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Aviation History
1909
1909 - 0682.PDF
OCTOBER 30, 1009. BLACKPOOL FLIGHT MEETING—(continued). " Flight" Copyright Photo. IN THE GRAND STAND AT BLACKPOOL FLIGHT MEETING.—In the centre is Sir Hiram Maxim, and to the left is Alderman Frankenberg, Ex-Mayor of Salford. Friday, 22 nd. SEASIDE resorts are notably places of exceptionally changeable weather, with a penchant towards wind ; they are not, therefore, fundamentally suited to flight in the present state of the art. Black- pool is no exception to the rule ; indeed, there are those who say it is worse than most, and the breezes which have freshened the air there during the flying week lend some colour to the suggestion. •* From a flying dies non on Thursday, a patient and enduring British public waked to an even worse kind of a morning on Friday. There was less wind, it is true, but there was more rain and the atmosphere was so grey and laden with moisture that the conditions reached the high-water mark of unpleasantness. On the ground not a soul had faith in any prospect of excitement other than that pro- vided by the necessary exercise of skill in negotiating swamps and quagmires without getting completely embedded in slime. Local boot shops did a roaring trade in the sale of "goloshes." Thus equipped against the evil of wet feet they sallied forth prepared for the worst, t. Presently the rain stopped, which made life more endurable, but the wind continued to be represented on the official signalling " hanger " by a black pyramid and a black square, which, being interpreted, signified ''more than 15 miles per hour." This was the limit provided for by the code, but, as a matter of fact, the actual velocity as registered by the gauge was often in the order of 30 miles an hour. Flying seemed impossible in such conditions ; it remained for Latham to prove the contrary. To everyone's complete surprise and satisfaction the red flag was hoisted on the mast at half-past twelve, and shortly afterwards the Antoinette monoplane, dragged by a horse, proceeded slowly across the ground from the sheds to the starting line. Even then no one believed Latham could fly, although it was obvious that he would make an attempt. At one o'clock the wind registered 28 miles an hour, and was proportionately gusty. Latham embarked on his machine, and the Antoinette engine was started. The flyer ran along the ground and came to rest a few yards from the start with its tail in the air. Evidently the expected had happened, the machine was uncon- trollable in such weather. " Flight" Copyright Photo. LATHAM'S GREAT FLIGHT IN A HALF GALE AT BLACKPOOL LAST WEEK.—Note the beading trees from the high wind in the distance. 684
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