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Aviation History
1914
1914 - 0438.PDF
Merriam made a test, Tuesday, and then gave tuition to Lieut. Smithies (3) and Mr. Racine Jacques, when the wind prevented further tuition. Wednesday, passenger tuition to Lieut. Smithies and Lieut. Britten. Busteed left for Farnborough on the Bristol scout. Thursday, Merriam up behind Lieut. Smithies on two occasions, and this pupil then made his first solos, with excellent landings. Mr. Lucas was taken for his first trip, after which the wind was too strong for school work. Busteed returned from Farnborough on the Scout machine. Friday and Saturday, no tuition possible owing to the bad weather. Vlckers School.—Tuesday, last week, Barnwell and Knight on biplanes with Comte Fitzjames, Capt. Phillips, and Mr. Dawson. Comte Fitzjames and Mr. Wilberforce solos. Wednesday, Barnwell, Knight, Elsdon, and Webb tuition on biplanes to Messrs. Dawson and Murray and Capt. Phillips. , Comte Fitzjames and Mr. Dawson solos. Barnwell, Elsdon, and Mr. Hinshelwood on Bleriot mono. Knight on biplane, Thursday, with Mr. Murray. Comte Fitzjames solo. Mr. Wilberforce, Comte Fitzjames, and Mr. Dawson each went through their brevet tests in fine style. Saturday, Barnwell and Knight on biplanes with Messrs. Murray, Underhill, and Liddell (new pupil). Lieut. Acland and Mr. Underhill solos on biplane. Sunbeam Activity.—The 100 h.p. Sunbeam-engined Maurice Farman, piloted by J. Alcock, at Brooklands aerodrome on Monday last week was flying all day with and without passengers, also cross-country and exhibition flights. Tuesday, there was cross-country flying and exhibition flying. Wednesday, fine exhibition flights during the day. Cross-country flights with Mr. J. Robins again Friday, also exhibition flights during the day. Saturday, exhibition and cross-country flying during the day. Two flights were made Sunday in the wind with Mr. J. C. Robins, when the magneto gave trouble, so flying was ended for the day. London Aerodrome, Collindale Avenue, Hendon. Grahame-White School.—Sunday, last week, Prince Sapieha solo circuits, and on Tuesday Prince Sapieha solo circuits, &c, again. Mr. Smiles straights with Instructor Cripps and alone. Mr. A. Boyesen (new pupil) rolling with Instructor Cripps. Wednesday, Prince Sapieha solo circuits, &c, afterwards going in for brevet tests and gaining his certificate. Major Piercy and Mr. Smiles straights with Mr. Cripps. Mr. Parker solo circuits and figures of eight. Mr. A. Boyesen rolling alone. Thursday, Messrs. Moore, Boyesen, Cowley, and Robinson straights with Instructor Birchenough. Mr. Smiles and Major Piercy solo straights. Mr. Parker circuits. Beatty School.—During last week work done by pupils on dual control Wright biplane with Instructor M. Baumann was : Mr. Ding 13 mins., Monday ; Tuesday, Messrs. Ding, 22 mins. ; F. Ruffy ® ® FLYING AT THURSDAY of last week was the occasion of the first weekly meetings. A very good attendance resulted, including over 100 persons connected with the Daily Sketch scholarship scheme, who arrived in three large motor observation cars. Proceedings opened at about 3.30 p.m. with a demonstration of looping by R. H. Carr .on the Grahame-White tractor biplane " Lizzie," and exhibitions by W. Birchenough on the 50 h.p. G.-W. 'bus, and J. L. Hall on his 50 h.p. Avro. Later, F. W. Goodden put up some looping on the 60 h.p. Caudron, whilst Carr, Louis Noel, and L. A. Strange each took up a passenger on the G.-W. tractor, the 80h.p. Morane- Saulnier, and the bi-rudder 'bus respectively. Birchenough also took up a passenger on the latter machine, and R. J. Lillywhite made a flight on 'bus 109. More passengers were then taken up by Marty on the Bleriot, Noel, Carr, Birchenough and Goodden, and flights were made by Hall on the Avro and N. Howarth on 'bus 109. A biplane speed handicap round six laps of the aerodrome was then flown, but as there were only two biplanes available, two monoplanes pretended to be biplanes for the occasion. Birchenough on the 'bus was limit man, Carr on " Lizzie " starting second, then Strange on the 80 h.p. Bleriot, and Marty on the 60 h.p. Morane-Saulnier last. Noel was at scratch, but did not start owing to adjustments having to be made to the 80 h.p. Morane-Saulnier. Birchenough got home first with Marty and Carr second and third fairly close behind—Mr. Gates proving to be quite a successful handicapper. After the race Noel started off on the 80 h.p. Morane-Saulnier with the Prince Leon Sapieha as passenger. Noel made two successful loops at about 600 ft., and then started a spiral descent, but when approaching the ground it was noticed that the machine was banking over steeper than usual. Noel was apparently unable to flatten out, and the machine made a terrific side-slip to (new pupil), 15 mins. ; Messrs. Stewart and Watts each 15 mins. Wednesday, Messrs. Ding, 31 mins. ; Bentley, 15 mins. ; Ruffy, 15 mins. ; Stewart and Watts, 15 mins. each. Thursday, Messrs. Ding, 10 mins. ; Ruffy, 18 mins. ; Bentley, 9 mins. ; Stewart, 10 mins. ; Watts, 12 mins. During the Wednesday morning training Mr. Ding was doing figures of eight in good style, and made some good landings. Mr. Bentley making good progress. W. H. bwen School.—On Monday, last week, school was out at 6 a.m. On 35 h.p. Caudron No. 1 Mr. Warren test flight, after which Messrs. G. Carruthers and F. Curtis did straights. At 6 a.m. Tuesday Mr. F. W. Goodden test flight on brevet machine, followed by Mr. Curtis doing circuits. On 35 h.p. Caudron No. 1 Mr. Warren test flight, after which Mr. Carruthers did half circuits and circuits. School out at 5 a.m. Wednesday. Mr. Curtis circuits and figure eights at 400 ft. on brevet machine. On 35 h.p. Caudron No. I, Mr. Warren test flight, Mr. G. Carruthers circuits, Mr. Verney and M. Vittoz-Gallet rolling. On Thursday school out at 6 a.m. Mr. Curtis on brevet machine doing circuits and figure eights to 500 ft., landing with volplani. Hall School.—Owing to the school being closed for Easter vacation there was very little practice last week. However, Messrs. Roy Gibson and Haines put in an appearance and executed several straights on Bleriot Penguin. Haines, trying conclusions with No. 1 pylon, forgot to switch off, and successfully damaged both machine and pylon. J. L. Hall was flying the Avro repeatedly during the last few days of week, taking several passengers. Salisbury Plain. Bristol School.—Monday, last week, school closed for Easter. Tuesday, solos were made during the day by Capt. Walcot, Lieut. Myburgh (2), Lieut. Rabagliatt (2), and Lieut. Bolitho; passenger tuition was given to Capt. Walcot, Mr. Hay and Mr. Parker. School work was curtailed owing to the strong wind. After tests had been made Wednesday by Jullerot and Voigt, Lieut. Bolitho and Lieut. Harman both flew for their certificates, which they succeeded in obtaining. Tuition was given to Mr. Parker (2), Mr. Hay (2), Lieut. Rabagliati, solos being made by Lieut. Rabagliati (3), Lieut. Myburgh (3), and Mr. Hay. No .tuition was possible on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, owing to the weather being too bad. Shoreham Aerodrome. Pashley School.—A strong wind stopped pupils doing much work during past week. Up with instructor : Wright, Dawson, Gray, Mortimer. Straights : Wright, Gray and Mortimer. Cir cuits : Excellent circuits by Mr Hale at 1,000 ft. Instructor for week : C. L. Pashley. Mr. Pashley took a passenger to Brighton to see the hydroplane. He left at 2,000 ft. and landed on the Hove lawns. A great crowd collected, and with their help some railings were removed and the return journey accomplished. ® ® HENDON. the ground close to No. 1 pylon. The left wing struck the ground first, crumpled up, then the machine bounced on to the right wing, and then on to the tail, and finally settled down right side up a crumpled mass of dibris about 30 yards from where it first struck the ground. On reaching the wreck it was with some considerable surprise and relief we found that both pilot and passenger were alive and apparently but slightly injured. It was indeed a remarkable escape, which seemed all the more remarkable considering the difficulty that was experienced in extricating them from the wreckage. The only injuries received were cuts about the face, and in Noel's case the legs as well. Within an hour of the smash, both were walking about, shaken but happy ! Unfortunately, the the one thing in connection with this accident that both pilot and passenger did not wish to occur, happened—that is, reports that they were seriously injured appeared in some of the evening papers. Such reports as these soon spread, especially abroad, when the victim happens to be a foreigner, resulting in much unnecessary grief to relatives and friends. No doubt the person or persons responsible for the sending out of this report witnessed the smash from afar, and as it certainly did look pretty hopeless, they jumped to the conclusion that it was more serious than it really was. Quite an hour was spent by the aerodrome Press representative in clearing up this matter, and informing the various agencies that it was only a matter of slight injuries, but still we cannot help thinking that much of this trouble could have been avoided if, immediately after the smash, announcement had been made to both the spectators and the Press how matters stood. As it was, many left the aerodrome under the impression that the victims were either killed or not likely to recover. However, all's well that ends well. As soon as it was found that the Prince and Noel were all right 438
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