Flying Machines Today

William Duane EnnisProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.5

Word count: 207K words
Chapters: 21

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Flying Machines Today by William D. EnnisAuthor: Ennis, William D. (William Duane), 1877-,Language: English, Class: TL: Technology: Motor vehicles, Aeronautics, Astronautics, Release Date: Mar 17, 2016

Editor's review

This book is a valuable specimen of early aviation technical writing, in which the author, William D. Ennis, records the structure and operating principles of flying machines through the eyes of his time. Its value lies not in providing the latest aviation knowledge but in letting readers see how people more than a century ago understood the new phenomenon of the "flying machine": the choice of terminology, judgments about technological prospects, and patient descriptions of mechanical details all bear distinct marks of their era. The writing is accessible and supported by explanatory narration, making it suitable as first-hand corroboration for the history of technology and the history of science communication. It is worth reading as a window onto aviation's transition from an adventurers' pursuit to an engineering discipline. For aviation history enthusiasts, historians of science, and readers who enjoy old technology books, this public-domain volume offers a light but meaningful entry point; those seeking a systematic textbook or modern principles of flight will need to look elsewhere.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Enthusiasts interested in early aviation history and the evolution of flying machines
University readers studying the history of science communication and technical writing
General readers who enjoy public-domain old books and the feel of period language
Secondary-school teachers who need supplementary material for introducing aviation history

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking systematic study of modern flight principles and aeronautical engineering
Aviation professionals concerned only with contemporary aircraft models, specifications, and operational practice
Readers who prefer strong plot-driven narrative and lack patience for technical exposition

Reading tips

Read the table of contents and the first few chapters first to grasp the author's basic framework for discussing flying machines, then proceed chapter by chapter.
Note old-fashioned terms as you go and compare them with today's corresponding concepts to build a table of terminological change.
Read alongside aviation reports or biographies from the same period to compare technical descriptions with public imagination.
Read one or two chapters at a time, treating the book as historical fragments rather than a continuous textbook.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book about modern aircraft?

No. The author lived from the late nineteenth to the early twentieth century, and the book discusses the flying machines and aviation ideas of his time. Its terminology and concerns bear clear early-aviation characteristics and should not be used as reference material for modern aircraft.

Can someone without an aviation background understand it?

Generally yes. The text is mainly explanatory and does not rely on advanced mathematics, though some old-fashioned terms and mechanical descriptions require patience. It is advisable to read through the framework first, then consult notes or encyclopedias for unfamiliar words.

Is this book suitable for an aviation history paper?

It can serve as supplementary material for observing technical expression and public perception at the time, but it is not a systematic work of historiography. When citing it, cross-check with other historical sources and distinguish the author's personal judgments from historical fact.

Why recommend reading a technology book from a hundred years ago?

Because it preserves ways of thinking from before the technology had taken shape, helping readers understand how aviation knowledge accumulated step by step. For research on the history of science and technical writing, this period sensibility is valuable in itself.

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About the author

William Duane Ennis Author · 1877

William D. Ennis (full name William Duane Ennis, born 1877), often referred to simply as Ennis in Chinese-language sources, has only limited publicly available information about his life; neither his nationality nor his educational background is clearly documented. What can be confirmed is that he is the author of Flying Machines Today, and one of his works is held in this collection. Judging from the title, the book is likely an early work on aviation technology aimed at general readers, introducing the construction, principles of flight, and state of development of aircraft of the time; its style probably leans toward explanation and popularization rather than deep theoretical argument. In the early twentieth century, when aviation was advancing rapidly, books of this kind played a role in spreading aeronautical knowledge and stimulating public interest. Owing to limited material, further verification is needed regarding his other writings, career, and influence.