The Washington herald., 1909-07-03
AIRSHIP DAMAGED
AFTER GOOD FLIGHT
Continued from Page One.

Corps lifted the machine. placed the two
wheels under the damaged szids. and
wheeled II OF TO the shed
The trouble was with the engine. said
Orville. in telling OF the glide 10 the
ground and the cause Of it. "The motor
started 70 miss on the last lap. and kept
getting worse. No; I did not shut it or
II stopped. and. seeing a good piece OF
ground for landing over beyond the shed.
I made for IT, There is no trouble az
all in coming down without the propel-
lers in motion
Il was then a hundred feet or so 10 the
north Of the shed and had meant 10 cut
a wide curve several hundred feet be-
yond it. If everything had been going
right The glide down was perfectly
easy. When the engine stopped 7 may
nave been seventy-fve feet up in the air.
perhaps eighty perhaps more. didn't
notice. As I neared the ground. and had
passed the gully, I saw a little clump Of
green. but took 10 for a bush net more
than a foot or so high. As I came nearer
20 IL, however. I saw II was a young tree.
and made out two ugly forks, with blunt
ends. sticking up out OF the leaves 7
tried 90 rise again 10 clear IT, but I was
on too much of a slant. and was too near
the ground. The right wing tip landed
on the tree. Il stopped. The other Zip
swung down, struck the ground. and
Slowed around
Struck Tree Hard.
When struck the tree / was travelling
at the rate Of about thirty miles an hour.
and my momentum carried me past But
the siids hit at an angle. getting the
force OF a twisting blow and couldn't
stand the strain. I felt no jar 10 speak
Of The breaking OF the runners took
that away from the rest Of the machine.
The damage isn't hard 10 repair. al
though I haven't looked it over closely
enough TO say exactly how much will
have to be done. We NAV have 20 send
back 70 Dayton 70 get some more OF the
canvas. but Il is possible we can patch
up what we've got Wen be flying again
in a few days"
The weather conditions were ideal again
yesterday The wind was lOafng across
the parade ground at q rate OF barely
four miles an hour. A crowd fun OF an
ticipation lined the rope at the north end
Of the field when al a few minutes before /
o'clock the machine was taken from
the shed and wheeled 70 the starting
derrick
The start OF the first flight was made I
at 5,l4. after the engine had been set in I
operation and allowed To warm up for /
minute or two. The flyer rose from the /
track almost Immediately and at a steady I
slant went 10 an aItitu6e OF sixty feet. 4
There was little of the swaying noticed /
on the first successful fight of Wednes- /
day. except that at the turns the inner
wing tip seemed 10 dip more than did I
that Of the machine used IN the tests last /
fall. However. the dipping was steady, /
and showed no lack Of control. II is un- /
lou5tejly due 10 the fact that the planes I
are about three feet shorter than those /
Of the old machine.
Cuts Large Circle.
In round after round OrviHe again
showed an affinity for the starting der
'ick. He seemed 10 take delight in shaw
ng close 20 it, in going directly over 1t.
md in couQetting with II generally. His
.ircles were much larger than those Of
Thursday. He said afterwa-d they We're
arger than any he had sailed last fall
de took the extreme edge Of the field.
kirtug the caves OF the stables al the
light. soaring over the gully beyond the
he'd at the south rushing up 20 the /
eft Of the field close to the trees al the 1.
,ide OF Arlington Cemetery. and speed
ng across in front OF the spectators
% close that the ribs under the canvas h
howed in thin. dark shadows
He landed easily near the starting der
lex. a couple Of hundred feet short OF
welve laps. having stayed in the air
Welve minutes.
Makes Good Flight.