A History of Aeronautics
by E. Charles Vivian




FOREWORD

Although successful heavier-than-air flight is less than two
decades old, and successful dirigible propulsion antedates it by
a very short period, the mass of experiment and accomplishment
renders any one-volume history of the subject a matter of
selection. In addition to the restrictions imposed by space
limits, the material for compilation is fragmentary, and, in
many cases, scattered through periodical and other publications.
Hitherto, there has been no attempt at furnishing a detailed
account of how the aeroplane and the dirigible of to-day came to
being, but each author who has treated the subject has devoted
his attention to some special phase or section. The principal
exception to this rule--Hildebrandt--wrote in 1906, and a good
many of his statements are inaccurate, especially with regard to
heavier-than-air experiment.

Such statements as are made in this work are, where possible,
given with acknowledgment to the authorities on which they rest.
Further acknowledgment is due to Lieut.-Col. Lockwood Marsh,
not only for the section on aeroplane development which he has
contributed to the work, but also for his kindly assistance and
advice in connection with the section on aerostation. The
author's thanks are also due to the Royal Aeronautical Society