JF Ptak Science Books Quick Post Daily Dose from Dr. Odd series
There is no official “Well, I’ll be Damned Department” on this blog but if there was one this small discovery would certainly be an excellent candidate. I don’t know enough about the aerodynamics of first-decade powered flight aircraft, but it seems as though this could be an alternative way of landing. It seems not to be the desired way to bring in your plane, though, looking way more problematic than is necessary. That said, I’ve never seen flight instructions like this before.
[Source: the ever-fascinating Popular Mechanics, February 1912, page 373.]
This is the pilot, Georges Legagneux (1882-1914), happily at the minimal controls. Another image, courtesy of Early Aviators, of the pilot in action:
Legagneux would die pursuing his passion in 1912.