The San Francisco call. [volume], April 02, 1910, Page 3, Image 3

About The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913

Image provided by: University of California, Riverside; Riverside, CA

                
A SAN FRANCISCO BIRD BOY TELLS HOW HE FLIES
II V Kit MOST OIIRT
My brother and I started to build
our glldflr In the early part of Octo
ber. It took us about two weeks to
complete It, as we did not work stead
ily. One Saturday we took the planes
to a garage and set them up, and the
next day wo started out early for the
sand dunes to make some trial flights.
We made two flights, soaring only
about 10 feet; the third flight resulted
In a smashup. When we examined the
muchlno we found tho vertical part'Of
the tall broken, and also' all the wires
and the main beam. It took us two
more weeks to fix It up".
We made our next flight .Thanksgiv
ing day. It was very windy and prom
ised good success. Wo attached the
tow ropes and I climbed Into the gilder
und gave tho signal to the boys to
run. The glider rose swiftly to a
height of about. 4C feet, and I made a
successful landing. ' That was my first
skyward (light." 1 made three other
flights, and then gave the other boys
a chance to go up. Later I put a mov
able seat in the glider and soared up
about'6s feet. I wanted to come down,
so I slid forward on the seat. When
nearlng the grournl I slid back too far
and went up again. I tried to make a
\u2666'graceful descent, but the seat got
stuck and -I hit the ground awfully
hard. This smashed the machine for a
second time. ' < •~V i "*y.:
'*We did not get out again 'unjil De
cember 5; but I was able to make. a
record for height on that day of 85
feet.. We made about 19 flights be
fore It got too dark to fly.
Every Sunday since then we have
been out on the sand dunes in the after
noons, and have made from 10 to 30
flights each time. I have been up as
high as 130 feet, and our gliders could
go even higher, of course. Last Sun
day I made three successful flights
before a Call photographer. One of
the pictures is shown on this page.
I /ould not get very high on account
of the changing winds. During the
third ilight, when I was up about 30
feet, two of the guy ropes broke and
the tail swung around and turned
the machine on end. I came down
with terrific force, smashed a stout
arm bar, a cross piece and seven ribs.
I knocked the wind out, of myself, and
on Monday I felt sore in all corners.
This was a pretty bad adcident,.'al
though on the whole we have . boon
rather lucky. The best way to learn
Is: through accidents, so our occasional
spills do not discourage us. Persever
ance only will make an expert aero
naut of a fellow; so don't try to fly
unless you Intend' to stay, with it. We
are using thesegliders merely to learn
the art of balancing in the air. ; Later,
we all hope to get regular aeroplanes
with engines.
This little first glider ' of ours has
already -made about .200 successful
flights, and is good for/a lot more.
Next Monday we are going to start
to build another: glider, following an
entirely new design. It will be possi
ble to put an engine in this glider. ,
We hope to outer, this now glider In
the aviation meets and in the aero
shows. We shall have it ready for
exhibition out on the sand dunes in a
few weeks.
__IIO\V TO Ullllil) A GLIDEH
In building a glider the material
used should bo grained spruce, 1 free
from knots. The following strips are.
required:
JAnir long beams, three-quarters of
an inch thick and one ami v quarter
inches wide.
Twelve cross pieces, three-quarters of
an Inch thick by three-quarters of an
Inch wide and three feet long.
Twelve uprights, half an inch thick
by one and a hulf inches wide und
jour foot long.
l«'orty-one strips for the bent rlb.s,
throe-sixteenths of an inch thick by
liulf an Inch wide and four feet long.
Two arm sticks, one inch thick by
two Inches wide und three feet long.
* Two rudder sticks, three-quarters by
three-quartern of an inch and eight feet
long.
Several strips half an inch by three
quarters of an Inch for vertical und
horizontal rudders.
Tin. frumes for the two main sur-
THE SAX I'UAXCfSCO CALL, SATURDAY, AI'RIL 2, 1910.— THE JUNIOR CALL
faces should be constructed first by
bolting the crosspieces .marked C in
figure 2, to the. long beams marked- L '
and spaced' apart, as shown in figure '
1. All bolts used' should be an eighth
of aninch in diameter and fitted with V
washers at each end. 'These "frames
should be braced by diagonal- wires |
marked W in "figures" 1 and' 2. All
wiring is done with No. 16 piano wire.
Next the ;41 bent ribs should be nailed
to the main frames on the upper side,
using fine flat headed brads .seven-,
eighths'of an Inch long. These bent: ribs
should be spaced one foot ; apart and
should, extend one foot beyond the rear
edges.. of the main .frame, as shown in
figure 2. These ribs are parched by
bending— -the \u25a0' front , end . being .•\u25a0nailed
to- the first long beam and ; '- the,' rear,
end sprung down, and nailed fast. The
amount of curvature Is the same, in all
the ribs. -:- y ' . '\u25a0''\u25a0'• /':•'\u25a0;.; :':";..'. \u25a0\u25a0\u25a0 \ ' .-'\u25a0"'>.
The frames of the main surfaces are
next covered with cambric or bleached
muslin. The cloth should be tacked to
the front edge, stretched tightly over
the bent; ribs .and fastened'- securely to
the rear, ends of therlbs. The cloth .
should also bo '*. glued for safety. In
the, center 6T the lower plane an open
ing should be left two by four feet for
the gliderist. Place the two main
surfaces , four i feet apart, ', and connect
by the 12. uprights. Soe y in figures 1
and 2. The ' uprights' are fastened by
bolting them to the crosspieces C, as
shown In figure. 3.
The whole structure Is nmdo strong
rigged by bracing tho diagonal wires
both laterally find longitudinally. Tho
vertical rudder (V R in figure 2) is to
keep the machine headed to tho wind,
and Is not movable. It Is made of
cloth stretched over a light wooden
frame nailed to tho rudder sticks (II S
In figure 3)..
The horizontal rudder (II R In fig
ure 4) in also made of cloth stretched
over a light wooden frame; and In
tersects tho vertical rudder at its cen
ter. Thlg rudder is held In position
and strengthened by diagonal wires
and guy wires. The horizontal rudder
is also Immovable, its function being
to prevent the . machine from diving,
and also to keep It steady In flight.
The rudders are fastened to the
glider by tlTc two rudder sticks, which
are held rigged by the. diagonal wires
and guide wires. . The. two arm v stlcks ;
marked A" A In , figure 2 should be \u25a0
spaced about 13 ' Inches apart and
bolted to the long beamsih the center
of the lower plane opening,, where. the •
gliderist swings.,,: The suriace.must be
perfectly true and not warped, or -the
machine will be hard to balance when
in flight. \u0084 ; \u25a0'•\u25a0/.
Glides nnd towed flights are aiways
made against the wind, and balance is
acquired by swinging the leg's. Tho
higher the Starting point the longer
the flight. Always be careful in land
ing, otherwise you may sustain a ..
broken leg or a sprained ankle. 1 >b/
After the ;gllder Is complete apply •
a coat of starch to the cloth and let it
dry two days. Then npply a:coat of '
linseed oil and shellac. Skids may be
added to the, glider If. desired. : Bolt
the skids to the uprights. \.
Boys wanting any further 1 Informa
tion about gliders may write- to me n;
1825 McAllister street, San Francisco.
V Logical
\u25a0 A .voman" who: had, never 1 - owned <n
garden, at last .had', the'. opportunity- to
have one. ln i which she. could do just as
she -, wished. V* \u25a0 Accordingly, : ~ a"^ careful
study :o f ;* the , seed I catalogues ':, was .\u25a0\u25a0 in
order. Her husband one day canio' home
to find her poring over "its V'profusely
illustrated", pages. She had a long :11st
of seeds written. on a sheot'of- paper, >.
"This.' is a Vllst,'- ray,' dear," ; sho said,
"that! want you to buy 'for me tomor
row at the seedman's.".
Her husband looked at the list;- Then
he laughed. .:; . " "
"You , want these flowers to 'bloom
this summer, don't you?" he askod.
"Yes, of course". ,/•' N \u25a0. v
\u25a0.".Welb> those'youhavc put down* here
don't. bloom till the second summer.','
.' "Oh, that's all right,"- said his wife,
easily. "I am making up my, list from
last year's catalogue." -. -
The Fair Artist
Across the sky at close of day .
A fairy artist goes,
To paint the sunset's circling clouds
With purple, gold and rose.
\u25a0 \u25a0...'**
When darkness falls upon the fields,
'Tls then he makes -his way
To tint the daisies' lids with pink
Before the dawn of day.
Tho stately lily's golden spike
The cowslip's speckled bell,
Tho foxglove and the clover bloom-
He visits them Us well.
He decks each brilliant dragon fly
In brightest green and blue,
Then hangs each web of gossamer
With ptsarls of morning dew.
No Place for, Him
Gunner — Poor chap! There Is always
a mob howling for his scalp.
Guyer — Indeed! What does he fol
low?
Gunner— "Well, In the baseball season
he's an umpire.
Guyer — Oh, he's not so badly off. He
has peace in the winter.
Gunner — No, in the winter he Is com
plaint clerk In the gas ortice. — Chicago
News.
3