Projecting from the lower end of each of the lower guy-posts was a five-sixteenth-inch steel rod about one inch long, as clearly seen in Plate 62. Brazed to the side of this rod, in such a position that it would project towards the rear of the aerodrome when the guy-post was in position, was a small arm or bracket. When the guy-post was in place with the aerodrome on the launching car, this pin was in a slot formed in a metal cap on the top of the small folding upright at the front or rear of the car, as seen in Fig. 1, Plate 63, while Fig. 2 of Plate 63 shows the pin just being inserted into this slot as the guy-wires of the guy-post are being fastened. This small arm or bracket on this rod projected under the cap to prevent the rod of the guy-post from being lifted out of the slot in the folding upright, when the wind acting under the wings tended to lift the aerodrome from the car. Particular attention is here called to this apparently insignificant detail, for it was this arm or bracket on this small rod of the front guy-post which, hanging in the cap on top of the folding upright, caused the accident in the launching of the aerodrome on October 7, 1903. Certain it is that but for the accident due to this apparently insignificant detail, success would have crowned the efforts of Mr. Langley, who above all men deserved success in this field of work, which his labors had so greatly enriched. [Illustration: PL. 60 FIG. 1 FIG. 2 FIG. 3 HOISTING AERODROME TO LAUNCHING-TRACK] [Illustration: PL. 61 AERODROME ON LAUNCHING-CAR; FRONT WINGS IN PLACE, GUY-WIRES ADJUSTED] [Illustration: PL. 62 DETAILS OF GUY-POSTS] [Illustration: PL. 63 FIG. 1. FIG. 2. GUY-POST AND PIN ON LAUNCHING CAR] [p185] AVIATOR’S CAR In determining on a suitable car for the aviator various designs were made, differing all the way from that in which the aviator occupied a sitting position facing directly ahead and with practically no freedom of movement, but was even strapped to the machine to avoid the possibility of being thrown out, to the one finally adopted, in which he was provided with the greatest freedom of movement, could either stand or sit, as the occasion seemed to demand, and could face in any direction for giving proper attention to any of the multitudinous things which might at any time require his attention, and could, if agile, even climb from the extreme front of the machine to the rear. The wisdom of giving the aviator complete freedom without hampering him in any way by provisions for preventing his being thrown out of the machine was amply justified, as will later be seen in the description of the tests of the machine, where freedom of movement and agility prevented a fatal accident.