know (§ 184) that the position of the centre of pressure varies as a function of β and that its distance from the front edge of the plane diminishes the less the angle ; if then the angle β from any accidental cause become less than ft, the centre of pressure will move forward in advance of the centre of gravity, so that the forces acting on the plane will form a couple tending to increase the angle, and so restore the condition of equilibrium. Likewise if the angle become too great the centre of pressure will recede, and the resulting couple will tend to diminish the angle, and again the equilibrium is restored; thus the conditions are those of stable equilibrium, the plane tends to maintain its proper inclination to its line of flight."
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Fig. 3.
"There is not only equilibrium between the angle of the plane and its direction of motion as above demonstrated, but also between the gliding angle and the velocity of flight; thus if the velocity is deficient, so that the weight is insufficiently sustained, the gliding angle and the component of gravity in the line of flight automatically increase and the aerodrome (or aerodone) undergoes acceleration. Conversely, if the velocity is excessive the gliding angle (and so the propulsive component) diminishes, and the velocity is thereby reduced."[1]
It would thus appear that there are two distinct kinds of equilibrium involved in the longitudinal stability of the ballasted
- ↑ The above explanation of the automatic stability of an aerodone or aerodrome is, in a condensed form, that given by the author in his paper to the Birmingham Natural History and Philosophical Society in 1894. A more complete exposition is to be found in the author's specification of patent 3608 of 1897, p.6, the text of which is given in Appendix II. of the present volume.
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