Fig. 69. Steering and Control Wheel.
Above the cross arms is a loose collar F to which the fore and aft cords are attached that go to the elevators, or horizontal planes. The upper end of the stem has a wheel G, which may also be equipped with the throttle and spark levers.
AUTOMATIC STABILIZING WINGS.—Unquestionably, the best stabilizer is one which will act on its own initiative. The difficulty with automatic devices is, that they act too late, as a general thing, to be effective. The device represented in Fig. 70 is very simple, and in practice is found to be most efficient.
In this Fig. 70 A and B represent the upper and the lower planes, respectively. Near the end vertical standards a, D, are narrow wings E E, F F, hinged on a fore and aft line close below each of the planes, the wings being at such distances from the standards C D that when they swing outwardly they will touch the standards, and when in that position will be at an angle of about 35 degrees from the planes A B.
Fig. 70. Automatic Stabilizing Wings.
Fig. 71. Action of Stabilizing Wings.
Inwardly they are permitted to swing up and lie parallel with the planes, as shown in Fig. 71 where the planes are at an angle. In turning, all machines skid,—that is they travel obliquely across the field, and this is also true when the ship is sailing at right angles to the course of the wind.
This will be made clear by reference to Fig. 72, in which the dart A represents the direction of the movement of the aeroplane, and B the direction of the wind, the vertical rudder a being almost at right angles to the course of the wind.
Fig. 72. Into the Wind at an Angle.
In turning a circle the same thing takes place as shown in Fig. 73, with the tail at a different angle, so as to give a turning movement to the plane. It will be seen that in the circling movement the tendency of the aeroplane is to fly out at a tangent, shown by the line D, so that the planes of the machine are not radially-disposed with reference to the center of the circle, the line E showing the true radial line.