Pitcairn-Autogiro

President Harold F. Pitcairn of Pitcairn Aviation, Inc., has found such promise in Juan de la Cierva's Autogiro that last week he organized Pitcairn-Cierva Autogiro Co. of America to develop the autogiro in this country.

In fuselage, tail structure, landing gear and propelling motor the autogiro is a typical airplane. But for wings it has four great vanes fixed on a vertical mast so as to revolve horizontally. They have no motor as have the horizontal propellers of helicopters.

As the propeller motor pulls the autogiro across a flying field the forward motion sets the vanes revolving swiftly, like a great pinwheel. As they turn they create a lifting surface equivalent to a standard plane's wings.

The autogiro's most valuable feature is that it can descend almost vertically, and on almost any sort of field.

Soon Mr. Pitcairn and Senor de la Cierva may be reimbursed for their experimental investment. The autogiro is entered in the Guggenheim Fund's "safe aircraft competition" to develop an aerodynamically safe plane. Twelve U. S.. British and Italian manufacturers have already entered the competition. First prize is $100,000. There are also five $10,000 prizes.