Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-09-11
Made by 0rviI|e Wright
In His Aerop|ane.
Stays In All 65 Minutes, 81
Seconds, al Fort Myer.
SIfaaI Corps Officers Think the
Machine VIII Earn Big Bonus.

Wright today broke the worlds record
for time and distance for a heavier
than air flying machine which he es-
tablished yesterday. In a flight re-
quiring great skill on account of a
10-mile wind he circied around the
drill grounds at Fort Myer SO times in
65 minutes and So seconds, exceeding
the time OF yesterdays record flight
by minutes and 81 seconds. The
fight was witnessed by nearly 1000
people.
Throughout the day the weather was
threatening and Mr.. Wright did not
arrive at the field until after 4 o'clock
The machine was wheeled across the
field on the detachable wheels and
placed on the starting track. At j
o'clock Mr. Wright announced that he
was ready.
Are you going to try to break the
record which you made yesJerday?'
he was asked.
NO" he replied, Il am going ur
just for a little practice. l may make
q flight of 10 minutes to determine a,
what rate Of speed l have been flying
The wind was blowing only about
three miles an hour when Mr. Wright
prepared to make his flight The
mounted soldiers who kept the field
clear during the flights took theil
places and Mr. Wright started the
motor.
At 5.56 Mr.. Wright signalled c. f
Taylor, his mechanic. to release the
machine. The aeroplane rose from
the ground almost Immediately off tn.
single starting rail and continued tt
climb higher with each successive
round of the field until it reached al
altitude of Is feet For the first 81
rounds the machine flew as smoothly
as on it's previous flights. but from
that time on, it was seen to pitch a.
the turns as the breeze from the wes
struck 1t. AS the machine moved from
the northern end of the field to thu
southern end. where the. Auto garage
for storing the aeroplane is situated
Mr.. Wright kept it several points il
the wind
Whenever the machine pitched i
could be plainly seen from below tha
1t responded promptly to every move
of the levers by the operator. One o
Mr.. Wright's assistants marked tn
time in large figures at intervals OF
the roof of a shed, so that Mr. Wrigh
might see how long Ne had been il
the air.
A gust of wind unusually stronl
struck the machine during the Az
round and 1t plunged sharply. causinl
the crowd alarm. Mr. Wright thel
brought his machine lower. but on tn
SD round he had reached an altitude
of 200 feet
When he completed the saith roun,
he had beaten his record established
by the morning fight of yesterday
The crowd gave a lusty cheer.
Mr.. Wright came down at the north
ern end of the field at the end of tn
5sth round. landing easily Majo
Squire. acting chief signal officer
pressed forward to congratulate th
navigator and the newspaper mel
gathered about to hear what Mr.
Wright had to say about the flight.
II encountered a stiff breeze" wer
his first words. His eyes were blood
shot and caused him considerable
pain.
Flying in wind as I did today 1
lots Of fun. It's lots more sport thar
flying in a calm as yesterday. Th
wind must have been blowing 15 o
more miles an nour as could tell b,
the quartering of the machine. I KEEP
much higher than usual on account o
the wind"
signal corps officers at the war de
partment today expressed the belle
that Orville Wright will make a spec
of at least AZ miles an hour with hi
machine. This is based on their obser
walton of Mr.. Wrights record -breakin;
experiment Yesterday. If he does max
AZ miles an hour. he will be entitled t
a bonus of, 20 per cent. over the con
tract price. which would net him fo
his machine $780, 900. the contract pric
heing $25. 900. The speed is to be takel
on a measured course of more thai
five miles against and with the wind
The start isIto be flying one. the ma
chine to pass the starting point at full
speed at both ends of the course.
The official trials will be had as sool
as Mr. Wright announces his readiness
He will probably make preliminar!
flights for week or more before III
tests the aeroplane before the arm.
board.