Excerpt from The Aero Manual: A Manual of Mechanically-Propelled Human Flight, Covering the History of the Work of Early Investigators, and of the Pioneer Work of the Last Century

The scheme underlying its compilation has been first a very severe winnowing of the wheat from the chaff and the present ment of the work of those investigators of the past whose work would now appear to count. And it has been found that much Of the work that, had this Manual been prepared ten years ago, would have been dealt with therein, can now be disregarded. No previous decade has ever permitted of such extensive and useful weeding out. The importance of this lies in the fact that by our mistakes we learn and by our ability to recognise and disregard that which is useless so do we progress. This vein of thought has dominated the preparation of the historical section of the aero manual in order that it may usefully contribute to further investigation of the subject.

The work of the brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright is dealt with fully and in their own words, because of its immense value. Their achievements have set the seal on the work of the school which, starting with Lilienthal, has attained the success thatman has sought through many centuries. The Wrights have told us personally that gliding is the basis of aviation and that to first gain perfection in gliding will materially quicken the attainment of the art of flying. For this reason, we have devoted Space to the subject of gliding and have prepared de signs for a suitable machine, based upon practical experience of men who have actually glided with them.

The information given in the Manual concerning airships is not carried so far as is that dealing with aeroplanes and gliders for the obvious reason that the airship is less likely to interest either the student or the sportsman, its function being almost entirely different to that of the heavier-than-air machine. The information about existing aeroplanes, engines suitable for aviation, component parts, constructional details, etc., has been very carefully written and revised up to the last moment, for improvement is always going on, naturally.

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