Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-30
AIRSHIPS SOAR
ABOVE GOTHAM
WRIGHT AND CURTISS MAKE
THRILLING VOYAGE
AeronauticaI Program at Hudson-FuI-
ton Celebration Opens with Sue-
cessfuI Demonstration by Avi-
tors - DIrIgibIes Fall
tcontinued from Pare Ono,


at right angles to the wind it was list
ed somewhat from an even position to
the left. 1t responded quickly to Mr..
Curtiss' control, and. again flying on
an even keel, it continued turning un-
til it had described a semi-circle.
Curtiss than brought it to earth. Sat
isfied with the result Of his early morn
ing trial, Mr.. Curtiss, with the aid of
his assistants, guided the machine un-
der its own motive power back to the
shed in which it was housed.
First blood" said Mr.. Curtiss as
one of those who witnessed the fight
grasped his hands. 1T rides smoothly
and l am well satisfied with it,"
AS a result of his test Mr.. Curtiss
may replace his propeller with another
that he has built at his Hammondsport
factory.
Previous to making the flight Mr.
Curtiss examined the entire extent Of
the Governors island aerodrome and
found few places where the sand was
solid enough to afford a good starting
point.
Two hours after Curtiss completed
his fight Wilbur Wright had his ma
chine taken from the shed and made a
flight, encircling Governors island
sailing over the water and covering six
miles. Wright made a bad landing,
the tip of one of his planes striking the
sand and swerving the machine around.
NO damage resulted, however. and the
aeroplane was replaced on the starting
track.
In starting, Wright faced the west.
The wind was not as strong as when
Curtiss flew. The aviator, after his
machine had gained sufficient speed,
turned his elevating planes and, rising,
headed toward the western edge of
the aerodome.
Turning to the left he made a wide
sweep of the field and coming around
to the southern end of the island,
headed over Buttermilk channel, going
toward Brooklyn. AS soon as he was
out over the water he turned north,
and circled the island, being lost from
view of the spectators behind a clump
of trees.
Completes Circuit
He reappeared on the outside of
Castle William and made a complete
circuit in the southern half of the aero
drome before going around second
time, very close to the earth.
When about to land, the left wing
scraped the sand and whirled the ma
chine around 50 that he landed side
wise, on the skids.
That's the worst landing I've made
in a long time and I'm not going to
try anything like it again." said the
aviator. II thought surely the ma
chine would be smashed. 1t is the
only machine in the world that would
stand such a bad landing"
Throughout it was characteristically
a Wright flight. The machine gained
an altitude of so to 100 feet at certain
periods, but flew on an average of 40
feet high.
When at right angles to the wind it
listed somewhat and there were undula-
tions which tended to show the ope-
rator had good control and was eff
fectively meeting the putting gusts of
wind
There were marked differences in the
manner in which the Curtiss and
Wright machines behaved Curtiss
flew on an even keel and with less
movement from. side to side. The
Wright aeroplane, when taking curves
heeled over like an automobile rounding
a banked track. 1t also flew somewhat
faster than the Curtiss machine.
After Wright had inspected his aero
plane, to see If it had suffered any
damage, Curtiss who had reached the
field as Wright came to earth, greeted
his rival familiarly and asked him:
"How's the going this morning."
VERY good" replied the Dayton
aviator, but l made a very bad land
ing"
Conditions for flying improved as the
day advanced.