CONTENTS


CHAPTER

PAGE

INTRODUCTION

[Introduction]

3

PART I

GROWTH OF AËROSTATION

I.

[Early History of Passive Balloons]

29

II.

[Practical Development of Passive Balloons]

54

III.

[Early History of Power Balloons]

78

IV.

[Introduction of Gasoline-Driven Dirigibles]

101

V.

[Practical Development of Non-Rigid Dirigibles]

115

VI.

[Development of Rigid Dirigibles]

145

PART II

GROWTH OF AVIATION

VII.

[Model Flying Machines]

173

VIII.

[Nineteenth Century Man-Flyers]

202

IX.

[Aëroplanes of Adequate Stability and Power]

235

X.

[Advent of Public Flying]

256

XI.

[Strenuous Competitive Flying]

283

XII.

[Forcing the Art]

307

PART III

AËRONAUTIC METEOROLOGY

XIII.

[General Properties of Free Air]

347

XIV.

[General Distribution of Heat and Pressure]

363

XV.

[Permanent and Periodic Winds]

376

XVI.

[Cyclones, Tornadoes, Waterspouts]

394

XVII.

[Thunderstorms, Wind Gusts]

422

APPENDICES

I.

[Stress in a Vacuum Balloon]

443

II.

[Aëronautic Letters of Benjamin Franklin]

446

III.

[Successful Military Dirigible Balloons]

456

IV.

[The Relations of Weight, Speed, and Power of Flyers]

478

V.

[Curtiss’ Hydro-Aëroplane Experiments]

481

[INDEX]

487