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Aviation History
1909
1909 - 0703.PDF
NOVEMBER 6, 1909. and portended to be a reply to the joint public notice issued by the Aeronautical Society, the Aero Club, and the Aerial League last week. He now suggests to us that that communication of his is a sufficient reply to our comments. Our own view, however, is that the attitude which has been adopted by his mushroom club is so utterly untenable, and is rapidly being recognised as such by all who care to make enquiries, that no useful purpose can be served by reproducing in these columns Mr. Cheeseman's already published letter. After all said and done he does but reiterate the misleading statement that his Club was the first body of any kind formed in the United Kingdom for the promotion of aviation with heavier-than-air machines—omitting even to ensure formal accuracy by using the phrase " only heavier - than-air machines" ; while he endeavours to justify the existence of that body on the grounds that its numerical membership is a proof of the credence that has been gained for its pretensions. And then he apparently endeavours to argue (!) the Aeroplane Club's own particular claims to national recognition by merely asking why the already recognised bodies should have been accorded the positions of importance which they hold. FLYING AT BROOKLANDS. JUST after he had made his first successful flight, Mr. Henry Farman, in January, 1908, paid a visit to England to spy out the land in order to find a suitable spot to fly the machine he was then experimenting with. Among other places which he visited was the Brooklands Track, but he came to the conclusion that it was by no means a suitable aerodrome. Doubtless, in the light of later events, he will revise that opinion, for on Friday and Saturday of last week and Monday last M. Paulhan showed that it was not only possible to fly there, but possible to keep on flying while the petrol supply lasted. With their characteristic enterprise the proprietors of the Brooklands Racecourse have come forward to fill the need for a practice ground for aviators, from which the public can be excluded and the experimenter pursue his way in undisturbed peace and quiet. A large plot of ground up by the Byfleet end of the track has been cleared of trees and levelled, and this forms a splendid "jumping off" place. It was due to this foresight of the B.A.R.C. that Londoners were given an opportunity to see an homme-oiseau manoeuvring betweer earth and sky. During a visit to Blackpool representatives of the Club saw Paulhan, and obtained his consent to give a three days' exhibition of flying at the Weybridge bowl. It had been arranged that M.;Paulhan should give his first exhibition on the Thursday, but the wind and rain made it impossible for any flying to be done. Subsequently it was decided to make a further arrangement with Paulhan to fly on Monday, and it was then he set up a new record for Great Britain. The details of the flights each day will be found below :— Friday, October 29 th. When Friday morning broke, rain fell and there was a fairly strong breeze blowing, and there appeared to be but a remote chance of any flying, but by ten o'clock the weather conditions had so far improved as to justify the hauling down of the black flag and the hoisting of a white one signifying " flights probable." Only about 20 minutes later this gave place to the red one, and Paulhan was seen to be bringing his machine out of its shed. His first flight was quite a short one, just to assure the flyer that all was well, and as he found difficulty in switching off he came down and discovered a loose wire. This rectified, he once more went off, circling round the inside of the track four times. Shortly after noon he made a third flight, but came down complaining that he wanted a heavier petrol. While this was being sent down he made another flight, circling round the ground twice at a good height. During the after- noon the heavier petrol arrived and Paulhan immediately filled up his tanks. Starting off about three o'clock, he kept rapidly rising until a height of 200 ft. had been attained, which it was claimed was a record for England. He soon came down again, but within a few minutes he was off again and completed five rounds of the course. Then he took up his wife and flew round the ground twice, and in a second flight with his wife two circuits of the course were traversed. Then Mme. Paulhan surrendered her seat to Mrs. Locke King. It will thus be seen that none of the flights were of great duration, the longest being very little more than 10 minutes. " Flight" Copyright Photo. Remarkable Photograph o£ Paulhan Flying at Dusk on Saturday last over Brooklands Racing Track.—This snapwas secured just as there was a reflection of the setting sun through the clouds silhouetting Paulhan's flyer against the brilliant patch of light. 705
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