Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-02
AEROPLANE MAY FLY TO-DAY
FIFTEEN-MILE WIND PREVENTS
ATTEMPT THIS MORNING.
Wilbur Wright Will Go Up Alone
the First Few Times, for
Airships Are Cranky.

The Wright aeropane over which
Brother Wilbur has been working at Fort
Myer ever since Capt. Baldwin's dirigible
completed its official trial flights, proba-
bly, will be put through its PAGES late this
afternoon. The aeroplane was assembled
in the balloon tent, on the fort parade
ground. early this morning and II was
hoped flight could be made right away,
for conditions appeared favorable. but
the wind increased to fifteen miles an
hour and in the wrong direction. too, SD
there was nothing doing. Advantage will
be taken of the calm which usually comes
toward sunset.
Mr. Wright will put the starting track
in the northeast corner of the drill
ground, as the prevailing wind is from
the south, which VIII give the machine
the desired rise in the face OF II. He will
be alone on the first few flights. as this
particular machine has never flown be-
for and each one. the aviator says, has
its own idiosyncrasies.
How the Thing Starts.
The little track from which the start OF
the flight is made Is monorail about Id
feet long. but the machine usually leaves
the rail before it has gone fifty feet. 1t
runs on a small single wheel car till the
flight starts. when the car drops and the
machine goes on by itself.
When the aeroplane descends the track
always has been used to start II agar.
but there is a chance that a piece ct
ground could be found favorably located
for making start without the track. Mr..
Wright thinks he can start from the sidc
of steep hill. although this never has
been done. 1t is one of the experiments
that the signal service will try with the
machine after the government has ac-
CURED it.
The machine with one operator on board
must make about twenty-siE miles an
hour in order to stay in the air. Thirty
six miles is the minimum speed that will
be accepted, and the hope Is that the ma
chine Will make over forty miles with
two men on board. The flight will be
over five-mle course and the wind We
locity will be allowed for In calculating
the speed.
Balloonists Get Away.
After waiting all night for favorable
wind, the signal service officers got of
this morning in one OF the new spheri-
cal balloons and drifted in the direction
of Baltimore. The fight was merely
matter of economy to use up the hydro
gen in the Baldwin diiigtble. of which
there were about $4,000 cubic feet. IL
was question of using It In balloon
flight or turning it out In the air. II was
decided to empty it into one Of the spher-
ical balloons and give some Of the officers
a flight.
Lieut.. Lahm is hardened old balloon
ist but Lieut.. Foulois, although he has
been running the engine Of the dirigible.
never had made a free balloon flight.
An attempt was made to put up the ball
loon last night, but the weather was
foggy and the air absolutely still. so the
attempt was postponed until this morn
ing.
The big yellow bag swung at its moor
ings all night and the officers slept at the
post Conditions were more favorable
this morning and at SGT the bag was bal
lasted. Lieut.. Lahm was the pilot and
took with him as passengers Lieut.. Self
ridge and Lieut.. Fouois. 1t was rather
a heavy load, but hydrogen had much
greater lifting power than the coal gas
that has been used in the other flights
from Washington and the balloon man
aged to get off with the three officers and
about 200 pounds of ballast.
The ground currents were circling when
the ascent was made, but an upper cur.
rent took the voyagers off I'm the direc-
ton of Baltimore. They were out or
sight by $40. but it was not thought they
would go far If they remain UP half
day it will be as much as can be expected
under the conditions and probably they
will be back in Washington before night.