nes, which are widely separated in all their characterist

es in nature, and are distinguished by their respective simi

dependent for its raising powers on the pull of a propeller, or a

in two distinct forms, one with a single set of supporting planes, in imitation of birds, and called a

which do not depend on wing osc

nce, due to the entire absence of vertical supporting posts, which latter are necessary with the biplane type. The bracing supp

s a result the weight, which is farther below the supporting surface than in the biplane, a

monoplane is narrower, laterally, whi

all the supporting surface is concentrated in half the number of planes, they must be made of

the lack of the truss formation which is the strong point with the superposed frame. A truss is a form o

sed wings. In this particular the inventor surely did not follow nature.

ubject is fully explained in the chapter on The Lifting Surfaces of Planes. In view of that the technical descriptions of

. As it would be a point of structural weakness to make the wings narrow and very long, Wenham many years ago suggested the idea of pla

nts, and later on constructed their successful flyers in that manner. Originally the mon

e monoplane. The reason is, that a downward tilt has the benefit of only a

six feet in length. This would give two planes with a sustaining surface of 360 square feet. The monoplane wou

on each side, but it would have eight and a half feet fore and aft

eaning bird wing, is applied to such flying machines

dopt the principle employed by nature to secure an upward propulsion. As pointed out elsewhere, i

uch a remarkable degree, we must look elsewhere to find the secret. Only one oth

the speeds vary to such an extent that when it is tried to differentiate them, in comparison wi

on has not enabled us to learn why these things are so. High authorities, and men who are expe

instinct which tells it just how to balance in the air when its wings are once set

eed, and a bird flying around a circle will throw the upper part of the body

position, show that when the car approaches a curve the car will lean inwardly, exactly the sam

s instinct, or there must be a principle in the law

ter, or its arrangement, which enables the bird to perform its evolutions. We are led to be

nd universal law of the motions in the universe. Thus, light, heat and electricity are th

ay in which nature acts. Every transformation from one thing to a

ery of nature, act unlike the oth

similarity, and that is the manner of its connection with the body. It is a sort of universal joint, which permi

same, with scarcely an exception. When the stroke of the wing is downwardly the rear margin is higher than

moving forwardly, the wing surface has a positive angle of incidence, and as the wing rises while the forward motio

ibe this movement. It is an exceedingly simple one. The first difficulty is in the material that must be used. Lightness and strength f

ng creatures is exceedingly strong, and flexible; the hollow bone formation

o maintain it in the air. Many propellers are now made, six feet in length, which have a pull of from 400 to 500 poun

g it in flight, after it is once in the air, and unless such means are provi

the propellers, and the construction is necessarily more comp

ment can be forced through the air with infinitely greater speed than beating wings, and it devolves on the inventor to de