Flying Machines Today

The text surveys contemporary aeronautics, explaining the principles of lift, buoyancy, and aerodynamic resistance for both heavier-than-air and lighter-than-air machines. It examines designs and materials for balloons, dirigibles, monoplanes and biplanes, propulsion and propeller action, stability and control methods (including wing warping, ailerons, and gyroscopic devices), and practical aspects of launching, landing, and model testing. Illustrations and technical but accessible commentary outline accomplishments, emerging types such as helicopters and orthopters, and the potential military and civilian applications of flight.