“But you don’t know how to operate an aeroplane,” was the president’s comment at last. “It’s most unusual.” Then he laughed again. “We can’t afford to have you youngsters break your necks just for the purpose of selling a machine.”
“We’re going to stay here until you teach us how,” said Bob promptly.
“Oh, I see,” said the engineer, also smiling and stroking his chin.
“Ain’t that a paht of the business?” inquired Tom. “Just like showing a customah how to run an automobile?”
“We’ll pay for the lessons,” added Bob.
“Osborne,” said the president of the company, at last, “show the young men the two machines we are making; make an engagement with them to see both in flight, and then see if either of them has any of the requirements of an aviator. If you conclude they can learn to operate a car with safety, I’ll talk to them again.”
The American Aeroplane Company was at that time making but two forms of aeroplanes. Since then, the company, which has absorbed so many smaller concerns that it is now the well known “flying machine trust,” has purchased and at present controls nearly every important idea in aeroplane construction. The types of machines shown to Bob and Tom were No. 1, an adaptation of the Wright and Curtiss single-motor biplanes, and No. 2, Engineer Osborne’s elaboration of the glider principle made famous by the Californian, Montgomery. The latter machine was the more expensive and more elaborate.
The novel feature of Type No. 1 was its simplicity and strength. To the eye it differed little from the car used by the Wright brothers. But examination showed that the framework was heavier, the fore and aft rudder guides stronger and the seating arrangement for a passenger, in addition to the operator, much more carefully wrought out. This car, with a 25-horsepower motor had a spread of 39 feet, and was guaranteed to show forty miles an hour under right conditions. Allowing three hundred pounds for the weight of an operator and one passenger, this machine was calculated to carry enough gasoline for an operating radius of one hundred and fifteen miles, or a straightaway flight of two hundred and thirty miles.
“The other machine,” explained Mr. Osborne, as he drew the wide-eyed and enthused lads to that type of air craft, “will give you more speed, but a shorter radius of action. This is because it carries two motors—one for each propeller. It eats up the gas,” he said proudly, “but it gets results.”