Travels In The Air

Excerpt from Travels in the Air But no method more simple could have been imagined than that by which the aeronaut ascends, and which leaves the observer entire freedom to note the phenomena by which he is surrounded. With the ease of an ascending vapour he rises into the atmosphere, carried by the imprisoned gas, which responds with the alacrity of a sentient being to every external circumstance, and lends Obedience to the slightest variation of pressure, temperature, or humidity. The balloon when full and on the earth, with a strong wind, is vehemently agitated, and if a stiff breeze prevail during the progress of inflation, it is for the time almost ungovernable. \vhen prepared for flight it offers the greatest powers of resistance to mechanical control, and, bent on soaring upwards, struggles impatiently to be free. In a line of perpendicular ascent the balloon has a motion of its own. It therefore rises or falls according to the action of the atmosphere upon the imprisoned gas. The second motion, which, united to the first, ca1ries the balloon out of the perpendicular line on rising, and directs its onward motion in a plane, is not inherent in the balloon, but is due to the external force of horizontal currents which sweep it in the direction of their course, and communicate a compound motion we can neither direct nor calculate. The simple inherent motion we can repeat at will. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

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In the 21st century - the age of the budget airline - where quick and reliable air travel is available to a large segment of society, it seems hard to comprehend that it is less than 250 years since the first human took to the skies. Although the wing of the bird seemed like the most obvious natural mechanism to attempt replicate, it was actually contained hot air, as demonstrated by the Montgolfiers and their balloon, that gave birth to the era human aviation. Since the first manned balloon flight in 1783, developments have come thick and fast, the airship, the aeroplane, and finally the space shuttle. This reprint of a classic publication written by some of the pioneering aeronauts, details the interesting history and major events of the lighter-than-air period of aviation. Complete with illustrations and a brand new introduction, it gives a fascinating insight into aviation before the aeroplane.

The True Story Behind the Major Motion Picture — and one of the greatest daredevil stories in the history of aviation In 1862, ambitious scientist James Glaisher set out to do the impossible: ascend higher into the skies than ever before. A pioneer of weather forecasting and of photography, and a founding member of the Royal Meteorological Society, he wanted to take ground-breaking research measurements from different altitudes. On 5th September, along with experienced balloonist Henry Coxwell as his pilot, he lifted off in a hot air balloon for what would prove to be a death-defying and historic flight. Rising above the English countryside, they rose to the remarkable height of 37,000 feet (7 miles or 11km), almost killing both men, who experienced blurred vision, loss of motor function and, eventually, unconsciousness. It was a miracle they survived to tell the tale. Written in his own words, The Aeronauts chronicles Glaisher’s incredible flights and discoveries first hand, as well as his observations on those pioneers who came before and inspired him. His audaciously daring journey forms the story of the forthcoming major motion picture The Aeronauts. With an introduction by Professor Liz Bentley, Chief Executive at the Royal Meteorological Society

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This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.