New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-29
HOW CURTISS TRIUMPHED
Details of His Great Flight around
the Course at Rheims:

Betheny covered the two laps of the course.
80 kilometres, or 1912 miles. in 10 minutes
503-5 seconds. This is at the rate of 4iOo
miles an hour.
Curtss took advantage OF favorable weather
conditions this morning. and after trial lap,
which he covered in Z minutes % is seconds he
made his official record shortly before IL o'clock.
He did the first lap in minutes 81 2-5 seconds,
and the second in : minutes SO 10 seconds.
Each lap measures 6.21 miles, and Curtiss broke
all previous records.
! Bleriot waited until late hour this afternoon
before flying. He made his first round in min
utes 80 30 seconds. which is still twO-f1fths of
second behind the best time made by Curtiss.
Lefebvre. flying in Wright biplane also tried
/ for this event. but his time was comparatively
SLOW, being given at 20 minutes 33 20 seconds.
The international cup OF aviation is known
also as the Gordon Bennett trophy. 1t is an OBJ
feet Of art. valued at $500 which goes TO the
winning club. and $4,000 10 the aviator. The
course is two laps Of the Betheny aerodrome. or
20 kilometres
The weather conditions were ideal to-day.
There was light haze over the plain early this
morning. but the flags hung limp and not
| breath OF air was stirring. number OF Ameri-
cans were early on the scene. and they all de-
! clared II was "Curtiss weather" and were tubi-
liant accordingly. Mr. Curtiss told his friends
| yesterday that he intended to start on his two
a
tunity. THE mariner who fails 20 sail in good
weather is never forgiven" he said.
! There was great activity at the sheds OF
Bleriot. Latham, Lefebvre. Cockburn and the
other contestants. The pilots and the repre-
sentatives Of the American, English and French
clubs were summoned before the committee TO
| receive their final instructions. They were in
| formed that attempts for the international cup
could DO made at will any time between 10
o'clock In no mo rV,9, =.
afternoon. They might make trial spins with
out crossing the line, but II they did pass the
! line without advance notification that they were
not competing. It would be considered a start.
cURTIss MAKES TRIAL
Curtiss suddenly decided 20 make trial
round. At 1911 o'clock surrounded by
group Of enthusiastic Americans. including
Cortiandt +. Bishop. president OF the American
Aero Club: Commander F. L. Chaplin the Amer
lean naval attache at Paris and T. Bentley Mott,
the military attache. the machine was run out
on 10 the field. Curtiss made no preparations for
| his flight other than 10 change his coat for
leather jacket. With no trace OF excitement. he
| climbed into the seat and gave the order 10
start the propellers.
Running along the ground short distance for
flying start, the machine lifted lightly and cir
cled between the timekeepers and the tribunes
Then. mounting gradually until he had reached a
height OF fortyfive feet. Curtiss crossed the line
J at terrific pace.
| The Curtiss aeroplane. small and compact and
with trim lines. looks more like a racer than
| any OF the others here, and II sped away
straight arrow ordinations OF adrnira-
| ton were heard
Clipping the corners closely, Curtiss continued
at uniform height until he had passed the last
pylon. He then descended sharply. 10 get the
benefit OF gravity, and crossed the finish line
less than dozen feet above the ground.
few seconds afterward the white ball was
| hoisted, indicating that record had been
| broken, whereupon the Americans broke out
into wild cheering The aeroplane was towed
back behind the line and Curtiss was showered
with congratulations. He replied modestly that
this speed was only what he had expected and
he expressed perfect satisfaction with the way
in which his aeroplane had behaved. The time
for this trial heat was minutes 81 is seconds.
Curt-s complained, however. that he had
encountered peculiar air currents, especially over
the "aeroplane graveyard" where, he said. the
air seemed 10 boil"
STARTS FOR THE CUP.
i The American announced that he would start
Immediately for the International His gasolene
tank was quickly reflled and he got away In fine
style. He rose 10 greater height than on his
trial in order to escape the turbulent air cur
rents near the ground. His flight mastery
The machine lifted before every turn and swept
around tho turns the down grade
Curtiss's first round was slower by 2B sec
onds than his trial, but on the last round he let
out his motor TO its full speed and came home
like a streak He shot down from height OF
one hundred feet at which altitude he rounded
! the last pylon, TO the finish line. He crossed in
impressive style, and his time for this round was
7 minutes 1914 seconds. This broke Curtiss's
| mad hal hour
viously.~ His total for the twenty Kilometres
l242 miles, was 10 minutes SOS seconds.
Bleriot in his No %. crossed the line at 1890
o'clock His number was at once hosted to the
signal yard but no signal showing the contest
In which he was engaged was raised This
caused much comment, the instructions pro-
vide specifically that the pilot inform the com
| mittee in advance whether he is trying for the
! international or the lap record. BY this time
! the wind had risen and blowing from three
| to five metres a second
Bleriot, after completing a single round
! alighted. No time. however. was announced the
timekeeper saying only that II was slower than
his earlier round. which he made in minutes
| ssh seconds.
The official explanation OF the failure to hoist
a signal designating the contest is that the COM
missioner with Bleriot when he started from
a distant part of the field. and did not have
time TO notify the signal station until after
Bleriot had finished. The rules. however re-
quire each contestant to give a certain signal
before starting in the international. This
Bleriot did not do.
Shortly after IL o'clock Lefebvre, with n
! Wright biplane, made effort, but his speed
was manifestly inferior and at the last turn OF
| the final round he lost considerably by swinging
out too far. This obliged him to take reverse