Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-04-30
RIDING IN A ''CL|DER"
Simple Flying Device Tried by
Aero Club Members.
MANY SHORT FLIGHTS MADE.
Other Experiments to Be Made With
Machines Equipped With Motors.
New Device, 1t Is Said, Can Be
Easily Operated and Constructed.


Members of an aviation committee"
from the Aero Club of America spent
the week end recently on an estate on
the north shore of Long Island expert
menting with glider" of the Her
ring model. Members of the party
were reticent about the precise loca-
ton of the experiments, but 1t is learn
ed that members of the party succeeded
in awaiting" for short flights of from
thirty to forty feet with the glider at
distance of from ten to fifteen feet
from the ground.
The delegation from the Aero club
consisted of Augustus Post and B. L.
Braine members of the aviation COM
mittee, and George II. Guy and Mr.
Ward of the club The committee was
appointed at a recent meeting in New
York of the Aero club, when Court
landt Bishop, the president. observed
that the balloon had no further worlds
to conquer and that henceforth the
mission of the club would lie in the de-
velopment of aerial fight.
The investigators arrived at the Long
Island estate early the other day. They
carried with them material for their
machine. In a few hours Mr. Braine
had put together the first glider of
the club. This consisted of a framework
eighteen feet long and five and a half
feet high as it lay on the ground, with
a width of five feet.
At the top of the machine and at the
hAffnp0 OF. =,
the upper and lower planes of the
framework In the center was a space
for a man to hang suspended by his
arms. The top cover was over his
head, while the bottom one would be
on a level with his arms as the ma
chine was in the air. The whole
weighed forty-fve pounds.
The machine was carried to the ton
of Il hill near the place of its birth
There was a stiff breeze blowing at
the time. a member of the party was
placed in the central position, while
one lifted the machine at the head and
one at the foot The passenger stood
on his own legs, with the machine par
TALLY supported in the air by the two
others. At the word all began to run.
Within a few moments the machine
would glide through the air and the
two assistants would let go Mt the
shout of the passenger
According to members of the party,
many flights We're made whose great
est distance from place of starting to
place of alightlnS was forty feet. The
machine would rise in Il curve which
gradually came to earth again. For
ward Of the suspended position of the
passenger was 4 bar which the pas
senger used to aid him in altering the
inclination Of his body and hence the
center of gravity of the whole, so that
the angle Of the muslin surfaces to air
currents was altered.
All OF the members of the aviation
expedition took turns in riding in the
machine. Further experiments will be
made to lay the ground for work with
machines which employ motor. Those
interested regarded the success of their
experiment as an example of the ease
with which such machines can be made
and operated.
The club at the present time is search
ing for 4 place where experiments may
be carried on regularly without too
great publicity.