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Vol-planing, the French call it, and I guess it's as good a word as any." "Have you ever done it?" asked the odd character. "Oh, yes, several times." "Then, bless my fur overcoat! I can do it, too, Tom. When will you be ready to start?" "To-morrow morning. Now you are sure you won't get nervous and want to jump, if the engine happens to break down?" "Not a bit of it.
These, and scores of other questions were fairly volleyed at Tom and Mr. Damon. The young inventor good-naturedly answered them as best he could. "We were coming down anyhow," he explained, "but we did not calculate on vol-planing. The motor was stalled, and I had to glide. Please keep away from the machine. You might damage it."
"I think so," answered Tom, with a hopeful smile. "We have about two thousand feet to descend, for we have fallen nearly that distance since the accident." "Two thousand feet to fall!" gasped Mr. Damon. "We can never do it and live!" "I think so," spoke Tom. "Bless my gizzard! How?" fairly exploded Mr. Damon. "By vol-planing down!" "But, even if we do, we will fall into the ocean!" cried Mr.
Shopton was reached without incident, in about three hours, and there was no necessity, this time, of vol-planing back to earth. After a short rest, Tom began getting together a number of special tools and appliances, which he proposed taking back to Philadelphia with him. The young inventor made another trip to Mr. Fenwick's house the first of the following week.
"Perhaps I'll drop down at Miss Nestor's, and have some apple turnovers," for he had told them or the incident of hiring the new cook. "Well," he went on to Mr. Damon, "are you all ready?" "As ready as I ever shall be. Do you think we'll have to do any vol-planing, Tom?" "Hard to say, but it's not dangerous when there's no wind. All right, Garret. Start her off."
Swift heard the words, and looked anxiously up at his son. "Is he in any danger?" gasped Mr. Damon. No one answered him. Like some great bird, disabled in mid flight, the monoplane swooped downward. A moment later a hearty shout from Tom reassured them. "He shut off the engine on purpose," said Mr. Jackson. "He is vol-planing back to earth!"
It is considered faulty piloting to make a pancake descent where there is ample landing space; in certain restricted areas, however, it is quite necessary to land in this way. A far more dangerous occurrence is the SIDE-SLIP. Watch a pilot vol-planing to earth from a great height with his engine shut off. The propeller rotates in an irregular manner, sometimes stopping altogether.
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