Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 180, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 August 1914 — Air Brakes for Aeroplanes. [ARTICLE]

Air Brakes for Aeroplanes.

A highly ingenious device is about to be embodied in* a new British aeroplane now nearing completion. A difficult problem, which has always confronted the aeroplane designers, has been that of enabling machines to land at a reasonably slow speed and yet fly as fast as possible. The necessity of this provision may be gauged from the, fact that the modern aeroplane,, <ith its full load, weighs the better part of a ton, and that the usual flying speeds range from sixty to eighty miles an hour. Accordingly, Mr. A. V. Roe, the well-known designer, has adopted the expedient of providing "his latest biplane with what he termed "air brakes.” These con sist of flaps hinged to the rear of the planes, capable of being turned at right angles to the direction of flight, with the object of enabling the pilot to reduce his speed materially preparatory to alighting,