The plane is simply abstracting the power stored in the wave by a distant gale, and using it to counteract gravity. And if the work be continued long enough, or a multitude of planes be continually drawing on the reservoir of power, the wave must inevitably be flattened.

He accepted a place on the Ellesmere and circumnavigated Australia. Work on the rotary engine which powered many early aircraft up until about 1920. His development of the rotary engine was frustrated by the weight of materials and quality of machining available at the time and he was unable to get sufficient lift from his engines to build an independent flying machine.