SAFETY IN THE AIR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 39, 9 November 1917, Page 5

SAFETY IN THE AIR

NON-CAPSIZABLE 'PLANES NEW FRENCH MACHINE A now typo of aeroplane, differing in. construction and appearance from machines now in use in tho warring conntrios, has recently been perfected in' Franco by Pierre Octavo Detable, a me- ' chanical engineer of Paris, according to William Howard Cole, technical director: in the Socioto Generalo Industnello. The, now air machine was described by Mr. : Cole to a reporter for "Tho World,' M\r■York. From tho front the Dotable maohino looks somewhat similar to the or-| dinary biplane. Tho difference lies inj the shape and construction of the two, rear wings, or poches,' ss the inventor ; calls them. These poches whioh are par-, allel, extend ftt right angles from the: forward framo of tho maohine. rhey exe> ; eemi-conicnl in ehapo, varying in length; with tho size of,tho machine, and are; joined together by afrm connecting with tbo front part of the machine. At the rear end of each poohe is a small, steering rudder, while the ongines, pilots; Eoat and other adjunots are placed in, the forward part of tho machine. Demonstrated by a Model. Mr. Colo had several small cardboard models with which ho demonstrated tho stability of the new machine: No matter how they wero launohed into the air they always enmo down right-R:do np,, making a graceful sweep before lighting. The maohine does not depend alono npon tho form of its sails for its stability,', which seems to bo automatic. The exactnrinciple of tho machine is not known, even to tho inventor. That it never loses its equilibrium presumably is duo to the conical, shape of its poches. When tho machino dips to ono sido the air pressure becomes grentor on tho poche than on the dipping sido, and correspondingly lr*s on the other, thus causing the machino to right itself immediately. Mr.. Cole, who has seen Detablo mako many tests with his machine, said that neither power nor speed is necessary to maintain ' its cnuilibrium. . . "I have seen standard ongines need in this machine, and it performs marvels, Jt can do more stunts than any machino I have ever 6ecn. It can bo held almost at a standstill while in the air, and its operation is practically automatic. NO| matter how it is headed to earth, it always lights right-side up without tho aid of tho pilot. His part, instead of being tho most important, as in all tho' present systems, is quito secondary, and even though ho should fail to control Ills machine no accident would follow. For this reason the pilot may bo much freer in his movements. Ho can bo l»th pilot and ol>servcr at tho same timo without giving thought to the balance of (he machine." M. Detablo has been experimenting with aeroplanes for six years. According to Mr. Colo, his model has the approvnl of the leading pilots in the French Air Service. This typo of airplane, ho said, can be used in carry« ing heavy materials. It is callod a.selfplaning aeroplano, and Mr. Cole believes it will solvo the problem of the heavier-than-air machine. He predicts great things for it. As it was not perfected until after the war began tho French Government, while approving it, has not undertaken its manufacture, because to do so would entail a loss of time und ninny changes in present factories and training, schools—too costly to be considered while tho war is in progress. "Arrangements havo beon made," said Mr. Colo, "with tho French authorities to permit Dotablo'6 sou, now in tho French Air Service, to como to America if necessary to build a model of tho machino aud-to make demonstrations." A company has already been formed in France to buildi tboso machines. It is said they can be manufactured at a much lower spst than models now in use*