Even then they did not spread their success broadcast, and it was only in 1908, after five years more of hard work, that they made a flight in public. But such news travels fast, and the world of science and invention was immensely stirred by what was permitted to be known. A school of enthusiastic ex perimenters sprang up in France, and practical results were soon shown by Bleriot, Farnam, Delagrange and others, who by applying what they had learned of the work of the Wrights, constructed machines that made actual flights. The greater load that it is able to carry. The monoplane has extreme speed because of its lightness and can climb more readily than the others, but its management de mands proficiency and involves more haz ardous risks. It is unexcelled for sport or racing, but its inability to carry heavy loads detracts from its practical value. The biplane can adapt itself to almost any conditions of air and weather, and its strength and carrying capacity have made it the most popular type. The triplane is as yet little used, but it can be depended upon as a cargo and passen first officially recorded European aero plane flight was made by Santos-Dumont in 1906. He flew a distance of 700 feet, remaining in the air for 21 seconds. In 1907 Farnam flew 2,500 feet in 52.5 seconds. In 1909, Bleriot crossed the English Channel from Calais to Dover in 37 minutes. In 1908, the Wright brothers visited France and made flights of several hours' duration. They were showered with honors by the French Government and people. From that time on the art of flying took its place as an 1.nportant factor in the world's life and progress. For the military history and uses of aeroplanes, see AVIATION IN THE WORLD WAR, below.
There are three leading types of planes in general use. The monoplane, as its name implies, has one plane surface; the biplane has two, one above the other, and is by far the most common; the triplane has three, and its value lies in the ger carrier because of its strength. A combination of aeroplane and boat is the hydroaeroplane, that can navigate either element. Some of them carry single floats and others double floats, for the purpose of alighting on the water. Strength is a prime requisite in their construction, in order to enable them to withstand the buffeting of the waves. The buoyancy of the floats, in order to insure safety from disaster, should be double the weight of the machine when it is loaded to capacity.
During the World War the attention of the world was engrossed by the great conflict, and there was little time or op portunity for spectacular or long-dis tance flights. But with the cessation of the struggle there came in quick suc cession a series of endurance and dis tance contests that broke all previous records in the history of aviation. A class of airmen had been developed to whom danger was a part of the day's work, and feats were attempted that previously would have daunted the most daring. Prominent among these were the transoceanic flights. The honor of first having crossed the ocean in a heavier than air machine fell to America. On May 16, 1919, the United States navy seaplane "NC-4" "hopped off" from Trepassey Bay, Newfoundland, on the first leg of a trip to Lisbon, Portugal.
It made the distance to Horta in the Azores, 1,200 miles, in 15 hours and 18 minutes. It reached Lisbon on May 27, and then flew from there to Plymouth, England, making one stop at Ferrol, on May 31. The entire distance traveled They passed through alternate layers of fog and cloud and snow. At times they had to climb out and chip the ice off their engine. There were periods when they did not know whether they were traveling in the customary way or upside down. They were at one time so near the surface of the sea that they were in danger of being engulfed. But they plunged on, and the following morn ing their machine landed nose down in a bog at Clifden, Ireland. The aviators were badly shaken up, but not otherwise injured. Alcock was knighted_ for his exploit and received the "Daily Mail" prize of $50,000. He was killed in an airplane accident, while flying over was 3,925 nautical miles, and the total flying time was 57 hours and 16 minutes.
But while America won honors for the first crossing of the ocean, a flight that was still more sensational, because it involved no stop on the way and be cause the hazards attending it were greater, was that made by Captain John Alcock, of England, who with one com panion flew from St. John's, Newfound land, to Clifden, Ireland, a distance of 1,960 miles, in 16 hours and 12 minutes. The trip was made in a Vickers-Vimy biplane with a Rolls-Royce engine. The trip was started on June 14, 1919, and from the beginning the conditions were the worst imaginable. The aviators had no light from sun or moon or stars.
Normandy in the December following. See ALCOCK, SIR JOHN.
A notable attempt, that if it did not achieve success at least deserved it, was the flight of Hawker and Grieve. They started to cross the Atlantic in a Sop with biplane May 18, 1919. The team flew from St. John's directly toward Ireland, but after traveling twelve and a half hours and making about 1,100 miles, the circulation system became clogged and they were forced to descend. Luckily they were picked up by a Danish steamer, and six days later were landed in England, where they had been given up as lost.
The first dirigible to cross the Atlantic was the British airship "R-34." This gigantic craft was 643 feet long, was driven by five engines of 275 horse power each and was capable of a speed of from 40 to 60 miles an hour. She left East Fortune, Scotland, on July 2,, 1919, and landed at Mineola, N.Y., in 108 hours and 12 minutes flying time. The distance was 3,130 miles. Her return to Eng land, July 9-12, was made in 74 hours tinental race, completing the round trip of 5,400 miles in 67 hours, 3 minutes and 40 seconds. In the spring of 1920, a successful flight was made by British avi ators from Cairo to the Cape in Africa. On Dec. 10, 1919, Captain Ross Smith, an Australian aviator, landed at Port Darwin, Australia, thus winning the aeroplane race from London to Australia, snd 56 minutes. The total distance traveled in the round trip was 6,330 miles, and the time was 183 hours and 8 minutes.