The Aeronautical Annual Volume 3 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1897 edition. Excerpt: ...flight, but also because it affords a most interesting pastime. The few measurements made so far by this method are too incomplete to be fit, as yet, for publication. I am preparing, however, a systematic series of experiments, the results of which will be stated when the experiments are finished. Meanwhile, I cherish the hope that this paper may be an incentive to others to make similar experiments, so that we may sooner reach the desired end. Note.--This is a part of Lilienthal's unfinished work, which it is to be hoped will be taken up by many. The fact that he thought it well worth doing is significant.--Ed. SAILING FLIGHT. By O. Chanute. Begun in Aeronautical Annual No. 3. PART II.--THE EXPLANATIONS. MANY theories have heretofore been advanced to account for the paradox of sailing flight. The writer knows of some twentythree different explanations, more or less complete; but most of them are fragmentary--rough casts, as it were, as to how the feat is accomplished, without qualitative or quantitative considerations. Indeed, all of them except Baste's and Vogt's lack the latter, and no one, so far as the writer knows, has published full mathematical computations showing just how the sailing bird is supported and propelled, at the actual measured speeds of wind and bird, and at the angles of incidence observed. Before submitting some computations of my own, it seems desirable to first review the theories which have been advanced. These may be grouped under eight different heads, as follows: 1. Assimilates sailing flight to kite action. 2. Assumes rising trends in the winds. 3. Supposes different coefficients on front and rear of birds. 4. Surmises propulsion to be obtained by tacking and circling. 5. Believes energy to be derived from...