡¡bank¡¡the¡¡planes¡¡against¡¡the
wind¡£¡¡The¡¡next¡¡is¡¡to¡¡shut¡¡off¡¡the¡¡power£»¡¡which
is¡¡to¡¡be¡¡done¡¡the¡¡moment¡¡the¡¡wheels¡¡strike¡¡the
ground£»¡¡or¡¡a¡¡little¡¡before¡£
Upon¡¡his¡¡judgment¡¡of¡¡the¡¡time¡¡of¡¡first¡¡touching
the¡¡earth¡¡depends¡¡the¡¡success¡¡of¡¡safely¡¡alighting¡£
He¡¡may¡¡bank¡¡too¡¡high£»¡¡and¡¡come¡¡down¡¡on¡¡the¡¡tail
with¡¡disastrous¡¡results¡£¡¡If¡¡there¡¡is¡¡plenty¡¡of¡¡field
room¡¡it¡¡is¡¡better¡¡to¡¡come¡¡down¡¡at¡¡a¡¡less¡¡angle£»¡¡or
even¡¡keep¡¡the¡¡machine¡¡at¡¡an¡¡even¡¡keel£»¡¡and¡¡the
elevator¡¡can¡¡then¡¡depress¡¡the¡¡tail¡¡while¡¡running
over¡¡the¡¡ground£»¡¡and¡¡thus¡¡bring¡¡the¡¡machine¡¡to
rest¡£
Frequently£»¡¡when¡¡about¡¡to¡¡land¡¡the¡¡machine
will¡¡rock¡¡from¡¡side¡¡to¡¡side¡£¡¡In¡¡such¡¡a¡¡case¡¡it¡¡is
far¡¡safer¡¡to¡¡go¡¡up¡¡into¡¡the¡¡air¡¡than¡¡to¡¡make¡¡the
land£»¡¡because£»¡¡unless¡¡the¡¡utmost¡¡care¡¡is¡¡exercised£»
one¡¡of¡¡the¡¡wing¡¡tips¡¡will¡¡strike¡¡the¡¡earth¡¡and
wreck¡¡the¡¡machine¡£
Another¡¡danger¡¡point¡¡is¡¡losing¡¡headway£»¡¡as¡¡the
earth¡¡is¡¡neared£»¡¡due¡¡to¡¡flying¡¡at¡¡too¡¡flat¡¡an¡¡angle£»
or¡¡against¡¡a¡¡wind¡¡that¡¡happens¡¡to¡¡be¡¡blowing¡¡particularly
hard¡¡at¡¡the¡¡landing¡¡place¡£¡¡If¡¡the¡¡motor
is¡¡still¡¡going¡¡this¡¡does¡¡not¡¡make¡¡so¡¡much¡¡difference£»
but¡¡in¡¡a¡¡volplane¡¡it¡¡means¡¡that¡¡the¡¡descent
must¡¡be¡¡so¡¡steep£»¡¡at¡¡the¡¡last¡¡moment¡¡of¡¡flight£»¡¡that
the¡¡chassis¡¡is¡¡liable¡¡to¡¡be¡¡crushed¡¡by¡¡the¡¡impact¡£
FLYING¡¡ALTITUDE¡£It¡¡is¡¡doubtful¡¡whether¡¡the
disturbed¡¡condition¡¡of¡¡the¡¡atmosphere£»¡¡due¡¡to
the¡¡contour¡¡of¡¡the¡¡earth's¡¡surface£»¡¡reaches¡¡higher
than¡¡500¡¡feet¡£¡¡Over¡¡a¡¡level¡¡area¡¡it¡¡is¡¡certain¡¡that
it¡¡is¡¡much¡¡less£»¡¡but¡¡in¡¡some¡¡sections¡¡of¡¡the¡¡country£»
where¡¡the¡¡hill¡¡ranges¡¡extend¡¡for¡¡many¡¡miles£»
at¡¡altitudes¡¡of¡¡three¡¡and¡¡four¡¡hundred¡¡feet£»¡¡the
upper¡¡atmosphere¡¡may¡¡be¡¡affected¡¡for¡¡a¡¡thousand
feet¡¡above¡£
Prof¡£¡¡Lowe£»¡¡in¡¡making¡¡a¡¡flight¡¡with¡¡a¡¡balloon£»
from¡¡Cincinnati¡¡to¡¡North¡¡Carolina£»¡¡which¡¡lasted
a¡¡day¡¡and¡¡all¡¡of¡¡one¡¡night£»¡¡found¡¡that¡¡during¡¡the
early¡¡morning¡¡the¡¡balloon£»¡¡for¡¡some¡¡reason£»¡¡began
to¡¡ascend£»¡¡and¡¡climbed¡¡nearly¡¡five¡¡thousand
feet¡¡in¡¡a¡¡few¡¡hours£»¡¡and¡¡as¡¡unaccountably
began¡¡to¡¡descend¡¡several¡¡hours¡¡before¡¡he¡¡landed¡£
Before¡¡it¡¡began¡¡to¡¡ascend£»¡¡he¡¡was¡¡on¡¡the¡¡western
side¡¡of¡¡the¡¡great¡¡mountain¡¡range¡¡which¡¡extends
south¡¡from¡¡Pennsylvania¡¡and¡¡terminates¡¡in
Georgia¡£¡¡He¡¡was¡¡actually¡¡climbing¡¡the¡¡mountain
in¡¡a¡¡drift¡¡of¡¡air¡¡which¡¡was¡¡moving¡¡eastwardly£»
and¡¡at¡¡no¡¡time¡¡was¡¡he¡¡within¡¡four¡¡thousand¡¡feet
of¡¡the¡¡earth¡¡during¡¡that¡¡period£»¡¡which¡¡shows¡¡that
air¡¡movements¡¡are¡¡of¡¡such¡¡a¡¡character¡¡as¡¡to¡¡exert
their¡¡influence¡¡vertically¡¡to¡¡great¡¡heights¡£
For¡¡cross¡¡country¡¡flying¡¡the¡¡safest¡¡altitude¡¡is
1000¡¡feet£»¡¡a¡¡distance¡¡which¡¡gives¡¡ample¡¡opportunity
to¡¡volplane£»¡¡if¡¡necessary£»¡¡and¡¡it¡¡is¡¡a¡¡height
which¡¡enables¡¡the¡¡pilot¡¡to¡¡make¡¡observations¡¡of¡¡the
surface¡¡so¡¡as¡¡to¡¡be¡¡able¡¡to¡¡judge¡¡of¡¡its¡¡character¡£
But¡¡explanations¡¡and¡¡statements£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡experiences
of¡¡pilots¡¡might¡¡be¡¡detailed¡¡in¡¡pages£»¡¡and
still¡¡it¡¡would¡¡be¡¡ineffectual¡¡to¡¡teach¡¡the¡¡art¡¡of¡¡flying¡£
The¡¡only¡¡sure¡¡course¡¡is¡¡to¡¡do¡¡the¡¡work¡¡on
an¡¡actual¡¡machine¡£
Many¡¡of¡¡the¡¡experiences¡¡are¡¡valuable¡¡to¡¡the
learner£»¡¡some¡¡are¡¡merely¡¡in¡¡the¡¡nature¡¡of¡¡cautions£»
and¡¡it¡¡is¡¡advisable¡¡for¡¡the¡¡beginner¡¡to¡¡learn¡¡what
the¡¡experiences¡¡of¡¡others¡¡have¡¡been£»¡¡although¡¡they
may¡¡never¡¡be¡¡called¡¡upon¡¡to¡¡duplicate¡¡them¡£
All¡¡agree¡¡that¡¡at¡¡great¡¡elevations¡¡the¡¡flying
conditions¡¡are¡¡entirely¡¡different¡¡from¡¡those¡¡met
with¡¡near¡¡the¡¡surface¡¡of¡¡the¡¡ground£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡history
of¡¡accidents¡¡show¡¡that¡¡in¡¡every¡¡case¡¡where
a¡¡mishap¡¡was¡¡had¡¡at¡¡high¡¡altitude¡¡it¡¡came¡¡about
through¡¡defect¡¡in¡¡the¡¡machine£»¡¡and¡¡not¡¡from¡¡gusts
or¡¡bad¡¡air¡¡condition¡£
On¡¡the¡¡other¡¡hand£»¡¡the¡¡uptilting¡¡of¡¡machines£»
the¡¡accidents¡¡due¡¡to¡¡the¡¡so¡called¡¡¡¨Holes¡¡in¡¡the
air£»¡¨¡¡which¡¡have¡¡dotted¡¡the¡¡historic¡¡pages¡¡with
accidents£»¡¡were¡¡brought¡¡about¡¡at¡¡low¡¡altitudes¡£
At¡¡from¡¡two¡¡to¡¡five¡¡thousand¡¡feet¡¡the¡¡air¡¡may¡¡be
moving¡¡at¡¡speeds¡¡of¡¡from¡¡twenty¡¡to¡¡forty¡¡miles
an¡¡hour£»great¡¡masses¡¡of¡¡winds£»¡¡like¡¡the¡¡trade
stream£»¡¡which¡¡are¡¡uniform¡¡over¡¡vast¡¡areas¡£¡¡To
the¡¡aviator¡¡flying¡¡in¡¡such¡¡a¡¡field£»¡¡with¡¡the¡¡earth
hidden¡¡from¡¡him£»¡¡there¡¡would¡¡be¡¡no¡¡wind¡¡to¡¡indicate
that¡¡he¡¡was¡¡moving¡¡in¡¡any¡¡particular¡¡direction¡£
He¡¡would¡¡fly¡¡in¡¡that¡¡medium£»¡¡in¡¡any¡¡direction£»
without¡¡the¡¡slightest¡¡sense¡¡that¡¡he¡¡was¡¡in¡¡a¡¡gale¡£
It¡¡would¡¡not¡¡affect¡¡the¡¡control¡¡of¡¡the¡¡machine£»
because¡¡the¡¡air£»¡¡though¡¡moving¡¡as¡¡a¡¡mass£»¡¡would
be¡¡the¡¡same¡¡as¡¡flying¡¡in¡¡still¡¡air¡£¡¡It¡¡is¡¡only¡¡when
he¡¡sees¡¡fixed¡¡objects¡¡that¡¡he¡¡is¡¡conscious¡¡of¡¡the
movement¡¡of¡¡the¡¡wind¡£
CHAPTER¡¡XIII
THE¡¡PROPELLER
BY¡¡far¡¡the¡¡most¡¡difficult¡¡problem¡¡connected
with¡¡aviation¡¡is¡¡the¡¡propeller¡£¡¡It¡¡is¡¡the¡¡one¡¡great
vital¡¡element¡¡in¡¡the¡¡science¡¡and¡¡art¡¡pertaining¡¡to
this¡¡subject¡¡which¡¡has¡¡not¡¡advanced¡¡in¡¡the¡¡slightest
degree¡¡since¡¡the¡¡first¡¡machine¡¡was¡¡launched¡£
The¡¡engine¡¡has¡¡come¡¡in¡¡for¡¡a¡¡far¡¡greater¡¡share
of¡¡expert¡¡experimental¡¡work£»¡¡and¡¡has¡¡advanced
most¡¡rapidly¡¡during¡¡the¡¡past¡¡ten¡¡years¡£¡¡But£»
strange¡¡to¡¡say£»¡¡the¡¡propeller¡¡is£»¡¡essentially£»¡¡the
same¡¡with¡¡the¡¡exception¡¡of¡¡a¡¡few¡¡small¡¡changes¡£
PROPELLER¡¡CHANGES¡£The¡¡changes¡¡which¡¡have
been¡¡made¡¡pertaining¡¡to¡¡the¡¡form¡¡of¡¡structure£»
principally£»¡¡and¡¡in¡¡the¡¡use¡¡of¡¡new¡¡materials¡£¡¡The
kind¡¡of¡¡wood¡¡most¡¡suitable¡¡has¡¡been¡¡discovered£»
but¡¡the¡¡lines¡¡are¡¡the¡¡same£»¡¡and¡¡nothing¡¡has¡¡been
done¡¡to¡¡fill¡¡the¡¡requirement¡¡which¡¡grows¡¡out¡¡of
the¡¡difference¡¡in¡¡speed¡¡when¡¡a¡¡machine¡¡is¡¡in¡¡the
act¡¡of¡¡launching¡¡and¡¡when¡¡it¡¡is¡¡in¡¡full¡¡flight¡£
PROPELLER¡¡SHAPE¡£It¡¡cannot¡¡be¡¡possible¡¡that
the¡¡present¡¡shape¡¡of¡¡the¡¡propeller¡¡will¡¡be¡¡its¡¡ultimate
form¡£¡¡It¡¡is¡¡inconceivable¡¡that¡¡the¡¡propeller
is¡¡so¡¡inefficient¡¡that¡¡only¡¡one¡¡sixty¡fifth¡¡of¡¡the
power¡¡of¡¡the¡¡engine¡¡is¡¡available¡£¡¡The¡¡improvement
in¡¡propeller¡¡efficiency¡¡is¡¡a¡¡direction¡¡which
calls¡¡for¡¡experimental¡¡work¡¡on¡¡the¡¡part¡¡of¡¡inventors
everywhere¡£
The¡¡making¡¡of¡¡a¡¡propeller£»¡¡although¡¡it¡¡appears
a¡¡difficult¡¡task£»¡¡is¡¡not¡¡as¡¡complicated¡¡as¡¡would¡¡appear£»
and¡¡with¡¡the¡¡object¡¡in¡¡view¡¡of¡¡making¡¡the
subject¡¡readily¡¡understood£»¡¡an¡¡explanation¡¡will¡¡be
given¡¡of¡¡the¡¡terms¡¡¡¨Diameter£»¡¨¡¡and¡¡¡¨Pitch£»¡¨¡¡as
used¡¡in¡¡the¡¡art¡£
The¡¡Diameter¡¡has¡¡reference¡¡to¡¡the¡¡length¡¡of
the¡¡propeller£»¡¡from¡¡end¡¡to¡¡end¡£¡¡In¡¡calculating
propeller¡¡pull£»¡¡the¡¡diameter¡¡is¡¡that¡¡which¡¡indicates
the¡¡speed¡¡of¡¡travel£»¡¡and¡¡for¡¡this¡¡reason¡¡is
a¡¡necessary¡¡element¡£
Thus£»¡¡for¡¡instance£»¡¡a¡¡propeller¡¡three¡¡feet¡¡in
diameter£»¡¡rotating¡¡500¡¡times¡¡a¡¡minute£»¡¡has¡¡a¡¡tip
speed¡¡of¡¡1500¡¡feet£»¡¡whereas¡¡a¡¡six¡¡foot¡¡propeller£»
rotating¡¡at¡¡the¡¡same¡¡speed£»¡¡moves¡¡3000¡¡feet¡¡at¡¡the
tips¡£
PITCH¡£This¡¡is¡¡the¡¡term¡¡which¡¡is¡¡most¡¡confusing£»
and¡¡is¡¡that¡¡which¡¡causes¡¡the¡¡most¡¡frequent
trouble¡¡in¡¡the¡¡mind¡¡of¡¡the¡¡novice¡£¡¡The¡¡term¡¡will
be¡¡made¡¡clear¡¡by¡¡carefully¡¡examining¡¡the¡¡accompanying
illustration¡¡and¡¡the¡¡following¡¡description£º
In¡¡Fig¡£¡¡76¡¡is¡¡shown¡¡a¡¡side¡¡view¡¡of¡¡a¡¡propeller
A£»¡¡mounted¡¡on¡¡a¡¡shaft¡¡B£»¡¡which¡¡is¡¡free¡¡to¡¡move
longitudinally¡£¡¡Suppose¡¡we¡¡turn¡¡the¡¡shaft¡¡so¡¡the
tip¡¡will¡¡move¡¡along¡¡on¡¡the¡¡line¡¡indicated¡¡by¡¡the
arrow¡¡C¡£
Now¡¡the¡¡pitch¡¡of¡¡the¡¡blade¡¡at¡¡D¡¡is¡¡such¡¡that¡¡it
will¡¡be¡¡exactly¡¡in¡¡line¡¡with¡¡the¡¡spirally¡formed
course¡¡E£»¡¡for¡¡one¡¡complete¡¡turn¡£¡¡As¡¡the¡¡propeller
shaft¡¡has¡¡now¡¡advanced£»¡¡along¡¡the¡¡line¡¡E£»¡¡and
stopped¡¡after¡¡one¡¡turn£»¡¡at¡¡F£»¡¡the¡¡measure¡¡between
the¡¡points¡¡F¡¡and¡¡G¡¡represents¡¡the¡¡pitch¡¡of¡¡the¡¡propeller¡£
Another¡¡way¡¡to¡¡express¡¡it¡¡would¡¡be¡¡to
call¡¡the¡¡angle¡¡of¡¡the¡¡blade¡¡a¡¡five£»¡¡or¡¡six£»¡¡or¡¡a¡¡seven
foot¡¡pitch£»¡¡as¡¡the¡¡pitches¡¡are¡¡measured¡¡in¡¡feet¡£
_Fig¡£¡¡76¡£¡¡Describing¡¡the¡¡Pitch¡¡Line¡£_
In¡¡the¡¡illustration¡¡thus¡¡given¡¡the¡¡propeller¡¡shaft£»
having¡¡advanced¡¡six¡¡feet£»¡¡we¡¡have¡¡what¡¡is¡¡called
a¡¡six¡¡foot¡¡pitch¡£
Now£»¡¡to¡¡lay¡¡out¡¡such¡¡a¡¡pitch¡¡is¡¡an¡¡easy¡¡matter¡£
Assume£»¡¡as¡¡in¡¡Fig¡£¡¡77£»¡¡that¡¡A¡¡represents¡¡the¡¡end
of¡¡the¡¡blank¡¡from¡¡which¡¡the¡¡propeller¡¡is¡¡to¡¡be¡¡cut£»
and¡¡that¡¡the¡¡diameter¡¡of¡¡this¡¡blank£»¡¡or¡¡its¡¡length
from¡¡end¡¡to¡¡end¡¡is¡¡seven¡¡feet¡£¡¡The¡¡problem¡¡now
is¡¡to¡¡cut¡¡the¡¡blades¡¡at¡¡such¡¡an¡¡angle¡¡that¡¡we¡¡shall
have¡¡a¡¡six¡¡foot¡¡pitch¡£
_Fig¡£¡¡77¡£¡¡Laying¡¡out¡¡the¡¡Pitch¡£_
LAYING¡¡OUT¡¡THE¡¡PITCH¡£First£»¡¡we¡¡must¡¡get¡¡the
circumference¡¡of¡¡the¡¡propeller£»¡¡that¡¡is£»¡¡the¡¡distance
the¡¡tip¡¡of¡¡the¡¡propeller¡¡will¡¡travel¡¡in¡¡making
one¡¡complete¡¡turn¡£¡¡This¡¡is¡¡done¡¡by¡¡multiplying
7¡¡by¡¡3¡£1416¡£¡¡This¡¡equals¡¡21¡£99£»¡¡or£»¡¡practically£»¡¡22
feet¡£
A¡¡line¡¡B¡¡is¡¡drawn£»¡¡extending¡¡out¡¡horizontally
along¡¡one¡¡side¡¡of¡¡the¡¡blank¡¡A£»¡¡this¡¡line¡¡being¡¡made
on¡¡a¡¡scale£»¡¡to¡¡represent¡¡22¡¡feet¡£¡¡Secondly£»¡¡at¡¡the
end¡¡of¡¡this¡¡line¡¡drawn¡¡a¡¡perpendicular¡¡line¡¡C£»¡¡6
feet¡¡long¡£¡¡A¡¡perpendicular¡¡line¡¡is¡¡always¡¡one
which¡¡is
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