| Chapter Eight - aerovehicular engineering |
|
I must admit now that as I awoke upon the morning of my first joint foray into the lab with William, I was of some unsoundness as to how smoothly things would go. I had worked alongside other scientists before and it had usually produced a certain clash of personality. I had the feeling that as analytical as a man's mind could be, wherever strong opinions met, as would always be the case in research, tempers run high. It was with these doubts in my mind I readied myself for the day ahead and was not disturbed from my papers until the clock had struck the tenth hour of morning.
I introduced William to my rooms and laboratory, glad to see that yesterdays easy attitude between us had not disbursed like Autumn fog. We talked for sometime about the best way forward as we sat in my study. The table was littered with any book I could find on flight from my shelves and also with Williams own papers. I was impressed by the young mans thoroughness and attention to detail as he produced sketches, equations and supporting documents for my perusal. He had obviously gone beyond the knowledge of the aeronauts of our day into a realm of science I heard him call aerospace engineering... I will admit that I sat dumbfounded as William explained the theories of aerodynamics to me. It was apparent he was no hobbyist but a true master of his field. A suspicion that was confirmed as with a glint in his eye he unveiled a detailed technical drawing that at once astounded me and filled me with a need to go through with this project. Without a word we both hurried to the lab to construct a model of the craft William had designed. The work progressed easily with our bantering allowing us to work for a solid few hours which seemed to pass in minutes before a model stood before us ready for testing. We both changed into walking clothes and took a jaunt to a nearby steep hill with the craft carried under a blanket between us. We stood upon the peak and unveiled our craft, the carved wood that formed the body provided a sleek background to the early evening sun glinting off the polished brass of the exposed clockwork which would power the vehicles propulsion system. Taking a thin rope attached to the craft we then drove a tent peg deep into the ground, thus tethering the device. William assured me that if the craft flew it would continue in a circular pattern above us until the engines stopped. We wound the main spring and looked at each other - this would be the turning point. The clockwork whirred into action and with a tiny roar the craft rose into the air to the sound of Williams unbridled joy. We had discovered flight. |
 Previous Chapter by Sadeian |
 Last Chapter Chronologically |
 Next Chapter Chronologically |
 Next Chapter by Sadeian |
| Sadeian's Profile | Back | Return to home |