Wings Questions 3: Alexander Schlater

1. What technological innovations in aircraft engine design occurred during the period between the wars and how did it affect the aircraft industry?

Engine innovations basically boil down to increasing output while decreasing weight and all the while trying to keep the entire contraption reasonably cool. This is especially important in aviation as flight requires a great deal of power, heavy engines require even more power to keep aloft, and overheating engines cause a lot more problems when your thousands of feet in the air. The radial engine was one way of accomplishing this. The new design was far more powerful than rotary engines of the time. Additionally, new innovations in cooling systems nearly eliminated the risk of engine failures caused by overheating. The engine had everything but a streamline design. A problem that was fixed by the Townend ring, a thin ring that reduced drag by encircling the otherwise broad engine, and all the while, actually increasing cooling efficiency. Further innovations of the era include engine placement, notably, the introduction of the trimotor plane which utilized two additional engines under the wings, thus increasing the net power.

3. What role did Henry Ford and other businessmen play in the development of the aviation industry?

Henry Ford, along with other businessmen, took an early interest in aviation, seeing it as a fresh market, and wanting to stake their claims, anticipating the riches sure to be made. While Ford himself never made a lasting aviation section of his company, his efforts did have an impact. During the recession of military aviation development following the First World War, the task of financing further innovations fell on private investors. Who better to rise to the occasion than the biggest name in industry, Henry Ford. Ford and other investors helped keep the flame of aviation burning during a time where it was seen as less than a necessity. Additionally, he financed further innovations in design, created a promising precedent for up and coming engineers, and also further embedded the idea of commercial use of airplanes into the general public.

4. How did the science of meteorology relate to aviation?

Just as a car's performance suffers on a rough rode, planes are subject to the weather around them. Strong winds, no wind, storms, even atmospheric pressure can all have dramatic effects on a flight. Naturally, then, would pilots want as much information about the weather as they could before attempting to fly. The capacity to plan ahead relied on meteorological institutions to forwarn pilots, and thus would the science require just as much advancement as that of aviation. New technology allowing not only early information about the coming weather, but also more reliable information would prove invaluable to aviators.