PROBLEM OF FLIGHT.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 502, 8 May 1909, Page 13

PROBLEM OF FLIGHT.

PROGRESS OF AVIATION AND ITS •o,:- , FUTURE. Tho recent successes of the brothers Wright, Mr Moore-Brabazon, and M. Henry Farmau in aviation have naturally directed public attention to , the problem of flight, 'and there. appears: to l be ,a teiidonoy ou the port of Jhoso who are ignorant of aeroplanes to imagine that the science of,aerial navigation is:much, further advanced than it really is. That, at all events, is the opinion of Mr. Andrew Fletcher, of Saltoun, who, owing to his connection with the largest Frenoh manufacturers of .aeroplanes, is entitled to speak with-some authority on tho subjept, •; - ; ■' ■' . , Mr. Fletcher has recently returned to London after spending three month? at Pau, visiting the grounds practically every day, and studving the. various points of the problem closely.'. The conclusion that ho has come to after his experiences is that the problem of flight is by no meanß solved. People do not realise how experimental is the work that has been done. "Everybody," he says, "has his own theory, and enormous, sums of money are being spent without any practical result. I am astonished to find ho\y little is known about fho subject in England, as : compared with France, .where the.subjeot has been taken up most seriously. I am also astonished at the amount of misinformation to be found in the English .press, and'most absurd statomonts are made. ' "The Wright machine, he.says, is an individuality, and its success in flight depends as much upon t|ib man as upon the machine. The main point now to be overcome is gaining ability to lly in all weathers.- Wright never (lies until 5 o'clock in the evening, tho stillest hour of the day, because he cannot fly where there is . any %vintl. That .is why the trial flight at Chalons put up. so badly. Tho only flying ground known to-day is at Pau, where tho shelter of the Pyrenees is obtained. Wright searched through the' whole' of the oountry to find suoh a place." : . : Looking fqnvnvd; Mr. Fletcher sjiye: "Tho aeroplane is going to be tho thing of the future, but it will not be so rapid in its commercial development ns the motor car," ■ According to the exhibitors at . the Olympia Aero Show, aeroplanes are selling briskly. It is particularly satisfactory to note the success of the chief English exhibitor, Mr. Howard Wright, whose maohine has attracted jo much attention. On the very first day of. the exhibition Mr. Howard AVright booked orders for three aeroplane?, ivhioh will bo delivered with all possible'dispatch, Several, moro are being laid down. Mr. Wright attributes muoh of his success to the great facility of guiding which his machine affords. ' . I Mr. Weiss has sold three or four of his birdlike aeroplanes, all for purely sporting - purposes. This is, as a matter of fact, a striking j feature at the show; People buy aeroplanci not so much fori experiments, but much in'the same way as one buys a motor car. Voi6in Freres have , sold several. Messrs. Short Brothers, the chief English aeroplane firm, have roUI a large aeroplane of their own construction to two enthusiastic young sportsmen, who will shortly 'commence flying on the Aero Club grounds. These will, in all probability, present a busy spectacle, for some twenty or thirty aeroplanes will be mimooiivruig there d*ily.—'" Standard."