THE ART OF FLYING.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."]
Sin,—Perhaps you may permit one who had closely followed
Pilcher's experiments for some years and was present on the occasion of his fatal accident on September 30th, a few words in supplement to your interesting article on the above in the Spectator of October 7th. Much has been written on the futility of such attempts to achieve the impossible, and it is a satisfaction to his friends to see that there are at least some who recognise that the solution of the problem of artificial flight is at last in sight. Mr. Filcher began his experiments some four years ago in the manner you describe learning to handle his machine by running against the wind and taking short jumps from the ground. Then he added a line pulled by a boy, and was able to accomplish longer jumps, ten or twenty yards, according to the strength of the wind. He found that to keep himself in horizontal flight, a velocity of about fifteen miles an hour sufficed, and latterly he had applied the motive power by attaching the line, passed through a losing purchase of four or five parts, to a horse and cart, whereby he ensured a steady pull at about the necessary speed. With this he was able to rise from the level in almost calm weather and attain a height of 40 to 60 ft., and so skilful had he become in the management of his apparatus in the air, that the sense of any considerable danger, other than that attending a possibly awkward landing, became almost banished from one's mind, and the time seemed come to proceed to the next step of abandoning the line and fitting into the machine an oil-motor driving a screw propeller. Within the last fortnight he had actually completed a light motor developing about 4i horse-power, and succeeded in getting it to run smoothly, and the exhibition of September 30th was intended to be the last of its kind before proceeding to experiment in free flight. While hesitating to encourage others to engage in a problem of which the past history is so stained with tragedy, one cannot but deplore the possibility of Mr. Pilcher's results dying with himself. Many of his
notes are in existence, together with the drawings of his apparatus and a new and hitherto untried machine. It is to be hoped that these may prove of service to other and more fortunate investigators. I may add that examination of the machine after the accident seemed to indicate that this was due, not to the action of a gust of wind, as you suggest, but probably to the untying of a knot attaching the rudder to the machine. This of itself was of small consequence, but necessitated a sadden movement on the part of the occupant to re-establish the equilibrium of the machine, thus bringing an unwonted strain on a certain spar, which parted and
occasioned the collapse.—I am, Sir, &c., E. F.
Previous page
