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Aviation History
1909
1909 - 0037.PDF
JANUARY 16, 1909. Orville Wright on the Cost of Upkeep. SPEAKING to a press representative before he left America to join his brother Wilbur in France, Orville Wright made the interesting statement that " an aeroplane flies faster, is cheaper to run, and is more easily handled than any other machine. Airships will have their uses, but can never be as practicable as aeroplanes." If all these things are true—and Orville Wright ought to know as well as anyone—there is not only going to be a very great future for the aeroplane, but it is going to •come very quickly, for in these hard times an appeal to the pocket is heeded by all, and there never was a day in the history of man when the idea of speed did not set hearts beating faster. The only thing that is a stumbling block at the present time is just that little doubt as to whether these same aeroplanes really are " more easily handled than any other machine." Orville Wright at Plymouth. BY the time he reached Plymouth in the " Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse," on Monday, January nth, Orville Wright had a little more to say on the same subject with the representatives of the English press who came to see him. Speaking on the subject of commercial flying machines, he said that he did not think they would come into general use for commercial purposes, although he was convinced that they would largely take the place of yachts and motor cars for pleasure. He was emphatic in stating that " Most assuredly in 10 years the conquest of the air will be accomplished, and it is my belief that •the aeroplane will have made great strides in progress, as has the motor car in the last decade." Orville Wright has not yet recovered from his accident, and, in fact, his doctor thinks it will be a year before he is quite right again. Orville himself, however, wants to fly in three months, although he has no intention of taking any undue risks ; moreover, he has the vigilant eye of his sister Katherine on him to see that he attempts nothing rash at the present moment. Wright Aeroplane Makers. Two firms have been selected to undertake the construction of the Wright aeroplanes for M. Lazare Weiller's Company, the Cie. Generale de Navigation Aerienne. One of these firms is the Chantiers de France, of Dunkirk, and the other is the Societe " Astra" of Billancourt. The sole selling rights have been acquired by M. Michel Clemenceau, son of 1 he well-known French Minister, who has, according to the latest information, given an order for twenty-five machines. Aeroplane Experiments in America. SEVERAL experiments with the new aeroplane, " Silver Dart," described in our last issue, were made on December 6th, when three short flights were accom- plished. The machine was also out again on Dec. nth, and some trials were made with two persons on board, but they were brought to a conclusion by a slight accident. Soon after the aeroplane rose a few feet from the ground, however, it tipped to one side, bringing one of the wings into contact with the earth. This caused the machine to swing round suddenly, result- ing in the wheels being smashed. It is thought that the apparatus got out of control owing to the gyroscopic action set up by the 50-h.p. motor driving the single propeller. Aero Club of France Affiliations. THE Aero Club of France has just accepted the affiliation of two important aeronautic societies, one being the Anciens Aerostiers Militaires of Paris, and the other the Aero Club de l'Ouest, which has its head-quarters at Angers. Official Pilots. THE Pilots' Flight Certificate of the Aero Club of France has been issued to Messrs. Wilbur Wright, Orville Wright, Henry Farman, Delagrange, Bleriot, Santos Dumont, Esnault-Pelterie, and Captain Ferber. The rules under which these certificates are issued have been compiled by the Aviation Committee of the Aero Club of France. Prize for Aero-Motors. THE Commission d'Aviation of the Aero Club of France has drawn up rules for a prize to be offered for aero-motors. It will consist of a sum of 500 frs. and will be awarded to the maker of the engine which was used on the aeroplane which has achieved the record distance flight up to June 30th, this year. A sum of 200 frs. will be awarded under similar conditions as second prize. These prizes have been presented by M. Lariviere and M. Robert Balsan respectively. L.N. Pupils. THE Ligue Nationale Aerienne has evidently no intention of perishing with the passing away of the present generation. It has founded a committee of pupil pilots, who are recruited from the engineers-to-be of the well-known technical schools. Among those who have joined are 80 students from the Polytechnic, 50 from the Central School, and a large number from the Mining School. In order to enable the boys to witness practical experiments, certain days have been set apart for them at the Juvisy aerodrome. The L.N. at Douai. A BRANCH of the Ligue Nationale has been founded at Douai. M. Louis Breguet, MM. Rene Quinton and Ernest Archdeacon opened a conference at the Hippo- drome there on Sunday last, January 10th, when the subjtct of aerial navigation was discussed. T.C.F. Aerial Tourists. REALISING that the object of the Touring Club of France is the development of touring in all its forms, that body has just created a Comile dc Tourisme Aerien, under the Presidency of M. Leon Barthou, with MM. Leon Chaix and Paul Renard as Vice-Presidents. The preli- minary work for this new section will consist in the study of matters relating to the preparation of suitable maps and guides to landmarks, garages, &c, and of information relating to legislation, general regulations, and Customs formalities. In evidence of its practical interest in the movement, it has inaugurated its formation by subscribing ico francs to the fund opened by the Aeronautic Club for the founding of the Mechanics' Prize, which was recently referred to in Tfic Automotor Journal. (•.:•'' ' - ••• >Aviation Committee in Belgium. THE Belgian Automobile Club has formed an Aviation Committee to further the interests of mechanical flight in that country. The Committee consists of Baron de Crawhez, who has been elected President, and Baron de Caters, Baron Joseph de Crawhez, Count de Liede- kerke, and MM. Jacobs, H. d'Oultremont, R. Gold- schmidt, d'Aoust, E. Solvay, and P. de Vasselot. 39
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