Great Waste of Power.
One thing is certain—even in the most efficient of modern aerial
motors there is a great loss of power between the two points of
production and effect. The Wright outfit, which is admittedly one of the
most effective in use, takes one horsepower of force for the raising and
propulsion of each 50 pounds of weight. This, for a 25-horsepower
engine, would give a maximum lifting capacity of 1250 pounds. It is
doubtful if any of the higher rated motors have greater efficiency. As
an 8-cylinder motor requires more fuel to operate than a 4-cylinder, it
naturally follows that it is more expensive to run than the smaller
motor, and a normal increase in capacity, taking actual performances as
a criterion, is lacking. In other words, what is the sense of using an
8-cylinder motor when one of 4 cylinders is sufficient?
