The Aeroplane Speaks

"The Aeroplane Speaks" by H. Barber is an insightful treatise about aviation, aimed at both the layman and the experienced pilot, written during the early 20th century. The book seeks to demystify the aeroplane's operation by presenting its principles and components in a conversational format, personifying elements such as Lift, Drift, and Efficiency as characters engaging in dialogue. At the start of the book, the setting is a Royal Flying Corps School for Officers, where the elementary principles of flight express their grievances about being misunderstood. The narrative unfolds with these principles discussing the mechanics behind flight, including Lift, Thrust, and Drift, while introducing the various roles they play in allowing an aeroplane to fly successfully. The engaging dialogue serves not only to educate the reader about aerodynamics but also emphasizes the intricate relationships and compromises needed in design and operation, setting the stage for deeper exploration in subsequent chapters. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Captain Horatio Claude Barber (1875–1964) was an early British aviation pioneer and First World War flight instructor. In 1911 he flew the first cargo flight in Britain, transporting electric light bulbs from Shoreham to Hove. He was also the first person in Great Britain to gain an aeronautical degree.