The first flight
Sir: In science the unpardonable sin is a fractional truth, a device Mr Stewart (Spectator, September 2) employs to assert his bias, and / or ignorance. Which maybe is why the cliche "newspaper science ' was born? Suffice it to note here this subject of merit is so peppered with these open inferences of half-truths as to leave the reader in doubt what to believe. The last two lines of paragraph four read: "ever since Santos Dumont made the first officially observed flight in 1906" (This is probably a shot at history of "who done what first.") Before me is a London Science Museum booklet 'The Wright Brothers ' authored by Charles H. Gibbs Smith, and published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office in 1963. Herein is credited to the Wright Brothers "the first powered flight of over one half-mile, the date being December 17, 1903.
In this publication appears this sentence: " In 1906 came Santos Dumont's famous, but sterile, 14bis (fig. 52) which made the first European hop flight."
From 1928 into 1948 the London Science Museum housed the original Wright flyer; and I there personally witnessed same many times over these years. So the highest British "official " recognitions are accredited to the Wrights!
The " goodie " of Mr Stewart's articlo lies in how the Concorde's permissible speeds vary from ultrasonic aloft to a landing approach that is phenomenally slow and stable! The description of how this is done, how "the so-called vortex sheet is curled around the leading edges of the wings " leaves too much to the imagination for comfortable comprehension. I suggest another theme on this subject that clearly conveys the basics involved.
The last paragraph by Mr Stewart reads in part: "So when we look at the Concorde we should do well to beware of Americans when they come bringing com mercial statistics." Evidently Americans are second rate, or what does he mean? Then too he says: "As I write there are fourteen firm orders for Concorde." But he here does not reveal these orders are firmed by politics and not by the risked capital of commerce, Maybe Mr Stewart does not like "commerce"?
Wm. C. Anthony Clermont, Florida, USA
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