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Aviation History
1909
1909 - 0493.PDF
AUGUST 14, 1909. M. ROGER SOMMER'S RECORD. CONTINUING to better his performances every time, M. Sommer, who only a few weeks ago was unknown as an aviator, succeeded in placing himself at the head of the list of successful flyers on Saturday last. Starting at a quarter past three in the morning, he continued flying until he had been aloft for 2h. 27m. 15s., thus easily beating Wilbur Wright's record of 2h. 20m. 23s. Un- fortunately, this fine effort of Sommer was not officially timed, and so it will not rank as a world's record, but that does not detract from the merit of the performance. When one considers that it was only a little over a month ago, on July 4th, to be exact, that M. Sommer took possession of his machine, it speaks volumes for the great advances which have been made during the past few months. Last December the magnificent flight of Wilbur Wright placed the American type of biplane in the forefront. This position it has held for some time, although the French monoplanes have repeatedly threatened their supremacy, and Bleriot's cross-Channel flight may be said to have given them the place. Now, however, the French biplane school are in front. E^As we have stated above, M. Sommer for his long flight made an early start, just as dawn was breaking, in fact, and so there were not many people present at the commencement. For the first half-hour everything seemed to go well, but after then it was noticed that the speed had slackened. It was noticed that part of the fabric of the lower plane had come adrift, apparently owing to the damp, and was flapping in the wind. M. Sommer momentarily thought he would havt to descend, in order to rectify this. The propeller, however, solved the difficulty, as, catching the loose fabric, it tore it away. Thus relieved, the aeroplane regained its former speed, and flew on and on in wide circles over Chalons Camp. After M. Sommer had been aloft an hour the news quickly spread, and so the crowd of onlookers quickly grew. At the end of the second hour the anxiety was intense, as it was realised that M. Sommer had every chance of beating Wright's record, and so placing the duration record to the credit of France. The minutes slowly crept by, and the aero- plane kept circling steadily on until the record time had been passed. At this point the enthusiasm of the assembled spectators was boundless, but just to make certain of the time M. Sommer continued and made one more circle over the Camp. Then his petrol tank being almost dry, he thought it wise to come down, when he was surrounded by the crowd and carried in triumph to his shed, where his health was vociferously drunk in champagne. The next day M. Sommer intended to repeat this flight in the presence of Aero Club officials. He started off about 7 o'clock in the evening, but, such is the luck of flying, engine troubles began to make themselves apparent. After the aeroplane had been in the air for a few minutes, the motor suddenly stopped, and the flyer dropped suddenly to the ground from a height of about 25 feet, sustaining a good deal of damage. M. Sommer's record (unofficial) flight on a Farman biplane of 2h. 27m. 15s. at Chalons last Saturday.—M. Sommeris just flying over the timekeeper's pitch on his tenth circuit, the figures below the flag denoting this alike to the aviator and the attendant public. 495
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