Monoplane

“ Seen high aloft, with wings outspread, the monoplanes look like great eagles as, gracefully, but very noisily, they rise and fall in long, sweeping curves. The monoplane being a much lighter machine and less complicated is therefore cheaper to build than any multiplane model. Several of the successful models ride the air very steadily and have proven themselves capable of making long and difficult air journeys. ”

“ The monoplane, indeed, captured most of the early records for speed and it was this type of machine that was generally built by the sportsman type of airman, while men like the Wright brothers and others whose aim was to develop an airplane of unusual reliability and suited to many purposes, turned to the biplane and gave many hours and months and years of their time to its improvement. ”

“ Momentum. That which makes a moving body difficult to stop. It is the weight of a moving body, multiplied by its speed.
Monoplane. The literal meaning is one plane. As monoplane machines are all provided with a fore and aft body, and each has a wing or plane projecting out from each side of this body, it is obvious that it has two planes instead of one. The term, however, has reference to the fact that it has only one supporting surface on the same plane. Biplanes have two supporting surfaces, one above the other. ”

“ As the arrangement of planes in a biplane forms the extremely simple yet enormously efficient box-girder, it is generally considered superior in strength to weight requirements, although for monoplanes of small span it is doubtful if this is so, which affords some indication of the possibilities of the small monoplane as the sporting machine of the days to come. ”

“ Constructionally, the R.E.P. monoplane was of extreme interest as the body was constructed of steel. The Antoinette monoplane, so ably flown by Latham, was another very famous machine of the 1909–1910 period, though its performance were frequently marred by engine failure ”

“ In tiny monoplanes, engines of high power are installed; and the sustaining wings are so reduced, to give a maximum speed, that the machines appear more like projectiles than flying craft. A purely racing-type monoplane is seen in Fig. 62. It represents a Deperdussin, which, with an engine of 160 horse-power, reached a speed of 130 miles an hour. How small this machine was, in relation to its engine-power, will be realised from the fact that the sustaining surface of its wings amounted to only 104 square feet—far less lifting area, in fact, than Lilienthal used in his gliders. ”

“ Perhaps I should if I were using the biplane, but a monoplane is a one-man show—if you want to get the last foot of lift out of it. Of course, I took an oxygen bag; the man who goes for the altitude record without one will either be frozen or smothered—or both.
“I had a good look at the planes, the rudder-bar, and the elevating lever before I got in. Everything was in order so far as I could see. Then I switched on my engine and found that she was running sweetly. When they let her go she rose almost at once upon the lowest speed. ”

“ BUILDING A BLERIOT MONOPLANE As mentioned in connection with the description of its construction, the Curtiss biplane was selected as a standard of this type of aeroplane after which the student could safely pattern for a number of reasons. It is not only remarkably simple in construction, easily built by anyone with moderate facilities and at a slight outlay, but it is likewise the easiest machine to learn to drive. The monoplane is far more difficult and expensive to build. ”

“ Another has conceived a type of monoplane that is entirely new—different from any existing type—and as the latter are all foreign, he prides himself on having developed a monoplane that will be entirely American—the first and only American monoplane. ”

“ A monoplane, although just coming into general use in the United States, is much more efficient than a biplane for certain purposes due to the lack of interference between wings, and consequently can carry a greater load per square foot of surface at a higher speed. ”

“ The Blériot monoplane, which first flew the Channel; the R.E.P. (or Robert Esnault-Pelterie) monoplane; the Antoinette monoplane, on which Hubert Latham performed his exploits; the small and swift Demoiselle monoplane, designed and flown by Santos Dumont; and the Tellier monoplane, which for a time held the record for cross-country flight—all these made history by their performances in the crowded years from 1908 to 1910. The monoplane is, without any doubt, the prettiest of machines in the air. When Captain Ferber gave this reason to Mr. ”

“ Nearly all aeroplanes follow the same general principles of construction. Of course a good deal depends upon the form of aeroplane—whether a monoplane or a biplane. As these two forms are the chief ones, as yet, of heavier than-air machines, it would be well to understand them. The monoplane has single large surfaces like the wings of a bird, the biplane has two large surfaces braced together one over the other. ”

“ Because of its similarity to the bird and owing to the lack of struts, etc., to increase the head resistance the monoplane or single-wing plane is the fastest machine. The absence of struts and the few bracing wires brings a greater strain on the wings and increases its chances of breaking. The biplane, with its two parallel wings separated by struts, is more easily braced and proportionately stronger. The lift is also greater, due to the additional wing surface. ”

“ About 90 per cent of all designs are monoplanes and biplanes, and the types are distinguished by their single set of wings or planes or the double planes or wings. Both types have their advantages in use, the biplane being regarded as more stable for certain scouting purposes than the monoplane. It can carry heavier weights—has greater lifting power—but is not capable of as great speed or as easily maneuvered. ”

“ A form of machine which the professional airmen say has yet to be developed is the small monoplane, carrying two passengers at most, and of low speed—not more than twenty miles an hour at most. In this age of speed mania the idea of deliberately planning a conveyance or vehicle that shall not exceed a low limit seems out of accord with public desire. But the low speed airplane has the advantage of needing no extended field in which to alight. It reaches the (p. 230) ground with but little momentum to be taken up and can be brought up standing on the roof of a house or the deck of a ship. ”

“ The tandem monoplane shown by Fig. 18 is another machine which has scored many successes in the early days of model aeroplaning at the Crystal Palace. Figs. 19, 20, 21, 22 show the Twining hand-launched biplane, a tractor biplane built by the writer, a fuselage biplane (canard or screw behind) , and a Blériot type tractor monoplane. [Pg 18]
A tractor machine is one having the screw in front, and a “canard” or “pusher” machine has its screw behind. It is best to designate the machine by the type formula. Thus, a pusher monoplane with twin screws would be a 1-1-P2-0 type. ”

“ The Graham-Ewing monoplane adds to the efficiency of previously built machines by development in accordance with the changeable factors in the ‘law of the aëroplane.’ These are the speed and the angle of incidence to the line of flight.
“In this machine the plane is mounted so that it may be moved to any angle, adapting itself to speed and lifting at will, and offering opportunity for use as a steady device. It avoids longitudinal oscillation by means of a [31] large nonlifting tail surface, and the front of the fuselage is enclosed with glass to protect the aviator. ”

“ Karl added proudly. “The monoplane I own is one of the fastest and most efficient machines there are. It’ll do a hundred and fifty miles an hour with no trouble at all.”
“Sounds well enough,” smiled Joe. “Tell us some more.”
During the next few minutes the young aviator explained in detail the plans made for the trip. His machine, he said, could carry four passengers and the pilot, and there was a possibility of adding one more. Just who those passengers were to be, the others could decide. ”

“ The general tendency is in the direction of greater simplicity in design in passenger-carrying craft, as in model aeroplanes. Both the monoplane and biplane types are being developed side by side, and each continues to have its enthusiastic advocates. The increase in the passenger-carrying qualities is realizing the most sanguine hopes. Aeroplanes have carried fifteen passengers for several miles. The speed qualities of machines have developed correspondingly. ”

“ A. Propeller; B. Motor, partly hidden by shield; C.C. Main-planes; D. Pilot’s seat; E. Observer’s seat; F. Outlook windows in side of hull; G. Rudder; H. Elevating-plane; I. Landing gear.
A machine that has achieved success, owing to its power of varying speed, is the Sopwith military biplane, as shown in Fig. 63. Adopting a practice that has become general, its wings are fitted upon what is practically a monoplane body. Tail-planes and rudder are the same as in a monoplane. The top main-plane, as will be seen, is set slightly in advance of the lower. The system is called “staggering” ”

“ However, recent developments of the airplane have more or less put efficiency in the background and as a result today the biplane is more popular than the monoplane. In addition to the greater strength of biplane wings their span may be less than the monoplane for the same supporting area. This makes them less unwieldy. Moreover, for certain reasons a biplane machine of high speed may be landed at a lower speed than equivalent monoplanes. ”

“ The biplane carries a load of from two and one-half to three and one-half pounds per square foot of surface; the monoplane from three and one-half to six pounds per square foot. The load per horse power in each case is from thirty to forty pounds. In speed the biplane ranges from thirty-five to forty-five miles per hour, as against forty to sixty miles per hour attained by the monoplane. ”

“ Oh, the little double-seated monoplane, I guess that's in good shape, and it's easy to manage. When I'm out for fun I hate to be tinkering with levers and warping wing tips all the while. The Lark practically flies herself, and we can sit back and take it easy. ”

“ Also, the wonderful little monoplane, the same that had been equal to the test in the race for Old Thunder Top, had to be placed on public exhibition for several days in the town hall, where every man, woman and child in all the country around could examine and comment on the construction of the airship that had brought fame and happiness to Frank and Andy Bird. ”

“ His achievement gave a great vogue to his monoplane, which was imitated by many designers; and when the factory produced a biplane fitted, like all monoplanes, with a tractor airscrew, in front of the machine, the biplane was called the Blériot Experimental. The F.E. type is the Farman Experimental, a pusher biplane, which for a long time held its own by virtue of two advantages. The observer, being seated in the very prow of the machine, could fire a gun forward without being obstructed by the airscrew. ”

“ Such models are easy to construct, and any one who has built a monoplane will have little difficulty with them. No attempt is made to flex the planes. The cellular type must be equipped with a lifting-plane forward, which may be easily adjusted to any angle, and held in position. It is indispensable that you have two propellers placed aft behind the main plane. The model may be made much more effective by adding a third stability-plane or rudder at the rear. ”

“ The ends of the plane terminated in flexible wings, to permit of their being bent up or down, so as to preserve the horizontal equilibrium of the craft.
At the extreme end was the vertical rudder, which sent the monoplane to left or right.
Forward, almost exactly like the front set of wings of the dragon fly, was the large, main plane, with the concave turn toward the ground. There was the usual propeller in front, operated by a four cylinder motor, the cylinders being air cooled, and set like the spokes of a wheel around the motor box. ”

“ Fig. 49. Monoplane is Liable to Stand on its Head if Landing is Not Properly Made Landings. Then there is a class of accidents for which neither the aviator nor the machine is responsible, as where spectators have crowded on the field, causing the flyers to make altogether too sudden or impromptu landings at angles which would otherwise not be considered for a moment. ”

“ So if a gale is blowing 20 miles an hour the aeroplane may be lifted off the ground when moving no faster than 15 miles an hour with respect to the earth. Likewise unless a machine is moving 35 miles an hour it will lose flying speed and fall to the ground.
Machines do not all land at the same speed. The famous Morane monoplane skimmed along the ground at anywhere from 45 to 90 miles an hour. It is manifestly impossible to do more than suggest the fundamental principles of aeroplane flight here. To be sure, the type of aircraft has, as we have indicated, much to do with why and how it flies. ”

“ Diagram of Bleriot monoplane, showing controlling lever L and bell-shaped drum C, to which all controlling wires are attached. When the bell is rocked back and forward the elevator tips on the rear plane are moved; rocking from side to side moves the stabilizing tips of the main plane. Turning the bell around moves the rudder.
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The caution shown by these experienced aviators cannot be too closely followed by a novice. ”