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Aviation History
1911
1911 - 0090.PDF
(/ygHT] FEBRUARY 4, 1911. Valkyries were also out—the instructor making short flights and giving instruction to his pupils. Greswell, who has made such rapid progress of late, had the Grahame-White E.N.V. Bleriot out and ascended, flying three circuits very prettily, terminating by gliding down to earth from 70 ft. It was blowing very hard all day Wednesday, preventing any attempt at flight. Thursday was very bright, but the wind had not moderated in the slightest. Nothing took place until 4.30, when Mr. Grahame- White arrived. A very treacherous 30 mile an hour wind was then blowing, but in spite of this he resolved to bring out the British E.N.V. Farman. The engine was started, and he rolled to the far side of the ground in order to get a run into the wind. Almost as soon as he turned head on, the machine lifted, and so great was the force of the wind that it was with evident difficulty that the machine was got to the end of the aerodrome. Pitching and rolling in an alarming fashion, he made a turn and swept back to the hangars at a speed approaching 70 miles an hour. Having evidently satisfied his desire to fly, he brought the machine to earth after one circuit and retired to the hangars. It was misty early on Saturday morning, but towards 10 o'clock the sun broke through, dispersing the fog. Greswell was the first to make an appearance. Flying the Grahame-White school E.N.V. Bleriot, he mounted, in the course of a ten minute flight, to a height of 150 feet, finally gliding to earth and landing with his engine stopped. It is worthy of note that this was his first attempt at a vol plant on a Bleriot. He did not remain at rest long, however, but quickly rose again, repeating the same manoeuvre. After lunch Greswell mounted the Gnome Bleriot or the first time and made a cross country trip of about 20 minutes, almost going out of sight in the direction of Golders Green. Returning to the aerodrome at an altitude of 150 feet he alighted en vol plain:. He gave up his seat to Mr. C. Grahame- White, who then made his first flight on a Bleriot since his return from America. Rising at a sharp angle he flew around outside the aerodrome, remaining up for about a quarter of an hour, then coming to earth with one of hi6 characteristic vol planh. The Valkyrie passenger-carrying machine was very much in evidence during the day doing good work, Mr. Barber making several trips with and without passengers. Maj.-Gen. Baden-Powell and Mr. Holt Thomas were taken for flights on this machine, and on alighting, both expressed them selves delighted with its steady behaviour in the air. Several clever flights in the form of a figure eight were made, the right ® & A New British Michelin Prize. AT the Royal Aero Club Dinner, on Tuesday night, an announcement was made with regard to a new competition for prizes offered by the Michelin Tyre Co. The prizes will be awarded to the competitor who covers, before October 15th of each year, a given cross-country circuit in the least time. For this year the prize will be ^400 and a trophy, and the minimum distance to be flown 125 miles. For 1912 the prize will be increased to ^600, while the minimum distance will be increased by one half, and in 1913 there will be a further increase of distance, and the prize will be ;£8oo. These prizes are reserved for British flyers on British- built machines. A £500 Prize for "Safety." ON the same occasion as the above, Mr. Edward Manville, following upon the suggestion of the Chairman, the Duke of Argyll, that what was wanted was a "fool-proof" aeropkne, offered a cash prize of ,£500 for a " safety " machine to be all-British, and the competition to i>e open during 1911. The detailed regulations will no doubt be published later. ® © AERONAUTICAL AGAIN it is a pleasure to announce the appearance of yet another of these admirable little volumes, which must surely find a place among it* fellows on the bookshelves of everyone genuinely interested in flight. This particular work deals with Percy S. Pilcher and John Stringfellow, but why they should have been put together is somewhat of a mystery, for each occupies enough space to make a little book of its own, and surely it were worth paying a shilling to the memory of each of these deservedly famous men. Percy Pilcher was the first Englishman to seriously take up gliding, and was contemporary with Lilienthal, whose machines he flew. His own gliders were not unlike those of Lilienthal, although hand turns being very steady and sharp. Clement Greswell got going on the E.N.V. Bleriot and thrilled the crowd by gliding down to within a few feet of them, and then going aloft without touching ground. Grahame-White, on descending, invited M. Prier to fly his Gnome Bleriot. He readily assented and within six minutes was at a height of quite 3,000 ft. His descent was remarkably pretty and well judged, taking the form of a very slow spiral vol plant!. His time for descent was 2 mins. 40 sees. Greswell then took over the same machine, and for about 10 minutes indulged in trick flying, landing eventually from 600 ft. with his propeller at rest. As soon as he alighted Grahame-White got into the pilot's seat, and getting away quickly was soon lost to sight in the direction of the Edgware Road. After 15 minutes he reiurned, having been for a little tour of inspection over the surrounding country. Meanwhile Mr. Barber had done some pretty flights on the Valkyrie. He seemed to be flying with very great confidence, and ventured much higher than usual, alighting occasionally en vol plane. Messrs. Herbert and Martin had been practising on the old " Blue Bird," and were successful in making good straight flights. Greswell was the last to retire, and by a 15 minute flight, termin ating, as usual, with a faultless guide to earth, completed about the busiest day's flying yet seen at Hendon. Salisbury Plain. THERE is not a great deal of work to record at Salisbury Plain last week, although M. Tetard was out several times on the Bristol biplane. Saturday morning was beautiful and sunshiny and M. Tetard was up early, flying at a height of about 1,600 ft. around Stonehenye, Amesbury, Bulford Camp, &c. In the afterooon he was out with Versepuy, and flying very high made two complete circles of about 115 miles each. M. Louis Maron was flying for the first time alone and after making several straight line flights rose to a height of 120 feet and completed a circle of about 8 miles circumference. In the evening Tetard with Versepuy as passenger made a cross-country flight of 55 minuies at a height of 2,100 feet. Afcer only having been in a biplane on five occasions Lieut. Conner was flying for his pilot's certificate. Captain Fulton was at Larkhill on Saturday, looking well after his recent trip to France, for the purpose of testing the Paulhan machine purchased by the British Government. No flying was possible on Monday owing to the rough winds but all the flyers were busy in the sheds tuning up their motors in anticipation of fine weather. & ® £1,000 in Piizes for the Army and Navy. A GENEROUS prize of ^1,000 has been offered by Mr. Mortimer Singer, the aviator who last year met with such a serious accident when flying at Heliop.ilis, half each for the Army and Navy. These prizes of .£500 will be awarded to the army pilot or navy pilot respectively who fly, while on the active list, the longest distance during 1911. Brooklands Cross-country Prize. A NEW prize has been offered by the Brooklands Automobile Racing Club for a cross-country flight between the Royal Aero Club's Ground at Eastchurch and ihe Brooklands Aerodrome. The flight may be made on any Saturday in February, or on any of the first three Saturdays in March. Competitors may start when they like, but they must land at Brooklands betwein 2 p.m. and sunset. The time will be taken from the moment of leaving th<- ground at Eastchurch until the time for alighting at Brooklands, and the prize of £%o will be awarded to the aviator making the fastest time. Forty-eight hours' notice of prospective attempts must be given to the Brooklands Club. <*) # CLASSICS, NO. 5. distinctly original in design. Unfortunately, Pilcher met with a fatal accident during one of his experiments, and England was thereby deprived of a man whose energy and enthusiasm wuuld unquestionably have gone far to have prevented the somewhat noticeable absence of this country from the pages of the history of aviation from Lilienthal's time until quite recently. Of the aeronautical work of John Stringfellow a fair amount is known, but this particular volume contains several hitherto unpublished letters of considerable interest. To the credit of England be it remembered that Stringfellow made the first engine- driven aeroplane that flew. NEW BRITISH PRIZES. 92
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