OCR Text |
Show Device Shows Strain Incurred by Flyers Instruments have been devised for measuring an airplane's speed, altitude alti-tude and direction ; now comes a gauge for the aviator himself, called the accelerometer, an intricate little apparatus which shows how his body reacts to the craft's bounces, sudden turns and dips. It is the invention of Lieut. James H. Doolittle of the engineering en-gineering division of the army air service, according to Fopular Mechanics Me-chanics Magazine, and it is placed under un-der the pilot's seat. Stresses and strains on his body are outlined on a small strip of film. Lieutenant Doolittle has found that a flyer can stand instantaneous movements move-ments of the plane without ill effects, but comparatively slower dips and dives, of continued several seconds, sometimes cause him to lose his faculties. facul-ties. In rounding a pylon at high speed, for instance, the blood is driven to the feet. A pilot in the pink of condition can stand this, but about 12 seconds is the limit. |