Progress of Aeronautical Society

The Aeronautical Society's aeroplane "Harvard I" is nearing completion. The framework is almost ready for the cloth, and the engine and propellor are in the hands of the society ready for installation after preliminary tests in Pierce Hall.

"Harvard I" is of the biplane type, with a wingspread of 24 feet and a supporting surface of 200 square feet. The controlling elevators are the feature of the machine, and present 35 square feet of surface. The workmanship throughout is of spruce, hollowed for lightness and laminated for strength. The weight of the framework is about 150 pounds, and of the engine and propellor 200 pounds, making the total weight of machine and operator about 525 pounds, the lightest biplane ever built. The engine is four-cylinder, air-cooled, and will develop 30 horsepower.

The membership of the Aeronautical Society has grown until now it is the largest of any aero club in America. In the winter the society was incorporated, and has at present the honor of being the only college organization affiliated with the Aero Club of America. Its outlook for next fall appears very bright.

In its construction of the aeroplane, the society is now on the very verge of success, but work on the machine has had to be stopped for the present because of lack of funds, and it cannot proceed until enough money is collected to pay the several expenses necessary to completion. It was hoped that this amount would be derived from the shingles recently issued, but, while the sale of these has been steady, it has not been as rapid as was hoped for. If funds are not forth-coming to insure the machine's completion immediately, the engine will have to be returned to the factory, and the remainder of the work postponed until fall.

Shingles may be seen at Amee's, Co-operative branch, and Union, and may be obtained at $1 from Amee's or the secretary, 27 Holyoke street.