file which includes the original illustrations4 ,see #dddff-;h4htm or #dddff-;h4zip3 7https3_/_/www4gutenberg4org_/cache_/epu b_/#dddff_/pg#dddff-;images4html7 or 7https3_/_/www4gutenberg4org_/files_/#dd dff_/dddff-;h4zip7 ,images of the original pages are available through ,internet ,archive_/,american ,libraries4 ,see https3_/_/archive4org_/details_/firstman carrying#jjzahm ,,the ,,first ,,man-,,carrying ,,aeroplane ,,capable ,,of ,,sustained ,,free ,,flight3 ,,langley',s ,,success ,,as ,a ,,pioneer ,,in ,,aviation by ,a4 ,f4 ,,zahm1 ,ph4 ,d4 ,from the ,smithsonian ,report for #aiad1 pages #bag-bbb 7,,with #h ,,plates7 ,illustration 7,publication #bcbi7 ,washington ,government ,printing ,office #aiae ,,the ,,first ,,man-,,carrying ,,aeroplane ,,capable ,,of ,,sustained ,,free ,,flight--,,langley',s ,,success ,,as ,a ,,pioneer ,,in ,,aviation4 ,by ,a4 ,f4 ,,zahm1 ,ph4 ,d4 ,with #h plates4 ,it is doubtful whether any person of the present generation will be able to appraise correctly the contributions thus far made to the development of the practical flying machine4 ,the aeroplane as it stands to-day is the creation not of any one man1 but rather of three generations of men4 ,it was the invention of the nineteenth century2 it will be the fruition1 if not the perfection1 of the twentieth century4 ,during the long decades succeeding the time of ,sir ,george ,cayley1 builder of aerial gliders and sagacious exponent of the laws of flight1 continuous progress has been made in every department of theoretical and practical aviation--progress in accumulating the data of aeromechanics1 in discovering the principles of this science1 in improving the instruments of aerotechnic research1 in devising the organs and perfecting the structural details of the present-day dynamic flying machine4 ,from time to time numerous aerial craftsmen have flourished in the world's eye1 only to pass presently into comparative obscurity1 while others too neglected or too poorly appreciated in their own day subsequently have risen to high estimation and permanent honor in the minds of men4 ,something of this latter fortune was fated to the late ,secretary of the ,smithsonian ,institution4 ,for a decade and a half ,dr4 ,langley had toiled unremittingly to build up the basic science of mechanical flight1 and finally to apply it to practical use4 ,he had made numerous model aeroplanes propelled by various agencies--by ,india rubber1 by steam1 by gasoline--all operative and inherently stable4 ,then with great confidence he had constructed for the ,war ,department a man flier which was the duplicate1 on a fourfold scale1 of his successful gasoline model4 ,but on that luckless day in ,december1 #aijc1 when he expected to inaugurate the era of substantial aviation1 an untoward accident to his launching gear badly crippled his carefully and adequately designed machine4 ,the aeroplane was repaired1 but not again tested until the spring of #aiad--seven years after ,langley's death4 ,such an accident1 occurring now1 would be regarded as a passing mishap2 but at that time it seemed to most people to demonstrate the futility of all aviation experiments4 ,the press overwhelmed the inventor with ridicule2 the great scientist himself referred to the accident as having frustrated the best work of his life4 ,although he felt confident of the final success of his experiments1 further financial support was not granted and he was forced to suspend operations4 ,scarcely could he anticipate that a decade later1 in a far away little hamlet1 workmen who had never known him would with keenest enthusiasm rehabilitate that same tandem monoplane1 and launch it again and again in successful flight1 and that afterwards in the ,national ,capital it should be assigned the place of honor among the pioneer vehicles of the air4 ,when in ,march1 #aiad1 ,mr4 ,glenn ,h4 ,curtiss was invited to send a flying boat to ,washington to participate in celebrating ,langley ,day1#a he replied1 ,i would like to put the ,langley aeroplane itself in the air4 ,learning of this remark ,secretary ,walcott1 of the ,smithsonian ,institution1 soon authorized ,mr4 ,curtiss to recanvas the original ,langley aeroplane and launch it either under its own propulsive power or with a more recent engine and propeller4 ,early in ,april1 therefore1 the machine was taken from the ,langley ,laboratory and shipped in a box car to the ,curtiss ,aviation ,field1 beside ,lake ,keuka1 ,hammondsport1 ,n4 ,y4 ,in the following month it was ready for its first trial since the unfortunate accident of #aijc4 #a ,may #f1 the anniversary of the famous flight of ,langley's steam model aeroplane in #ahif1 is known in ,washington as ,langley ,day1 and has been celebrated with aerial maneuvers over land and water4 ,the main objects of these renewed trials were1 first1 to show whether the original ,langley machine was capable of sustained free flight with a pilot1 and1 secondly1 to determine more fully the advantages of the tandem type of aeroplane4 ,the work seemed a proper part of the general program of experiments planned for the recently reopened ,langley ,aerodynamical ,laboratory4 ,it was1 indeed1 for just such experimentation that the aeroplane had been given to the ,smithsonian ,institution by the ,war ,department1 at whose expense it had been developed and brought to completion prior to #aijc4 ,after some successful flights at ,hammondsport the famous craft could1 at the discretion of the ,smithsonian ,institution1 either be preserved for exhibition or used for further scientific study4 ,to achieve the two main objects above mentioned1 the aeroplane would first be flown as nearly as possible in its original condition1 then with such modifications as might seem desirable for technical or other reasons4 ,various ways of launching were considered4 ,in #aijc the ,langley aeroplane was launched from the top of a houseboat4 ,a car supporting it and drawn by lengthy spiral springs ran swiftly along a track1 then suddenly dropped away1 leaving the craft afloat in midair with its propellers whirring and its pilot supplementing1 with manual control1 if need be1 the automatic stability of the machine4 ,this method of launching1 as shown by subsequent experimentalists1 is a practical one and was favorably entertained by ,mr4 ,curtiss4 ,he also thought of starting from the ground with wheels1 from the ice with skates1 from the water with floats4 ,having at hand neither a first rate smooth field nor a sheet of ice1 he chose to start from the water4 ,illustration3 ,smithsonian ,report1 #aiad4--,zahm4 ,,plate #a4 ,,langley ,,aeroplane 7,,built #ahih-aijc7 ,,ready ,,for ,,launching ,,at ,,hammondsport1 ,n4 ,y41 ,,may #bh1 #aiad4 ,illustration3 ,smithsonian ,report1 #aiad4--,zahm4 ,,plate #b4 ,,langley ,,aeroplane ,,just ,,rising ,,from ,,water1 ,,june #b1 #aiad1 ,,piloted ,,by ,,curtiss4 ,illustration3 ,,flight ,,of ,,langley ,,aeroplane ,,with ,,its ,,own ,,power ,,plant ,,over ,,lake ,,keuka1 ,,june #b1 #aiad1 ,,piloted ,,by ,,curtiss4 ,illustration3 ,smithsonian ,report1 #aiad4--,zahm4 ,,plate #c4 ,,curtiss #hj-;,,horsepower ,,motor ,,and ,,tractor ,,screw ,,mounted ,,on ,,langley ,,aeroplane4 ,illustration3 ,smithsonian ,report1 #aiad4--,zahm4 ,,plate #d4 ,,elwood ,,doherty ,,clearing ,,the ,,water ,,september #ag1 #aiad1 ,,in ,,the ,,langley ,,aeroplane ,,driven ,,by ,a ,,curtiss #hj-;,,horsepower ,,motor ,,and ,,tractor ,,screw4 ,in the accompanying illustrations1 plates #a and #b show the appearance of the ,langley flying machine after ,mr4 ,curtiss had provided it with hydroaeroplane floats and their connecting truss work4 ,the steel main frame1 the wings1 the rudders1 the engine and propellers all were substantially as they had been in #aijc4 ,the pilot had the same seat under the main frame1 and the same general system of control as in #aijc4 ,he could raise or lower the craft by moving the big rear rudder up and down2 he could steer right and left by turning the vertical rudder4 ,he had no ailerons nor wing-warping mechanism1 but for lateral balance depended upon the dihedral angle of the wings and upon suitable movements of his weight or of the vertical rudder4 ,and here it may be noted that ,langley had placed the vertical steering rudder under and to the rear of the center of gravity4 ,so placed1 it served as a fairly good aileron by exerting a turning movement about the longitudinal axis of the machine4 ,after the adjustments for actual flight had been made in the ,curtiss factory1 according to the minute descriptions contained in the ,langley ,memoir on ,mechanical ,flight1 the aeroplane was taken to the shore of ,lake ,keuka1 beside the ,curtiss hangars1 and assembled for launching4 ,on a clear morning 7,may #bh71 and in a mild breeze1 the craft was lifted onto the water by a dozen men and set going1 with ,mr4 ,curtiss at the steering wheel1 ensconced in the little boat-shaped car under the forward part of the frame4 ,many eager witnesses and camera men were at hand1 on shore and in boats4 ,the four-winged craft1 pointed somewhat across the wind1 went skimming over the wavelets1 then automatically headed into the wind1 rose in level poise1 soared gracefully for #aej feet1 and landed softly on the water near the shore4 ,mr4 ,curtiss asserted that he could have flown farther1 but1 being unused to the machine1 imagined the left wings had more resistance than the right4 ,the truth is that the aeroplane was perfectly balanced in wing resistance1 but turned on the water like a weather vane owing to the lateral pressure on its big rear rudder4 ,hence in future experiments this rudder was made turnable about a vertical axis1 as well as about the horizontal axis used by ,langley4 ,henceforth the little vertical rudder under the frame was kept fixed and inactive4 ,after a few more flights with the ,langley aeroplane1 kept as nearly as possible in its original condition1 its engine and twin propellers were replaced by a ,curtiss #hj-;horse motor and direct-connected tractor propeller mounted on the steel frame1 well forward1 as shown in the photographs4 ,it was hoped in this way to spare the original engine and propeller bearings1 which were none too strong for the unusual burden added by the floats4 ,in #aijc the total weight of pilot and machine had been #hcj pounds2 with the floats lately added it was #a1agj pounds2 with the ,curtiss motor and all ready for flight it was #a1ebj pounds4 ,but notwithstanding these surplus additions of #dj per cent and #he per cent above the original weight of the craft1 the delicate wing spars and ribs were not broken1 nor was any part of the machine excessively overstrained4 ,owing to the pressure of other work at the factory1 the aeroplane equipped with the ,curtiss motor was not ready for further flights till ,september4 ,in the absence of ,mr4 ,curtiss1 who had gone to ,california in ,august1 a pupil of his aviation school1 ,mr4 ,elwood ,doherty1 volunteered to act as pilot4 ,during some trials for adjusting the aeroplane controls and the center of gravity1 ,mr4 ,doherty1 on the afternoon of ,september #ag1 planed easily over the water1 rose on level wing1 and flew about #dej feet1 at an elevation of #b or #c yards1 as shown by the accompanying photographs of that date4 ,presently two other like flights were made4 ,mr4 ,doherty found that with the forewings at #aj incidence1 the rear ones at #ab1 and the pilot's seat on the main frame about midway between the wings1 the flier responded nicely to the movements of the pilot wheel4 ,a slight turn of the wheel steered the craft easily to right or left1 a slight pull or push raised or lowered it4 ,the big double tail1 or rudder1 which responded to these movements1 was the only steering or control surface used4 ,the breaking of the #h-;foot tractor screw terminated these trials for the day4 ,the waves indicate the strength of the wind during the flights4 ,on ,september #ai1 using a #i-;foot screw1 ,mr4 ,doherty began to make longer flights4 ,a pleasant off-shore breeze rippled the water1 but without raising whitecaps4 ,a dozen workmen1 lifting the great tandem monoplane from the shore1 with the pilot in his seat1 waded into the lake and set it gently on the water4 ,a crowd of witnesses near at hand1 and many scattered about the shores1 and on the lofty vine-clad hills1 stood watching expectantly4 ,when some of the official observers and photographers1 in a motor boat1 were well out in the lake1 a man in high-top boots1 standing in the water1 started the propeller1 and stepped quickly out of the way4 ,then with its great yellow wings beautifully arched and distended1 the imposing craft ran swiftly out from the shore1 gleaming brilliantly in the afternoon sun4 ,at first the floats and lower edges of the rudders broke the water to a white surge1 then as the speed increased they rose more and more from the surface4 ,presently the rear floats and the rudders cleared the water1 the front floats still skipping on their heels1 white with foam4 ,the whole craft was now in soaring poise4 ,it quickly approached the photographers1 bearing on its back the alert pilot1 who seemed to be scrutinizing every part of it and well satisfied to let it race4 ,then it rose majestically and sailed on even wing #a1jjj feet2 sank softly1 skimmed the water1 and soared another #a1jjj feet2 grazed the water again1 rose and sailed #c1jjj feet2 turned on the water and came back in the same manner2 and1 as it passed the photographers1 soared again nearly half a mile4 ,the flights were repeated a few minutes later1 then1 owing to squally weather1 were discontinued for #aa days4 ,illustration3 ,smithsonian ,report1 #aiad4--,zahm4 ,,plate #e4 ,,flight ,,of ,,langley ,,aeroplane ,,above ,,lake ,,keuka ,,september #ag1 #aiad1 ,,piloted ,,by ,e4 ,,doherty ,,and ,,driven ,,by ,a ,,curtiss ,,motor ,,and ,,tractor ,,screw4 ,illustration3 ,smithsonian ,report1 #aiad4--,zahm4 ,,plate #f4 ,,langley ,,aeroplane ,,in ,,flight ,,september #ai1 #aiad2 ,,climbing4 ,illustration3 ,smithsonian ,report1 #aiad4--,zahm4 ,,plate #g4 ,,langley ,,aeroplane ,,in ,,flight ,,october #a1 #aiad2 ,,natural ,,poise4 ,illustration3 ,smithsonian ,report1 #aiad4--,zahm4 ,,plate #h4 ,,langley ,,aeroplane ,,in ,,flight ,,october #a1 #aiad4 ,,hammondsport1 ,n4 ,y41 ,,in ,,background4 ,on ,october #a1 #aiad1 the aeroplane was launched at #aa a4 m4 in an off-shore breeze strong enough to raise whitecaps4 ,hovering within #cj feet of the water1 and without material loss of speed1 it made in quick succession flights of the following duration1 as observed by four of us in a motor boat and timed by myself3 #bj seconds1 #bj seconds1 #fe seconds1 #bj seconds1 #dj seconds1 #de seconds4 ,as the speed through air averaged about #ej feet per second1 the through air lengths of these flights were1 respectively1 #a1jjj feet1 #a1jjj feet1 #c1bej feet1 #a1jjj feet1 #b1jjj feet1 #b1bej feet4 ,as the aeroplane was now well out from shore among the heavy billows and white caps1 ,mr4 ,doherty landed it upon the water and turned it half about for the homeward flight4 ,thereupon the propeller tips struck the waves and were broken off1 one casting a splinter through the center of the left wing4 ,the pilot stopped the engine1 rested in his seat1 and was towed home by our motor boat4 ,the flights were witnessed and have been attested by many competent observers4 ,as to the performance of the aeroplane during these trials1 the pilot1 ,mr4 ,e4 ,doherty1 reports1 and we observed1 that the inherent lateral stability was excellent1 the fore-and-aft control was satisfactory1 and the movement of the craft both on the water and in the air was steady and suitable for practical flying in such weather4 ,apparently the machine could have flown much higher1 and thus avoided touching the water during the lulls in the breeze2 but higher flying did not seem advisable with the frail trussing of wings designed to carry #hcj pounds instead of the #a1ebj pounds actual weight4 ,at the present writing the ,langley aeroplane is in perfect condition and ready for any further tests that may be deemed useful4 ,but it has already fulfilled the purpose for which it was designed4 ,it has demonstrated that1 with its original structure and power1 it is capable of flying with a pilot and several hundred pounds of useful load4 ,it is the first aeroplane in the history of the world of which this can be truthfully said4 ,if the experiments be continued under more painstaking technical direction1 longer flights can easily be accomplished4 ,mr4 ,manly1 who designed the ,langley engine and screws and who directed the construction and tests of the large aeroplane up to ,december #h1 #aijc1 reports that he obtained from the propulsion plant a static thrust of #dej pounds1 and that he once ran the engine under full load for #aj hours consecutively4 ,this thrust is nearly #ajj pounds more than that commonly obtained at ,hammondsport with the same plant1 and #bj pounds more than the static thrust obtained with the ,curtiss motor on the day when it flew the aeroplane with #a1ebj pounds aggregate weight4 ,hence1 by restoring the engine and propellers to their original normal working condition they should be able to drive the aeroplane in successful flight with an aggregate weight of nearly #a1fjj pounds1 even when hampered with the floats and their sustaining truss work4 ,with a thrust of #dej pounds1 the ,langley aeroplane1 without floats1 restored to its original condition and provided with stronger bearings1 should be able to carry a man and sufficient supplies for a voyage lasting practically the whole day4 ,dr4 ,langley's aerotechnic work may be briefly summarized as follows3 #a4 ,his aerodynamic experiments1 some published and some as yet unpublished1 were complete enough to form a basis for practical pioneer aviation4 #b4 ,he built and launched1 in #ahif1 the first steam model aeroplane capable of prolonged free flight1 and possessing good inherent stability4 #c4 ,he built the first internal-combustion motor suitable for a practical man-carrying aeroplane4 #d4 ,he developed and successfully launched the first gasoline model aeroplane capable of sustained free flight4 #e4 ,he developed and built the first man-carrying aeroplane capable of sustained free flight4 ,illustration 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,transcriber's note3 ,this e-text follows the text of the original publication4 ,some minor punctuation inconsistencies have been regularised4 ,small-capitals in the original publication have been changed to ,,capitals4