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Aviation History
1910
1910 - 0716.PDF
Jycfif SEPTEMBER 3, 1910. THE DUBLIN MEETING. ALTHOUGH it is to be regretted that the two days flying meeting— the first Irish aviation meeting—on the Leopardstown Racecourse at the beginning of the week was not favoured with some considera tion from the Clerk of the Weather, consolation can be obtained from the fact that any lack of quantity was more than made up for by the quality of what did take place. By way of a preliminary, Mr. Drexel early on Sunday made a trial flight with the intention of flying over to Lord Powerscourt's house for luncheon. He was, however, persuaded not to attempt the trip in the face of the bad weather conditions. On Monday the flying was advertised to start at half-past two, but considerably before then a long continuous procession of public con veyances was wending its way to Leopardstown, each vehicle carry ing its full complement of passengers. During the entire morning the sheds were besieged by spectators anxious to get a glimpse of the machines at close quarters and to ask questions of those who had found fame in the flying of them. At three o'clock Grace brought out his Henry Farman machine. Heavy rain showers had fallen during the day, and no sooner were the propellers started than they sucked up the water from the ground, and gave everyone in the close vicinity a liberal shower-bath. In the case of Capt. Dickson's machine, the motor, which was one of the recipients of the impromptu shower-bath, seemed to resent such treatment, and refused to work satisfactorily. Capt. Dickson was, therefore, only able to make a flight of about a quarter of a mile, and this stroke of ill-luck was a great disappointment to his many Irish friends. Drexel and Grace both made several trips during the afternoon, and' indulged in some fairly high flying. Drexel got up to a height of 1,200 ft., and came down with a characteristic gliding flight, and the roar of applause which greeted this performance showed that it was greatly to the taste of the audience. Grace also demonstrated the passenger-carrying capabilities of his Farman machine. Just before the close of the flying for the day Capt. Dickson got his motor running perfectly, and then made a splendid flight, landing by a glide at a very steep angle, which startled those unaccustomed to such exploits. Practically the whole of the flying was witnessed by the Lord Lieutenant and Countess Aberdeen, who arrived with a large party soon after three and remained until close upon six o'clock. In the evening the aviators were right royally entertained at a banquet given by the Corinthian Club. A high wind on Tuesday prevented any flying before four o'clock y when Grace determined to make a flight. He rose quickly, but the gusts of winds swayed his machine considerably, and caused it to pitch and roll like a boat on a choppy sea. After completing about three miles he determined t» land, much to the relief of the spectators. Some time afterwards Mr. Grace carried several passengers for long hops along the course, and Capt. Dickson made a flight of half a milei, and finding himself unable to clear some trees, he made a very skilful landing between two closely-set wire fences. IRELAND'S INTRODUCTION TO FLIGHT. IMPRESSIONS OF AND COMMENTS ON THE LEOPARDSTOWN MEETING. By H. MASSAC BUI ST. FOR months past the spirit of flight has been abroad in Ireland, for it was plain that such a sporting people would be interested to the point of fascination in the mere audacity of man's attempt to conquer the air by riding the wind at will with machines heavier than the atmosphere. We recall, of course, that Mr. J. T. C. Moore- Brabazon, who was the first Britisher born and bred to take up flying, is an Irishman ; also that the only machine in these Islands that has been designed, built throughout, and flown by one man is Mr. Harry G. Ferguson's monoplane, which, fitted with an eight- cylinder Jap engine, carried its creator for a flight of three miles at Newcastle, Co. Down, on August 10th last. As matters in the air are stirring, it is perhaps meet that the Aero Club of Ireland should have come into being on the anniversary of the Gunpowder Treason and Plot—the fifth day of November, 1909. Eighteen miles from Belfast, Mr. J. Radley made a flight last week under unfavourable weather conditions and merely to entertain the onlookers, the result being impact between a tree and the monoplane ; while in other parts of the country an Irishman of a good old Queen's County family has flown in the person of Mr. Cecil Grace. Properly to introduce aeroplaning to the public in such a pro minent fashion as to mark the commencement of an organised movement for the fostering and development of aviation in Ireland, however, called for a more memorable and elaborate scheme. At least, that was the opinion of Mr. J. C. Percy, a founder of the Irish Aero Club. Mr. Edward White pointed out at the banquet given on Monday to those who flew at Leopardstown that the idea of the meeting was due to Mr. Percy, who further took the bull by the horns at a period when things looked very nebulous—and while yet there was no idea as to which aviators would be engaged—by securing Leopardstown racecourse, six miles out of Dublin, at his entire financial risk ; then, by his own initiative, setting to work to raise a guarantee fund of ^2,500 for the two days' flying, a task which needed the more pluck in that every day that passed brought news from abroad, and sometimes from this country, of yet another financial failure to add to a list from which there was not an omission to prove an exception to a rule. Let it be recorded at the outset, therefore, that the first Irish flying meeting witnessed the breaking of quite an unexpected record, for despite the fact that on Monday there was considerable wind and there were intermittent showers over ;£i,5co was taken in gate receipts ; while on Tuesday, when tfre wind was puffy and at times very forceful and treacherous as to direction, so that none who know anything of the matter could have anticipated flying, more than ^1,000 was taken at the gate. Thus there are substantial grounds for anticipating that when the figures shall have been checked finally this meeting will break a record in proving the first profitable venture in connection with affording the populace an opportunity of seeing flight. Sundry Factors in the Situation. It has been observed that nowadays one flying meeting is like another. As is the case with most generalities, this one is true to a certain degree only. I shall be able to show that there are many points of peculiar interest in connection with the Irish Aero Club's timely venture and which are worthy alike of remark and record. The first lesson I draw from it is that if one does not attempt to do things on too ambitious a scale both ends can be made to meet. Whether you plan a meeting for one day or for a week the weather is equally a gamble. The Irish picked two days and chanced their luck in characteristically sporting fashion. Further, thanks in no mean measure to the sound judgment, enviable diplomatic qualities and brilliant business ability of the chairman of the Irish Areo Club, Mr. John Dunville, it was decided to engage, and there only were engaged, three flying men. The fact that Mr. Drexel and Mr. Cecil Grace were secured before the opening of the Bournemouth meeting betokens remarkably astute judgment. The third man of the team was Captain Bertram Dickson. Thus there was a " Wake-Up England ! " note about the proceedings, for the organi sation did not have to recruit foreigners 'to do the flying. The demonstrators were wholly British ; though it is interesting to note that the machines and engines employed were in every case wholly French, that being the more needful in that the sole aim was to exhibit to the Irish public the degree of practicability that has been, achieved in the matter of mechanical flight at this comparatively early stage. We see, therefore, that on the one hand there was no question of engaging the self-advertising type of flyer, who co operates so excellently well with sensational journalists in furnishing exciting paragraphs for the newspapers ; and on the other hand, of setting up sheds wholesale to be occupied by mere grass-rollers. Attention was centred on three men who are rare among the bulk of aviators nowadays in being in no snobbish but in a very true sense persons of quality, in that character and breeding are abundantly manifest in the record of the behaviour of each to date in the ocean of air. The handiness of the course selected to the Irish capital was a vastly essential matter to serve the purpose of enabling the greatest possible number of people to take advantage of the venture, which had a distinct educational purpose for its chief, though not for its apparent, aim. Inasmuch, too, as Mr. J. C. Percy and his enter prising colleagues have never embarked on any motoring enterprise of the many in the record of Irish activity in this connection that has resulted in a financial failure ; naturally they were eminently desirous that the flying movement should have an equally inspiring send-off. In the Leopardstown racecourse they had ready to hand practically every facility for the handling of vast throngs of on lookers ; albeit a few took free views from the neighbourhood of the railway station abutting on the course and certain other coigns of vantage. Though not personally fond of horse-racing, the Earl of Aberdeen, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, took such a keen interest in this flying venture that on both days he brought down large Vice regal parties to the meeting. Some notion of the degree of interest that it aroused may be had from the fact that the previous record attendance at Leopardstown was on the occasion of the visit of the 7H
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