CHAPTER IV – Flying Machines Construction And Operation

The realm of flying machines is divided into three fundamentally different categories: aeroplanes, helicopters, and ornithopters. Among these, aeroplanes claim the spotlight, becoming the primary choice for aviators due to their proven efficacy, whereas helicopters and ornithopters, despite their unique advantages, struggle with critical limitations that hinder their widespread adoption.

Helicopters: Defined by their distinct vertical propellers or helices, helicopters boast the ability to ascend directly upward from the ground. This characteristic eliminates the need for a runway, allowing operation within confined spaces—an advantage in certain scenarios. However, this benefit is overshadowed by significant drawbacks. Helicopters suffer from a lack of sustaining capacity and demand an excessive amount of motive power, making them less efficient than their counterparts.

Ornithopters: Mimicking the flapping wings of birds, ornithopters represent an attempt to harness the natural mechanics of avian flight. Early aviation enthusiasts were drawn to this design, believing it to closely follow the ideal flight principle. Despite its intuitive appeal, the ornithopter falls short in practicality. The reality that birds essentially act as aeroplanes, with their wings providing both lift and propulsion, underscores the ornithopter’s inefficiency. Primarily serving as a novel toy, efforts to scale ornithopters for human flight have yielded disappointing results, confirming their impracticality in real-world applications.

Aeroplanes: As the dominant form of flying machine, aeroplanes have successfully addressed the challenges that limit helicopters and ornithopters. Their design and operational principles allow for superior lift, sustainability, and power efficiency, reasons for their predominant use in aviation. While helicopters and ornithopters contribute interesting concepts to the field, it is the aeroplane that stands out as the most viable and efficient means of achieving manned flight.