Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-06
WILL COME THIS WEEK
Herring Says His Aerop|ane
Will Be Ready on Time.
OBJECTS TO FORT MYER
Would Prefer to Make His Flights
on Hampstead Plains.
WILL FLY AT LOW ELEVATION
Lightest of Heavier-Than-Air Ma
chines-Wiu Weigh, Fully Equip
ped, Only 200 Pounds.
WILL FLY AT LOW ELEVATION

ped, Only 200 Pounds.
NEW YORK. October Ga. NJ. Herring,
whose aeroplane is due in Washington
next Tuesday to undergo its preliminary
trials and tests for acceptance BY the
government, says that he will be READY
on time. There is a bare possibility that
ne may be permitted to make some, If not
all. Of his testing flights at some other
place than the Fort Myer grounds. Per-
sonally, Mr.. Herring is not pleased with
the prospect OF flying at Fort Myer. HIS
criticism of the grounds all along, even
before the Wright aeroplane accident. has
been that the available flying circuit is
too restricted, necesstating too many
and too sharp turns for trying out most
successfully and safely a high-speed fly
ing machine.
Herring Coming This Week.
No word has yet come from the War
Department that any change will be made,
but before assembling his machine Mr..
Herring is going to discuss the matter
thoroughly with Maj. George o. Squier
and others of the Signal Corps. Mr.. Her
ring will go to Washington toward the
end of this week, taking a part or ms
machine with him, Just to let the OIL
Gals know that l mean business and am
prepared with the right kind of ma
chine he added.
Mr.. Herring would prefer to make his
long distance flights on the Hampstead
plains. where a wide circuit can readily
be obtained, free from trees and buildings,
and safe tests made at high speed
Flights at Low Elevation.
;v,fn Of ArSf
Herring, Ito fly at a very low eleva-
tion probably not more than two or three
feet above the ground. The reason for
this will be to test the operation of the
machine in every detail. Although every
mechanical precision, it Is quite possible
that in actual operation slight adjust
ments may be necessary, and II anything
should go wrong it Is naturally better to
be near the ground instead of high in the
air. l want, moreover be near enough
the ground SO that if any difficulty does
arise the machine will strike the ground
without diving or turning over. Going
against the wind there viii be no danger
to the machine or operator in hitting the
ground, and practically little danger with
the wind if the velocity be not too great.
Alleged Danger at Fort Myer.
Mr.. Herring asserted that many Of the
Wright in his fights prior to the acct
dent were due to the necessity of watch
ing for the right time to make the sharp
turns and being prepared to negotiate
them safely on the instant. Octave
Chanute who witnessed all of the Fort
Myer flights. said last week while in the
city that Mr.. Herring's criticism was
we'll taken. as Fort Myer did not present
ideal or reallyysafe conditions for high
speed flight.
1.-The government is as anxious as
am to get the very best results from
these aeroplane flights continued Mr..
Herring, land that is the reason why
chine to show the army officials and give
them an object lesson of its possibilities.
Lightest Of Aeroplanes.
The public appearance of Mr.. Herring's
aeroplane has been awaited with the keen
est interest by every one who has kept
in close touch with the progress of
heavier-than-air machines. 1t will contain
several features totally different from
the Wright machine. It's most radical de-
parture, however, will be in the excep-
tionally light weight of the machine and
it's motor. The motor is the lightest aso-
line motor ever made in the world, weigh
ing less than a pound to the horsepower.
The two motors with which the machine
will be equipped. of five cylinders each
and capable of giving, when running in
unison. forty horsepower, will weigh but
thirty-nine pounds. The machine fully
equipped for flight will weigh only POO
pounds, while the Wright machine weighs
a trifie over 800 pounds without the oper-
ator.
The Herring aeroplane will. therefore.
be the highest aeroplane that has ever
attempted to fly. 1t will be 261s feet long
and capable of carrying two persons. BY
adding additional sections Mr.. Herring
can increase the length to "a feet Its
maximum speed is expected to be forty
five miles an hour.
Flight Over English Channel.
Speaking Of North Northcliffes recent
offer of a prize Of 800 for an aeroplane
flight across the English channel, Mr..
Herring said he fully believed the flight
would be successfully made within a
short time. He thought. however. that
the prize was too small for the present.
IF the Wright machine. for instance.
should fall into the water 1t would be
badly damaged, said Mr.. Herring.
Naval Aeroplanes.
But the time will soon come when aero
planes will be made for naval purposes,
and they will be so constructed that they
can alight upon the water with perfect
safety. Indeed. it is even possible that
they may be able to start again from the
water: but that is in the future. Next
year. think, we may expect to see aero
planes built for naval use. With the sue
cess of the aeropane assured for the
army, the navy will not stand idly by
without securing the advantages of aero
planes for use on the water. Slight
changes in construction and the WORKING
out of certain mechanical details will be
necessary for naval aerOplaneS: but now
fh.4ff he a mi n a 1rfn ci q
established and long flights are sure to be
perfectly feasible. these improvements
will not be long in coming"