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Aviation History
1909
1909 - 0089.PDF
FEBRUARY 13, 1909. EWS OF THE WEEK. |The Olympia Aero Exhibition. MATTERS in connection with the Aeronautic Exhibi- |tion which is to be held at Olympia next March by the 3.M.M.T., in conjunction with the Aero Club of the [U.K., are proceeding apace. Aeroplanes are big things, |but it has been possible to arrange for twelve " stands " the centre of the main hall, and nine of these have ^already been allotted. There are also six applicants for other three spaces, and so there may have to be some ^rearrangement if all these exhibits materialise. The |<Jisplay of models, which is being organised by the Aero I Club, also promises to be a large one, and will probably [contain a good deal of interest. Engines and accessories will also furnish many exhibits which should prove attractive, while in the Annexe, motor boats and their fittings will be on view, and doubtless some hydroplanes < will be included. Flight with a Broken Rudder. ON Friday, when Wilbur Wright was giving a lesson to M. Tissandier, the steering apparatus gave way at the start, and rendered an immediate descent to earth necessary. The accident happened at the moment of leaving the starting rail, a piece of which in some manner struck the rudder. The spectators, expecting a catastrophe to follow, gave forth a yell of warning. Wright himself failed, howeve'r, to hear, and not until he found that his machine was out of control did he realise that some mishap had occurred, when he just planed quietly to earth, the most unconcerned of all within ken of what was going on. Another slight mishap with the starting rail on Tuesday again interfered with a flight. Tissandier Learning to Fly. M. TISSANDIER continues, however, to make favour- able progress under the tutelage of Wilbur Wright, and on Saturday succeeded in manipulating the machine for a few minutes by himself, Wilbur Wright having temporarily relinquished his grasp of the levers. Saturday last was the momentous occasion on which this marked step in progress was accomplished, during a flight of 18 miles, lasting 28 mins. 30 sees. Wright's Aerial Ramble. HITHERTO Wilbur Wright has always contented himself with flights which have been more or less strictly •confined to the limits of his aerodrome, but on Saturday afternoon he departed from this custom to the no small anxiety of the crowd of spectators. Making an excellent start, Wright " felt" his way for a short flight above the Landes, and then suddenly steered towards the Pau-Bor- deaux main road, and quickly disappeared in the distance. .For three to four minutes the flyer was completely out of sight, and it requires but a dull imagination to conjure up a mental picture of the state of the crowd as under these conditions seconds slowly elapsed. At last, after what appeared to be more like hours than minutes to the •eagerly expectant crowd, Wright's machine once more appeared above the horizon, and in the space of but a few minutes more had settled gracefully to earth near the •door of the shed. During his absence, Wright had the novel experience of witnessing the effect of a flying machine upon the horses over which he passed along the road. It appears that their regard for aeroplanes is characterised by much the same fear as at one time they evinced towards the motor car, to which by some wonderful fundamental principle of the interchange of mental experiences among the species, they so quickly grew accustomed. Or was it that those in charge of the horses conveyed their own nervousness to their otherwise indifferent four-footed companions in toil ? King Alfonso's Visit to Pau. ACCORDING to the latest accounts, it seems possible that King Alfonso of Spain may yet visit Pau, although whether or no he ultimately will take lessons in flight over the Landes it is impossible to say. The more probable arrangement is, as we mentioned some time ago, that Wilbur Wright will wait upon His Majesty at San Sebastian. Mr. A. J. Balfour at Pau. AMONG Wilbur Wright's numerous visitors has been Mr. A. J. Balfour, who, with Lord Wolverton, motored over to the aerodrome on Wednesday. A snow storm prevented any flights being made, but Mr. Balfour spent some time discussing flight with Mr. Wright before he returned. Bleriot Visits Pau Again. BLERIOT has paid another visit to Pau, and he has determined, it is stated, to shortly return, taking with him one of his aeroplanes. At the moment he is making short flights with his short-span machine at Issy. The Wright Brothers and a Sculptor. OUR readers will remember that the Aero Club de la Sarthe have decided to present Wilbur Wright with a memento of his visit, in the form of a statuette depicting the Brothers Wright learning the secret of flight from Nature as represented by an eagle. The sculptor of this allegorical group pourtrayed the brothers as veritable twins in features, and bald-headed to boot, but now that he has met Mr. Orville Wright nothing contented him but that he should be given the necessary time in which to correct his slight mistake. Two Wright Machines for Monaco. ALTHOUGH there is very little reason to suppose, as we stated some time ago, that Wilbur Wright or his brother are in the least likely to compete at Monaco in person, there are now expectations that two Wright machines may be represented there. According to M. Clemenceau, who owns the selling rights, he and Count de Lambert will each take a machine to Monaco for the competition, as soon as they have learned the art of flying. And this, once more according to M. Clemenceau, will be a mere matter of a fortnight or so! The aeroplanes will be equipped with floats in accordance with the regulations of the competition. Pau Crowded Out. WRIGHT'S experiments on the Pau Landes are attracting all the more spectators because they happen to coincide with the opening of the racing season, which, as usual, has brought a vast crowd to Pau. Any of our readers who may be thinking of paying a more or less immediate visit to the new aviation centre, therefore, will be well-advised to arrange for their rooms as long in advance as possible. "Wright and the Chef. SECOND only in interest to the flights which he has executed, has been Wright's mode of living since his
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