The Washington herald., 1909-06-30
AEROPLANE FILES
IN A BR lEF TRIE
cOnsnued FRO = Page One.

the track OrNlle touf shed lever. slantine
the forward Names upward, and bravely
the thing or 'anvl hs and iron tried to
respond II wsvei Ted. struggling, as II
SKINNED the grssf Syfor seventy-hve feet
With an effort it rose 10 a height OF If
teen feet. where suddenly Il careened tc
the right The wing tip on that side
slashed downwarql at the ground, slapped
q cloud OF DUST nto the air. and the ma
chine veered TOWARD the stables al the
west.
Evidently seeing that his machine was
unable 10 keep Up the struggle Orville
reached Up and jerked a cord. shutting
OF the engine. The aeroplane glided
downward. struck the ground at an an
gle, and skiddsd. raising another blanket
Of dust between It and the crowd. When
the view opened Il was seen that nothing
serious had happened.
/ Wilbur seemed not at all concerned by
the failure. He walked slowly down 10
the machine. wearing a sardonic smile.
and saying nothing. A conference fol-
lowed between the brothers, and a gust
Of hand-clapping broke from the speota-
tors when the flyer was started back to
the derrick.
Brothers Persistent.
/
machine showed the same symptoms OF
instability. This time the left end OF the
planes swept downward along the ground
from an altitude OF fifteen feet, and the
machine Slowed 10 that side as # settled
TO the earth.
In each OF the two attempts a distance
OF about leO yards was covered. and the
machine was IA the air only few SEQ
onds- The first start was made al 5.57
o'clock and the second at 6:42
Again the machine was wheeled back
TO the starting point, again the specta-
tors applauded, and again there was a
conference Each brother had his own
theory 70 account for the trouble. VIII
bur thought the aeroplane was too light
IN front. OTville said the power was not
high enough 10 give the proper wind re-
action on the planes. AS il turned out.
Orvllle was right but II was Wilbur
. diagnosis that was followed. A couple OF
clamps and vice were fastened 70 the
frame under the forward planes, and the
weight was trussed up for another start
: This time the machine couldn't life her
d nose out Of the grass She flew straight
from the end OF the rnonoraH. barely
above The ground, for a distance OF 30t
I feet. when she settled quietly.
II remained for the fourth flight, al.
though Il did not measure up at all q
those Of last fall, 70 bring the enthusiasm
from the crowd. Like a heavy fow
rising from the water. dragging It's feet
, for a short distance. and sagging az the
TAIL the frame described a gentle up
b ward curve, reached an altitude OF TWEEN
} ty-ive feet. and gracefully took the turT
o down the field. II crossed al the south
9
& was evident. however. that II lacked both
: buoyancy and speed. and II was abou
that time that Orvine discovered TIT
1oosened ignition fastening. Wilbur, too
q saw the machine was suffering, anc
e waved his arms 10 his brother % com'
d down. The landing was made quietly
near the derrick. with the machine unde
i, perfect control. as far as the steering O
: u went.
: OrvIlIe Cheered Wildly.
, Then the crowd broke loose. Cheer
. and volleys Of hand-clapping swept acros
: the field toward the slender figure OF Or
q Vile Wright Automobile horns footed
and Crom the windows and balconies o
: the ealisted mems barracks came leather
s throafed yells Of eongratulation.
4" The last fight lasted for one minut
IS and ten seconds, and was completed a
e 7:s O'Clock. BY that tine the first pa
n lor Of night was coming over the parad
ground. and the sparkling al the cylinder
could be seen, which had not been notice
before.
p. Their work for the DAY done. IN
d brothers. with their father. were luck
enough 70 find seats in a crowded cal
= and made their way back 70 the Raleig
- Hotel
The defect in the ignition VIII be rem
~ led this morning, and II the weate-r
propitious a fight viii De made TO-DAY
rs probably this afternoon.