Frank Speranza Wings #3

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

Engine technology changed rapidly during the interwar period. There was a significant research initiate to build a more powerful and lighter engine for aircraft. A problem that they faced was to be able to cool the engine while making the engine lighter. Cooling systems weighed a lot but that was needed for a more powerful engine. The additional weight incurred by the heavy engines meant that more thrust was needed and vicious cycle was entered. Charles Lawrence designed a radial engine that was air-cooled so the weight issue was solved and the engine was the most powerful of its time (p. 244). Cowlings were introduced to cover the engine on radial-engine designs and this greatly improved the aerodynamics and increased airspeed (p.244). The military was wanting new aircraft that could use aircraft carriers and needed improved designs so companies were competing to build the best design with the best engine, speed and weight. This competition led to new records being set such as Charles Lindbergh’s flight across the Atlantic Ocean (p. 245).

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

Businessmen such as Henry Ford and bankers such as Gordon Rentschler saw aviation as an investment. They wanted their investments to be successful so they tried to bring talent and innovation to the industry. Henry Ford hired designers to try to build a three-engine plane. The first design failed miserably (p. 247). A second version, the 4-AT, the Ford Tri-Motor was very successful. It became the first aircraft that was designed to transport people. The aircraft was very uncomfortable to fly in but it was successful nonetheless. The attachment of the Ford name to another industry made the public view aviation as a reliable, efficient business. People started to take the possibility of air travel as a serious venture. The investment of Henry Ford and others, although for a short period of time, had a huge impact on the start of the airline industry (p. 249).

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

Daniel Guggenheim, an investor of sorts in the early airline industry, wanted to show the value of predicting the weather and relaying this information to pilots. Early pilots did not know what they were flying into so their journey could be dangerous, especially in the early airplanes. A young meteorologist named Carl-Gustaf Rossby was using a new system to predict the weather and the Western Air Express used his predictions at weather stations set up at all of their airports (p. 252). Pilots could access this information and have the conditions for their whole route. This was a huge advantage and provided much needed information. The U.S Weather Bureau implemented this system at all of their weather stations across America.