The Washington times., 1908-09-12
Aviator Changes Gear, in
Hope Of Beating Forty
Miles an Hour.
SPENDS MORNING
WITH OLD FRIEND
Last Flight Makes New Record,
and Shows Inventors Com
plete Mastery of the Air.

Not satisfied with the speed Of 50 s.
miles an hour. made last evening Ia
the fou:th of his record-breaking flights,
OrviGe W. Ght set his assistants to-
work tiis mCrning. changing the gear
of his t.:Tship so that he may Ky to
surpass tat speed this afternoon. Mr.
Wright osTI5sd a little disappointed lasI
night VneD he found that he had not
made more than forty miles an hear,
ana rem arlIed that at KittyhawlI one
Of his serUpianes made foTty-four miles,
wiEd coldigion rs being less satisfactory
there than at Fort Myer.
bsr. Wright expects that the change
iu the gear Of the aeroplane viii enable
him 10 make at least forty-twO miles
an hour and probably even more. il
he sEoves ais engine up - the limit
capacity. He has been running the eu-
gine on three-quarter power and thinks
that by the alteration in the gearing
and by showing the motive power up
70 the limit. ne can easily equal the
highest speed he ever has made.
The change viii be completed this az
ternoon IN time for the regular evening
fight, and unless something entirely un-
fOreseen turns up, Wright again viii try
10 better his speed record, and VIII at
tempt TO show the army experts that
he can make more than for'y miles II
he so desires.
Not To Be Official
The fight will not be official, however,
since Wright has mad no opportunity
Of trying the higher gear. and since he
has made no formal request tc the
board Of officers in charge of the tests
for an official trial
If everything works out smoothly this
evening. however and Wright has not
only a chance to make a good speed
flight. but has an opportunity OF carr
ing passenger Tor moderately long
voyage, he probably viii begin bis Of
fetal trials next week although he IS
not ready yet 90 say exactly when he
viii be prepared.
Wright forgot all about his aeroplane
this morning. and showed that ne has
TO fear for its safety Ia the hands Of
his assistants, by spending the morning
with his old friend Octave Ehanute. the
man who first started the two brothers
on their wonderful lnCursiOnS into the
field Of practical flying 1t was Chan
ute. who gave the Wright brothers
their first insight into the possibilities
OF the glide" and IL is to him. more
than TO any other man. perhaps, that
the brothers owe their wonderful sue
| cess.
GTeets His Benafactor.
So this morning, Wright who has
| Just conquered the air In the most won
derful flights in history, strolled about
/ the city with Chanute, who had conf
dence in the two brothers.
Chanute was ore Of the most inter
/ ested spectators at the flights last even
| ing. He was one of the first TO con
gratulate Wright, who was evidently
very glad to see his old preceptor.
VIII Favor Herring.
| Secretary of War Luke r. Wright,
acting upon the recommendation of the
1 Boaro cf Signal Corps officers in charge
/ Of tie airsnip tests at Fort Myer, will
| grant TO A. NJ Herring. the aviator,
| the extension OF time requested in q
| telegram to the War Department yes
| terday.
Although the matter has not come Of
/ fciaIy to the Secretary Of War, he
| said this morning that if the board has
| recommended the granting of an ex-
| tension, he Will approve it The board,
] II is understood, is not ayerse to the
/ tIengthening OF HeTTings contract time,
/ for the reason that il does not care to
have two aeroplanists operating at Fort
/ Nyer at the same time.
| This action viii mean that Herring
] will not now come 10 Washington until
4 the second week in October, and that
| when he does arrive the air flights viii
/ we'll into November. Herring will be
due here on October 13, and will have
until November Is % comply with the
! Government TequiI ements-
Has Complete Control
| Wright demonstrated yesterday after
noon that he has comrt rtete control OF his
/ machine. and, apparently. is n a posi-
/ ton TO smash records every time lie
/ shoots into the air. One hoIr, 10 min
| utes and % seconds for continuous
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