after many attempts,
that gliding is a matter of a few feet only, and he
anticipates landing too soon, and the moment he
leaps from the ground the legs are swung forwardly
ready to alight.

This is done unconsciously, just as a jumper
swings his legs forwardly in the act of alighting.
Such a motion naturally disturbs the fore and aft
stability of the gliding machine, by tilting up the
forward margin, and it banks against the air,
instead of gliding.

The constant fear of all gliders is, that the
machine will point downwardly, and his motion,
as well as the position of the body, tend to shoot
it upwardly, instead.



CHAPTER IX

AEROPLANE CONSTRUCTION


As may be inferred from the foregoing statements,
there are no definite rules for the construction
of either type of flying machine, as the
flying models vary to such an extent that it is
difficult to take either of them as a model to represent
the preferred type of construction.

LATERAL, AND FORE AND AFT.--The term lateral
should be understood, as applied to aeroplanes.
It is always used to designate the direction at
right angles to the movement of the machine.
Fore and aft is a marine term meaning lengthwise,
or from front to rear, hence is always at right
angles to the lateral direction.

The term transverse is equivalent to lateral,
in flying machine parlance, but there is this
distinction: Transverse has reference to a machine
or object which, like the main planes of an aeroplane,
are broader, (that is,--from end to end)
than their length, (from front to rear).

On the other hand, lateral has reference to side
branches, as, for instance, the monoplane wings,
which branch out from the sides of the fore and
aft body.

STABILITY AND STABILIZATION.--These terms constantly
appear in describing machines and their
operations. If the flying structure, whatever it
may be, has means whereby it is kept from rocking
from side to side, it has stability, which is usually
designated as lateral stability. The mechanism
for doing this is called a stabilizer.

THE WRIGHT SYSTE