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165
The Aeroplane Speaks. Fifth Edition
·
H. Barber
56
Ah!
those
early
days!
How
fresh
and
inspiring
they
were!
As
one
started
off
on
one's
first
'cross-country
flight,
on
a
machine
the
first
of
its
design,
and
with
everything
yet
to
learn,
and
the
wonders
of
the
air
yet
to
explore;
then
the
joy
of
accomplishment,
the
dreams
of
Efficiency,
the
hard
work
and
long
hours
better
than
leisure;
and
what
a
field
of
endeavour--the
realms
of
space
to
conquer!
And
the
battle
still
goes
on
with
ever-increasing
success.
Who
is
bold
enough
to
say
what
its
limits
shall
be?
So
ruminates
this
Pilot-Designer,
as
he
puffs
at
his
pipe,
until
his
reverie
is
abruptly
disturbed
by
the
return
of
the
Observer.
"Wake
up,
you
airman,"
the
latter
shouts.
"Here's
the
very
thing
the
doctor
ordered!
A
basket
of
first-class
grub
and
something
to
keep
the
fog
out,
too."
"Well,
that's
splendid,
but
don't
call
me
newspaper
names
or
you'll
spoil
my
appetite!"
Then,
with
hunger
such
as
only
flying
can
produce,
they
appreciatively
discuss
their
lunch,
and
with
many
a
grateful
thought
for
the
donors--and
they
talk
shop.
They
can't
help
it,
and
even
golf
is
a
poor
second
to
flight
talk.
Says
the
Pilot,
who
must
have
his
grievance,
"Just
observe
where
I
managed
to
stop
the
machine.
Not
twenty
feet
from
this
hedge!
A
little
more
and
we
should
have
been
through
it
and
into
Kingdom
Come!
I
stalled
as
well
as
one
could,
but
the
tail
touched
the
ground
and
so
I
could
not
give
the
Aeroplane
any
larger
angle
of
incidence.
Could
I
have
given
it
a
larger
angle,
then
the
planes
would
have
become
a
much
more
effective
air-brake,
and
we
should
have
come
to
rest
in
a
much
shorter
distance.
It's
all
the
fault
of
the
tail.
There's
hardly
a
type
of
Aeroplane
in
existence
in
which
the
tail
could
not
be
raised
several
feet,
and
that
would
make
all
the
difference.
A
high
tail
means
a
large
angle
of
incidence
when
the
machine
touches
ground
and,
with
enough
angle,
I'll
guarantee
to
safely
land
the
fastest
machine
in
a
five-acre
field.
You
can,
I
am
sure,
imagine
what
a
difference
that
would
make
where
forced
landings
are
concerned!"
Then
rapidly
sketching
in
his
notebook,
he
shows
the
Observer
the
following
illustration:
Marker
Marker
Fine marker
White-out
Fine white-out
Circle
Paint
Unmarker
Hand
Scalpel
Dice
Sieve
Purify
Undo
Redo
Start over
