Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-02
GAULS ARE
READY TO
SET SAIL
Aviation Week Contract
Is Accepted
TWO AER0PLANES AND THREE
DIRIGIBLES HERE
C. F. WILLARD, ROY KNABENsHUE
AND WIFE ARRIVE
Foreigners VIII Leave Havre with
Flying Machines on Christmas
Day and Come Direct
to This City

IN WO aeroplanes and three dlrigibles,
the first competitors for entry in
= the aviation week events, reached
Los Angeles yesterday with Charles F.
Willard and Roy Knabenshue. The
French aviators have definitely prom
ised to sail from Havre not later than
December 25, to come direct to Los An
geles, bringing a number of noted
French heavier-than-a machines.
Mr.. and Mrs. Knabenshue and Mr..
Willard arrived yesterday afternoon,
and Lincoln Beechey. who has been
Knabenshues competitor in several ex-
citing airship races recently, is eX-
pected today. The trio will give the
aviation week committee the practical
benefit of their experience and will re-
main here to prepare for the contests.
The question of representation from
France was finally closed yesterday af-
ternoon when the payment of $4,000
was cabled to Paris, and the folloWlnB
cablegram came from Edmund Cleary,
manager of the syndicate of foreign
aviators:
Proposition Accepted
'T accept your proposition received today,
and guarantee the appearance OF Paulhan'
MesearroI Malsson and four ulechaniclans,
with two 'eross-ehannef Bleriot machines
and two Of PauIhhn's own machines.
Now know where l stand. VIII star'
TO uphold the big exhibition and advise ypu
daily of the progress here. don't think
yon quite realize the enormous cost OF get
ting this show out. Paulhan alone costs
me s16O 900 for the American tour-aetual
contract, no show fake'-therefore am
81 90, eet other ayIators probably on pro-
DortIonate terms with an equivalent ar
rankement, half down here and haih on inc
appearance and fulhilment OF the cohtLaes a,e
AZ Ioa Angeles. l WIN advise as TO these
Possibilities and will cooperate In every
way possible to make your meet great
auceess we sail from Havre on the bre-
tngne Dec. 25.
Willard Earned Laurels
Willard. who arrived yesterday, has
onlv been flying an aeroplane since last
Tulv but he has already achieved a
reputation as one of the worlds s most
daring aviators. He apparently mas
taken innumerable chances, but he
never has had a failure out or zoO
flights. This he modestly attributes 10
fifteen years of experience In the auto
mobile business and in experiments
,,,itb aerial craft. Roy Knabenshue,
who has seen him fly number of times,
firmlv believes that Willard VIII be
one Of the best known aviators in the
world as quickly as he has an adequate
onnortunity. and thinks the opportunity
viii come in the Los Angeles meet.
az believe the aeroplane has great
future" said Mr.. Willard last night
''but not as a transport either Tor
freight or passengers. 1t viii be used
for the sport in flight, and Tor that
purpose will have many purchasers
''The point about the Los Angeles
meet that interests me most is the
opportunity offered to have tilt with
the French aeroplanists. l want TO
try 1t out with them"
Wants American Record
Paulhan. who heads the French syn
dicate. also has a great reputation as
n daring aeroplanist and Is extremely
anxious to make records in America
which will stand throughout 1910.
Knabenshue is of the opinion that the
Los Angeles contests will prove to De
as great as any which viii occur next
year. =.
"Although I know Los Angeles pret-
ty we'll. I could not believe that 1t was
possible to raise so large sum mere
he said. "You have no idea Of the I'M
mense amount of advertising you are
going to get, from It. They already are
talking about the midwinter meet In
the east, and will watch everything
done. In a way the Los Angeles events
will set the pace for 1910, which IN IT.
self gives them unique value