FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1911
1911 - 0047.PDF
JANUARY 21, 1911. JycfiT] FROM THE BRITISH FLYING GROUNDS. aviators left Eastchurch about twelve, covered the first six miles in ten minutes, crossed the Swale near the railway bridge, and soon after ran into a bank of fog which completely obscured the ground, and left them dependent on their compass alone. Dropping till they were able to discern the railway, they crossed it and made towards the Medway, which they had intended to strike about a mile south of Chatham. Owing to the mist, they went too much to the south, and emerging from the fog bank, found themselves confronted with thickly wooded high rising ground. Judging it impossible to rise sufficiently quickly to clear this obstacle, Capt. Wood thought it wise to come down about 4 miles south of Chatham, by which time he had covered roughly 25 miles by compass alone. The flight was abandoned with great reluctance, as the machine was flying perfectly and the Gnome engine pulling splendidly, and had it not been for the fog they would have, without question, found no difficulty in reaching their destination. Very soon after the departure of the Bristol machine, Mr. McClean arrived from town, and immediately went out on one of his Short biplanes. After a trial flight alone, he took up Mr. George Devenish, of Mitcham, for a spin of about 5 minutes. After lunch Mr. Devenish again took the passenger's seat, and the two leaving the aerodrome at a height of from 300 to 400 feet flew round Capel Hill, which is 3 miles away in Shellbeach direction. On returning Mr. McClean circled the ground two or three times, and then planed to earth opposite his shed. ivir. Travers was also taken up for a fine flight of 7 minutes' duration, the combined weight of pilot and passenger being nearly 26 stone. This Short machine is the machine that Mr. McClean intended to use for the De Forest Prize, except that it is now fitted with a Gnome engine. Mr. McClean afterwards made a solo ascent, flying over Minster at a height of a thousand feet. He travelled as far as Sheerness east. On returning to the ground he remarked that the fog was so thick high up that he entirely lost sight of the earth, and had to repeatedly make downward glides before he could discover his whereabouts. He purposely avoided flying over the town of Sheerness. Experimental work is taking place in a large number of the sheds, and it is apparent that the Eastchurch ground is especially suited for this class of work, there being not the slightest fear of annoyance or interruption during private work. Brooklands Aerodrome. ALTHOUGH, generally speaking, Brooklands provided a busy scene on most days last week, especially at the latter end of the week, Saturday eclipsed them all. Practically every occupant of the sheds at Brooklands was on the ground on that day and taking the utmost advantage of the calm weather. Ample ocular demon strations were provided too of the way in which the flyers at Brooklands have progressed, for a good many of them ventured outside the ground in the direction of Hurst Park, &c. One of the first out in the morning was Mr. Sopwith, who was flying his Howard Wright machine, and made several trips accompanied by passengers, and shortly afterwards Mr. Ducrocq was following his example on hi? Henry Farman biplane. Several other machines Lieut. 'Watkins, with Mr. Cecil Pashley as passenger, just prior to a flight at Brooklands last Saturday on Capt. Mait- land's "No. 2" Howard Wright. Royal Aero Club Flying Ground, Eastchurch. WITH the exception of a flight on the Bristol machine, there was no flying here early in the week. The weather cleared, however, on Saturday. Capt. Wood, 9th Lancers, then made an attempt to fly from Eastchurch to Brooklands, carrying a passenger on a military type Bristol biplane, the idea being that the aviators should change seats at a stopping place half way on the journey. There being a considerable wind off the sea, a preliminary flight was made to Queenborough and back, a distance of about 12 miles, with Mr. Pizey as passenger, when the machine flew so well that, in spite of the somewhat adverse climatic conditions in the way of mist and a tricky wind along the coast, and of the fact that it was the first time Capt. Wood had been on this type of machine, he decided to set out for Brooklands, accompanied by Mr. Low as passenger. The Lieut. Watkins flying well at Brooklands on Saturday last on Capt. Maltland's "No. 2" Howard Wright. 49. c 2
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
