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Aviation History
1909
1909 - 0091.PDF
FEBRUARY 13, 1909. Ligue Meridionale Growing, THE Ligue Meridionale Aerienne has enrolled its 3,oooth member and is now busily engaged on its scheme for an aerodrome between Bordeaux and Arcachon. Pen-en'Toul Aerodrome. COUNT DILLON has offered some of his property at Pen-en-Toul, measuring 130 hectares in extent, for the purpose of an aerodrome. It is stated that at least 80 hectares could be very easily rendered suitable for flying experiments. : Rheims Circuit. ACCORDING to M. Surcouf, it appears that the aviation week at Rheims is to include events which will be divided under four headings. In this way it will be sought to separate biplanes from monoplanes, and to include in the programme trials of distance as well as trials of speed. It will probably be arranged to have a recognised hour of starting on every day of the week for entrants who wish to make a trial on the distance course, and similar facilities will probably be given in connection with the other events. Speed trials, it is suggested, may take place over a 10 kilom. and 1 kilom. course, and there will probably be a special prize for passenger flights. The "big prize" of the meeting will be valued at 50,000 francs, but the total prize fund, as our readers know, amounts to 150,000 francs. The dates selected at present are from August 22nd to August 29th, or from the 5th to the 12th of September. Flight " Landings." THE ever-active Ligue Nationale Aerienne has addressed a circular to the Mayors of the principal French towns calling their attention to the advisability of trying to provide landing grounds for flyers, and to have them suitably marked out. Flight in 1800. AT the age of 7r, General Resnier, so a story goes which comes from France, conceived the very patriotic project of embarking a French army corps on flying machines for a visit to Angkterre. Having the courage of his convictions, he set about forthwith to show the feasibility of flight, and for this purpose constructed a flapping wing machine with which he jumped off the ramparts of Angouleme in the year 1800. On the first attempt the river received his body together with the machine. Both were rescued safe and sound ; but on the second attempt he landed on terra firma and broke his leg, after which the crisis, so far as this country was con- cerned, happily came to an end. It is worth putting on record, however, that from an altitude of 68 metres, the General was able to cover on the first attempt 180 metres, and on the second attempt 200 metres in horizontal distance before he " landed." Benjamin Franklin on Flight. IN a lecture which Lieut. Frank P. Lahm recently gave before the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, he mentioned that among the spectators of one of the earliest ascents of the Montgolfier hot air balloon was Benjamin Franklin. A pessimist availed himself of the opportunity to address a query to the illustrious American as to the utility of balloons, which drew forth the terse but eloquent reply, " Of what use is a new-born babe ? " Flight at the Coliseum. A NEW " turn " was put on at the London Coliseum this week, entitled M. Noiset and his flying bicycle, and, judging by the nature of the performance, it would seem- as if this latest " star " from France will have very goodi reason to wish to fly on his own before he and his machine and the revolving stage have had a much more extended acquaintance. M. Noiset looks comfortable enough so long as he remains securely- aloft in the air, and the extraordinary arrangement of drapery which adorns his bicycle successfully obscures- his blushes from the audience—as well it may Once he has blown that fatal whistle which is the signal' for his descent on to his little revolving stage, how- ever, the trouble—or the fun, according to the point of view—commences. We can conceive that it might not be an easy feat to maintain perfect composure,, even when alighting on terra firma, while seated on a motor bicycle in full action, even if the machine is supported—by wings. But to be expected to make a landing on a wobbling revolving stage must surely be beyond a joke, and as M. Noiset does not profess to be either an acrobat or a trick cyclist, and gives no indica- tion of having a special aptitude for either of these very honourable professions, we can thoroughly sympathise with his feelings, as he is caught by the whirling stage and is more or less speedily swept over the edge of the table, what time the curtain descends to hide the climax. Turning to matters more serious, we can recommend our readers to enjoy the cinematograph views of the Wright flights which are now being reproduced at the Coliseum, for they are exceptionally good in many respects, and the cinematograph affords quite an extraordinary method of appreciating in advance some of the wonders and beauty of the new art. Revolutionaries and Flight. AZEFF, the notorious Russian police emissary and " plot " organiser, is said to have declared that the old- fashioned methods of assassination by revolver, knife- and bomb stand no chance nowadays, and that the aeroplane should be used in future attempts. It is not stated, however, what precise part the aeroplane would play in the dark deed, but presumably it would deal destruction upon Imperial residences from above. Forty Italian Dirigibles. THE Italian Budget, it is reported, contemplates the construction of 40 military dirigibles, while six army airships are, it is said, already in course of construction. These are expected to be ready in time for the next manoeuvres, which take place in the spring, while a rein- forcement of twelve others are to be in the air when the army once more takes the field in summer. At this rate it looks as if Italy did not mean to be left out in the cold when the supremacy of the air is under discussion. But doubtless by the time we see the first half-dozen of these machines successfully "advancing in column" in their natural element, progress in this and other countries in the same direction will not have remained entirely stationary. U.S.A. Army Dirigibles. PLANS are being put in hand for the design of two airship sheds, to be erected at New York and Washington, for the use of the U.S.A. Army airships. The sum of 100,000 dollars will, it is stated, be needed to cover the cost of these buildings. An Aerial "Lusitania." IF Mr. ThurlowWeed Barnes, the American railway magnate, is to be credited, England possesses a millionaire whose ideas run on very up-to-date lines, for he is said to- 93
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