SAFETY IN THE AIR

Taranaki Daily News, 14 November 1917, Page 8

SAFETY IN THE AIR

NON-CAPSIZABLE PLANER NEW FRENCH MACHINE. A.new type of aeroplane, differing in construction and appearance from machines now in use in the warring countries, lias recently been perfected in France by Pierre Octave Detable, a mechanical enginer of Paris, according to William Howard Cole, technical director in the Societe Generale Industrielle. \The new air machine was described by Mr. Cole to a reported for The World, New York. From the front the Detable machine looks somewhat similar to the ordinary biplane. The difference lies in the shape and construction of the tivo rear wings, or poehes, as the inventor calls them. These poehes which are parallel, extend at right angles from the forward frame of the machine. Thf.y are seini-conical in shape, varying jn length with the size of the machine, and are joined together by a frame connecting with the front part of the machine. At the rear end of each poclie is a small steering rudder, while the engines, pilot's s»at and other adjuncts are placed in the forward part of the machine. DEMONSTRATED EY A MODEL.

Mr. Cole had several small cardboard models with which lie demonstrated the stability of the new machine. No matter how they were launched into the ail' they always came down right-side up. making a graceful sweep before lighting. The machine does not depend alone upon the form of its sails for its stability, which seems to be automatic. The exact principle of the machine is not known, even to the inventor. That it never loses its equilibrium presumably is due to the conical shape of its poches. When the machine dips to one side the air pressure becomes greater on the poche than on the dipping side, and correspondingly less on the other, thus causing the machine to right itself immediately. Mr. Cole, who has seen Detable make many tests with his machine, said .that neither power nor speed is necessary to maintain itg equilibrium. h*ve seen standard engines used in this mftcMne, and it performs marvels. It can do ittore stunts than any machine I have ever seen. It can be 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 the aid of fclia pilot. His part, instead of being the most important, as in all the present systems is quite secondary, and even though he should fail to control his machine no accident would follow. For this reason the pilot may be much freer in his movements. He can be both pilot and observer at the same time without giving thought to the balance of the machine." M. Detable has been experimenting with aeroplanes for six years. According to Mr. CoU', his model has the approval of the leading pilots in the Trench Air Service. This type of airplane, he said, can be lised in carrying h«tvy materials. It is culled a self-plan-ing aeroplane, and Mr. Cole believes It will solve the problem of the heavier-tlian-air machine. He predicts great things for it. As it was not perfected until' after the war began the French Government, while approving it, has not undertaken its manufacture, because to do so would entail a loss of time and many changes in present factories and training schools—too costly to be considered while the war is in progress. "Arrangements have been made," said Mr. Cok\ "with the French authorities to permit Detaftle'g son, now in the French Air Service, to com© to America if necessary to build a m«dcl of the machine and to make demonstrations." A company has already been formed in France to build these machines. It is said t»py can be manufactured at a much lowet coat than models now in use. ■