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Distributing the Surface Area.

The largest surfaces now in use are those of the Wright, Voisin and Antoinette machines—538 square feet in each. The actual sustaining power of these machines, so far as known, has never been tested to the limit; it is probable that the maximum is considerably in excess of what they have been called upon to show.

In actual practice the average is a little over one pound for each one-half square foot of surface area.

Allowing that 600 square feet of surface will be used, the next question is how to distribute it to the best advantage. This is another important matter in which individual preference must rule. We have seen how the professionals disagree on this point, some using auxiliary planes of large size, and others depending upon

smaller auxiliaries with an increase in number so as to secure on a different plan virtually the same amount of surface.

In deciding upon this feature the best thing to do is to follow the plans of some successful aviator, increasing

the area of the auxiliaries in proportion to the increase in the area of the main planes. Thus, if you use 600 square feet of surface where the man whose plans you are following uses 500, it is simply a matter of making your planes one-fifth larger all around.