Glass in fibrous form may go a long way toward solving problems that aircraft engineers now consider among their most being, writes Francis Hewens in the New York "Times." These problems are to reduce noise and vibration and improve insulation against extreme variations in temperature. The glass product that has a prominent place among materials that can provide the remedy is iberglas," made in the form of a fluffy glass "wool" for insulation and in fabric form for sheathing.
Greatly improved aeronautic design and increased engine efficiency, making larger planes and longer flight ranges possible, have highlighted the need for more adequate solutions to the problems. Engineers have found that noise, vibration and poor insulation became increasingly uncomfortable and tiring with each added hour in the air. In low-powered planes on a journey of a few hundred miles. these factors are merely irritating. In large planes with deep-droning engines flying several thousands of miles without pause, these enemies of comfort pass the irritation point and become almost nerve-racking.
Research now under way is expected to prove that high noise level continued over long periods increases fatigue markedly. In airliners, this means passenger discomfort—and a tendency to avoid long journeys by plane. In long range bombers, it means decreased efficiency of personnel when efficiency is most important: at the end of the trip. Hence, the study being given to Fiberglas as an aircraft material.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.