Comparison With Aeroplanes.
If we compare the bird figures with those made possible
by the development of the aeroplane it will be
readily seen that man has made a wonderful advance in
imitating the results produced by nature. Here are the
figures:
Machine |
Weight in lbs. |
Surface in sq. feet |
Horse power |
Supporting area per lb. |
Santos-Dumont | 350 | 110.00 | 30 | 0.314 |
Bleriot | 700 | 150.00 | 25 | 0.214 |
Antoinette | 1,200 | 538.00 | 50 | 0.448 |
Curtiss | 700 | 258.00 | 60 | 0.368 |
Wright | [1]1,100 | 538.00 | 25 | 0.489 |
Farman | 1,200 | 430.00 | 50 | 0.358 |
Voisin | 1,200 | 538.00 | 50 | 0.448 |
While the average supporting surface is in favor of
the aeroplane, this is more than overbalanced by the
greater amount of horsepower required for the weight
lifted. The average supporting surface in birds is about
three-quarters of a square foot per pound. In the average
aeroplane it is about one-half square foot per pound.
On the other hand the average aeroplane has a lifting
capacity of 24 pounds per horsepower, while the buzzard,
for instance, lifts 5 pounds with 15-100 of a horsepower.
If the Wright machine—which has a lifting power of 50
pounds per horsepower—should be alone considered the
showing would be much more favorable to the aeroplane,
but it would not be a fair comparison.