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Aviation History
1909
1909 - 0364.PDF
JUNE 19, 1909. NEWS OF TI Three Men in an Aeroplane. M. BLERIOT has once again placed a milestone on the rapidly growing road of aeronautical progress by being the first to achieve free flight on a heavier-thanair flying machine with two passengers beside himself on board. The two who made the trip with M. Bleriot on his monoplane " No. XII," were M. Santos Dumont and M. A. Fournier, the total weight which the 22 square metres were called upon to sustain being in the neighbourhood of 565 kilogs. The flight, which was made at Issy on Saturday afternoon last, was not a very lengthy one, only extending to about 300 metres in a straight line, and it was followed by another of similar duration. A little later M. Bleriot carried his mecanicien for a couple of turns round the Issy Parade Ground, a distance of about 6 kiloms., and just before darkness compelled the suspension of flying for the day he made two flights unaccompanied of 4 mins. 36 sees., during which 5 kiloms. were traversed, and 4 mins. 4 sees. The flights were witnessed by Madame Bleriot and several prominent French aviators, including MM. Paul Zens, Goupy, Witzig, Blanchet and Stceckel. On the previous day M. Bleriot made several short flights, including one of about 2 kiloms. which was brought to a conclusion by a double turning in the form of the figure "8," which evoked loud applause from the spectators. During the afternoon M. Bleriot took up M. Guyot, the winner of last year's Voiturette Grand Prix, who turns the scale at 87 kilogs. and flew with him for about one and a half kiloms., at a height of seven metres. On Tuesday, M. Bleriot was making some short flights with M. A. Fournier, when he landed very suddenly at the end of the last one and it was found afterwards that the crankshaft of the motor had fractured. Mr. Latham has a Mishap. LIKE all other exponents of flight, Mr. Latham has not been able to report uninterrupted progress. On Sunday afternoon, despite the strong wind, he determined to make a flight in order to demonstrate the machine to his mother, who had been away in Constantinople while he has been achieving flying triumphs. He had made a flight of over 3 kiloms. at a height of well over 10 metres when a violent gust of wind drove the machine to the earth and in consequence the left wing was damaged and the propeller bent. Mr. Latham escaped without injury. The repairs to the machine, however, were quickly made, and on Tuesday evening he flew for 12 mins., during which it is reported that he rose to a height of about 60 metres, from which he glided to earth. On Saturday Mr. Latham was visited at Chalons by the Parliamentary Aviation Committee, and for their edification he made a flight of 49 kiloms. which were covered in 39 mins., according to the official timekeeper. At the conclusion of the flight, when at a considerable height, Mr. Latham cut off the ignition and glided to earth. Mr. Latham and Crossing the Channel. So confident is Mr. Latham of his ability to cross the English Channel before very long, that he has, it is said, laid wagers to a very large amount that he will perform the feat before July 15th. He has also made a number of bets that he will accomplish it by August 1st. Should the daring young aviator succeed in the project he will reap a rich harvest, for, in addition to the Daily Mail prize of ^1,000, there is the ^500 offered by MM. Ruinart and several other prizes. The actual place of crossing is still undecided, but Mr. Latham will probably start from some point between Calais and Boulogne, and he would like to land at Folkestone for, as he quaintly puts it, he " has cousins there, and it would please them." A Curious Accident at Juvisy. THE programme for Sunday evening at the Juvisy aerodrome consisted of an attempt by M. de Rue to win the Rolland Gosselin Prize of 1,000 francs for the best time for 5 kiloms. After spending about an hour adjusting his machine, M. de Rue at last got it into working order and started off at 7.30 p.m. The course was marked out by six posts, and measured 1,666 metres round. Four times this course was traversed without incident, the 5 kiloms., according to the official timing of M. Surcouf, being covered in 5 mins. 34 sees., and then M. de Rue crossed the aerodrome with the intention of returning the biplane to its shed. He cut off the ignition, and was gliding down, when, while he was manipulating the rudder, his elbow caught the ignition-lever and re-started the motor. Before it could be stopped the biplane had picked up way again, and was driven full-tilt into the members' refreshment room. Fortunately, the aviator escaped unhurt, but the aeroplane itself was considerably damaged, the fuselage which carries the elevating-plane in front, and which bore the brunt of the collision, being completely broken. i Delagrange at Argentan. I ALTHOUGH Delagrange has not made any extra- ordinary flights at Argentan, those who have paid a visit to his flying ground there have witnessed some very good per- formances. On Wednesday week he flew for 4 kiloms. and on the following day he was again up for 2 kiloms. at a height of about 15 metres, in spite of a strong north wind, his evolutions being witnessed by a crowd of about 6,000 people. On Friday week, after a first flight of 1 kilom. at a height of only 3 metres, M. Delagrange flew for 6^ kiloms. in as many minutes, during which he passed over a farm and a number of trees. A third flight of 6 kiloms. was also made, during which the aviator flew outside the bounds of his aerodrome. So impressed have they been with M. Delagrange's flights that the Commitee in charge of the arrangements have invited theaviator to pay another visit to Argentan, and he has promised to do so. New-Comer at Chalons. ON Tuesday last, Mr. Henry Cockburn, a member of the Aero Club of the United Kingdom, who has purchased a biplane from Mr. Henry Farman, made his first flight at Chalons, and although he started off well by flying for 500 yards, it ended in an accident. Apparently Mr. Cockburn pulled the wrong lever or pulled it in the wrong direction, for instead of the machine coming to earth it commenced to rise at a very sharp angle. As a result of the strain, the lifting-plane gave way, and the biplane fell. Mr. Cockburn escaped injury, but the machine was slightly damaged.. Doings at Juvisy. DELAGRANGE, having returned from Argentan, was busy practising at Juvisy on Tuesday, and Rougier was 366
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