How The Auto-Giro Works (1931)

“The development of air travel depends almost entirely on safety. One contribution to safety is the auto giro ’plane, and although many of us have seen one, we believe this to be the first explanation of the machine’s working.“ M/S of a man standing beside a Pitcairn PAA-1 auto giro. He speaks slowly and in a rather posh American voice about the working of the aircraft. Closer shot of the man as he uses a model of an “ordinary airplane“ to illustrate how the auto giro is different. C/U of the model in his hands as he speaks of air pressure and how this keeps the plane in the air. C/U of the blades of the auto giro - miniature airplane wings. The man explains how the blades work automatically. The man then picks up a model of an auto giro and describes how the propeller provides forward motion. The explanation continues. C/U of the man who says: “So much for theories and models. Let’s see something of what the autogiro can accomplish in the air.“ L/S of the auto giro starting up and the rotors and propeller moving. As the auto giro makes more noise the narrator is drowned out. Low angle of the aircraft taking off then air-to-air shots of the vehicle in flight. “A new sport for airmen“ reads an intertitle. Strange shot of an auto giro following race horses down a track. The aircraft lifts and lowers as if it was jumping the fences just like the horses. “Loafing along at eight miles an hour!“ A cyclist is seen below the auto giro. The cyclist can travel faster than the aircraft. “They can land on the proverbial sixpence and linger aloft indefinitely in a 20 mile breeze!“ Low angle shot of the auto giro flying overhead then landing. We see it take off again. The aircraft hovers above a tower. Various shots of the ’plane. “Like a dead stick landing - (watch the propeller).“ Low angle shot of the craft landing then taxiing along the runway and taking off again. Note: a very long and thorough explanation of how the autogiro works. Note alternative spelling - autogyro and alternative name gyroplane. This is last story on reel - no end titles. FILM ID:1582.2 A VIDEO FROM BRITISH PATHÉ. EXPLORE OUR ONLINE CHANNEL, BRITISH PATHÉ TV. IT’S FULL OF GREAT DOCUMENTARIES, FASCINATING INTERVIEWS, AND CLASSIC MOVIES. FOR LICENSING ENQUIRIES VISIT British Pathé also represents the Reuters historical collection, which includes more than 136,000 items from the news agencies Gaumont Graphic (1910-1932), Empire News Bulletin (1926-1930), British Paramount (1931-1957), and Gaumont British (1934-1959), as well as Visnews content from 1957 to the end of 1984. All footage can be viewed on the British Pathé website.