Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-06-04
COEY PICKED TO
WIN AERO CLUB
HANDICAP FLIGHT
CONTESTANTS PREPARE FOR
LONG RACE
EXPECT TO EXCEL EUROPEAN
ENDURANCE RECORDS
Six BaIIoonlsts to Enter First Annual
contest-Labrado Goal Sought
by Starters In In
dianapols
Especial to The Herald.l

INDIANAPOLIS, June 3.-The Hotel
Claypool, official headquarters OF
II the Aero Club of America, Is ouz-
zing with aeronautical gossip in ad-
vance of the first national balloon
race Saturday. Aerialists all over the
world will watch the contests, in Whlcn
are entered some of the most skllltul
balloonists in the United States. Grahu
prize balloon contests have been fea-
ture in Europe for some time, but the
event which will hereafter be an an
nual one in America is the first or the
kind in this country.
Present arrangements are TO nave
the balloons in the handicap race leave
in the forenoon, while the six balloons
in the great national race probably
will leave about $50 o'clock in the
afternoon. So many suggestions were
made about entering balloons not el1gl-
BILE in the main contest under the
CAPACITY rules of the Aero Club OF
America that the handicap event was
provided for as an additional feature
For the handicap are entered Col
Charles A. Coey of Chicago, capt;
Thomas S. Baldwin of New York and
DR.. H w. Thompson of Salem, Ohio.
Probably the favorite in the guessing
and Wagers in this race is Colonel
Coey. whose big 100000 cubic foot bal
loon Chicago is easily the largest on
the grounds. The contestants, ike
those competing in the national race
are eligible to win the Lahm trophy,
now held by Capt. Charles De Forest
Chandler of the United States slgnal
corps.
Prize for Longest Distance
The pilot in the national race VINO
makes the greatest distance from the
point of starting will receive a large
silver trophy. emblematical of balloon
ing, presented by the Aero club OF
America This will become the win
ner's personal properly, and new
trophy will be annually offered. Each
successive winner will be entitled TO
the designation Americas champion
balloonist," until some future contest
ant excels his record.
Carl G. Fisher, president of the In
diana Aero club, also has offered a
prize to the balloonist who stays long
est in the air. Several of the pilots
are confident they will outdo the rec
ord of seventy-three hours made from
Berlin in the international race last
october by the Swiss balioonist, Col.
Schaeck.
II am not saying definitely, but I do
not think 1t impossible to reach Lab
rado from Indianapolis" said Carl G.
Fisher, who will pilot the balloon In
diana with G. L. Bumbaugh as his aid.
Most of the balloonists who will par
ticipate in the races. after weeks of
close study of the probabilities in air
currents, are of the opinion the courses
taken generally will lie toward the
northeast and into Canada.
They do not fear the possibility of
dropping into one of the great lakes,
as each of the big balloons entered is
above 1000 cubic meters and carries
more than half a ton of sand in addi-
ton to the weights of the two men and
their accouterments Rifles, fishing
tackle and other things provided to go
in the balloons Indicate that the pilots
will be prepared to pass two or three
weeks in Canadian forests If their
landings bring them there.