Arizona republican., 1908-11-10
KNABENSHUE'S FLIGHT
 A SURPRISING SUCCESS
SOMETHING THE PHOENEclANS
 NEVER SAW BEFORE.
The Marvellous Grip the Inventor Maintains on the Movements of His Airship.

The airship did go up, and it was a surprise to many of the visitors who thought it was merely an adver- tised special, to be viewed in tent possibly filled with air instead of gas. Although quite a breeze was blowing during the early morning hours. the wind went down and Roy Knabenshue. the daredevil aeronaut, decided to make the fight that had been advertised by the fair manage ment. To say that the trip was a success would be only a mild inter pretation of the enthusiasm that was created by the soaring wonder of the air as it made a complete tour of the city and returned to the fair grounds
 more majestically beautiful scene has never before been witnessed in Phoenix. To the populace who were on the outlook for the Mechanical Bird of the Air" the doubt as to it's possibilities so far as the navigator of the air is concerned, were re- moved, and the wonderful demonstra- tion of the inventors complete con- trol of his machine. was a surprise
 Knabenshue stated to a Republican reporter that the flight he made yes terday was a source of great pleasure to him. His original intention after leaving the ground was to make a short flight and possibly encircIe the dome of the capitol building, but owing to adverse surface air currents he Was not sure that this trip would be possible. Wishing. however, to make a test in midair of the rudders and propellers. and finding the air currents more favorable as he as- cended, he decided to make a trip to the city, which he accomplished to the intense satisfaction of all who were the fortunate observers. To see the machine in the air majestically sailing between earth and the here after. which some expect to visit later on, was a sight that is only witnessed once in a lifetime.
 It must be remembered that when the ship is in the air it must be per fectly balanced and counter balanced For instance, if the gas bag, which offers great resistance to the air, is tilted upwards, Knabenshue must, as he says. run the frame and balance the ship
 Now, imagine a small triangular frame work consisting of three and one-half inch wooden rods, suspended by a light cord from the network of the gas bag-and then imagine a man walking backwards and forwards from one end of this frail frame to the other, no platform to walk Ifpon, only the frame work; no supports to hold to except the center rod of the frame or the apex of the triangle.
 There is just space. beneath, above and below, and the ship plunging sometimes almost perpendicularly. When this occurs. it IS just a case of hang on as the trapeze performer does in his circus exhibition. only the distance from the ground in the case of the airship is greater and | there is no net to catch the unfortu- nate performer who might miss his hold and fall.
 The airship yesterday made an en- | tire circuit of the city, giving those who were otherwise engaged | chance to see the flight and proving | to the visitors that in advertising the | fair the management had made no misrepresentations, so far as its at fractions are concerned.
 Knabenshue will endeavor to make | a flight every day from his tent on | the fair grounds, and as weather conditions seem most favorable he may do some surprising stunts in the | air. The apparent ease with which | Kuazenshue guides and controls the movements of his ship are marvellous | to all who saw him in the air yes fnrlnn-