THE STEEL PLANE PILOT.

Shannon News, 27 July 1928, Page 3

THE STEEL PLANE PILOT.

WORKS BY BUTTON,

("Sun" Special.) LONDON, Tuesday.

After 10 years' experiments, successful tests have been made of a mechanieal "steel pilot" which, at-the passengers' will, will control aeroplanes in all weather with the certainty and accuracy of a machine. In some manoeuvres it piloted the 'plane bettor thSTT a human pilot could. Commandant Max Boueher, . the French ace.' and Raoul Bernady, an engineer, are reported to have perfected the device, says the Paris correspondent of the "Daily News." The invention, which has already demonstrated its possibilities, may easily tevolutionise flying "tvhere the human element, Avith its inevitable fallibility would seem to prevent perfect safety from being attained. • If the "steel pilot" is immune from those fatal "errors of judgment" which have been the cause of so many erashes, then it will indeed prove a boon. The "steel pilot" is capable of flying a large passenger aeroplane in any weather, enabling it to take off and laiid unaided. It controls the heightand direction of the machine's flight in response to. the passengers' slightest wish, as expressed by' medium of an electric button.

The official tests were held at the Istres Aerodrome, near. Marseilles, before the French Aviation Commission.' The "steel pilot," -which is of the simplest construction and weighs 7.01b5., was fitted to a Brequet bomber. 1 The commissioners were the passengers, and the demonstration lasted several hours.

The "steel pilot" manipulated the joystick without a hitch, and it is even claimed that certain manoeuvres, such as the correction of the 'plane's balance after a rapid turn and deseent, weie executed more easily and quickly than by a human. .