FIG. 97–THE SEAT AND MOTOR OF THE WRIGHT AEROPLANE
Photo by Pictorial News Co.
How the Wright Aeroplane Is Kept Afloat
The Wright aeroplane is balanced by a warping or twisting of the planes 1 and 2, which form the supporting surfaces (Fig. 96). If left to itself the machine would tip over like a kite when the string is cut and drop edgewise to the ground. Suppose the side R starts to fall. The corners a and e are raised by the operator while b and f are lowered, thus twisting the planes, as shown in the dotted lines of the figure. The side R then catches more wind than the side L. The wind exerts a greater lifting force on R than on L, and the balance is restored. The twist is then taken out of the machine by the operator. A ship when sailing on an even keel presents true unwarped planes to the wind.
FIG. 96–HOW THE WRIGHT AIR-SHIP IS KEPT AFLOAT
This picture represents a glider. The motor-driven aeroplane is balanced by the warping of the planes in the same way as the glider.