The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-06-22
AS SAFE AS AN AUTO
OrviIe Wright Says Rocking of Aero
plane is of No Consequence

Washington, June 22.-"Aviation is
now nearly as safe as riding on bicy-
Gle or in an automobile. The rocking
of an aeroplane caused by varying AIR
currents is of no more consequence
than the jars caused to the other We
hicles by rocks in the road or an un-
even highway"
Orville Wright made this statement
on his arrival from Dayton, Ohio, in
company with his brother Wilbur to
make ready for the final tests OF the
aeroplane which the government Is TO
purchase. 1t followed an inquiry as
to the progress made by the brothers
in discovering some method of auto
matically preserving the equilibrium
of the aeroplane.
"Why should we want to do that?
replied Orville Wright quickly.
mo one has even suggested the adj
visibility of automatically maintaining
the balance of an automobile or bi-
cycle. Both of these vehicles require
1t Just as much as an aeroplane. The
! dying machine is under perfect con
troll of its driver and the rocking mo-
| ton due to counter current of air is
exactly the same on the aerial road
way as the uneven motion experienced
bv a motor car or a bicycle in passing
over a badly ballasted highway
The accident OF last summer that
resulted in the death Of Lieut. Self
ridge and tne Gripping of himself was
suggested to Mr.. Wright as indicating
the machine was not always under the
control of the aviator. Orville vine
ed when the tragic occurrence was re-
called.
"Ah. but that was a most deploraDie
accident that could not happen again
under similar circumstances he salo
at happened because when the pro
heller blade broke the aeroplane was
timed at an angle that rendered the
forward lifting planes useless. When
within twenty-five feet Of the ground
I was righting the machine but the
snace in which to complete the task
was too short. If we had been up 81
or 100 feet higher we would have land
ed as safe as though we were coming
down at the completion OF high'
with all our machinery and gear IN
tact"
Orville Wright still shows the effect
of his fall by a slight limp. He smil
ingly acknowledged that he was moi
vet in condition to enter Marathon
but said his injured leg would not in
terfere with his flying tne latter part
of this week. He will make all of the
official flights. Wilbur will be on the
ground merely for the purpose OF ad
yising and assisting him.
Charles Taylor the Wrights me
chanician, has partially assembled the
aeroplane which is housed in the bal
loon house at Fort Myer. Early TO
morrow morning the brothers will &c
out to the army post and put the nm
fishing touches on the flyer. The hrs'
formal flights probably will be made
on Thursday, provided the weather Is
suspicious.
After he mas completed the trials
for the War Department Orville plans
to leave at once for Germany, where
the Wrights have a contract with
that Government for some machines
In that case Wilbur will remain fol
some time at the fort to instruct sew
eral officers of the Signal Corps in the
operation of the aeroplans.
Only two of the tests which the
Government contract specifies are tc
be made by the Wrights during the
week or ten days which they have al
their disposal before the time Unite
of that instrument expires. One test
is for distance, requiring a flight OF
five miles straight away and return
with a passenger and the otner a
speed flight of at least one hour, with
a passenger, at a minimum rate OF
thirty-six miles an hour.
! The contract with the Government
calls for recompense to the inven
tors of $4,000 for the successful
meeting of all the tests. For every
mile per hour they are able to make
over forty they will receive $4,000 ad
ditional up to forty-four miles.
1t was not known today whether OF
not A. M. Herring of New York, the
other aeronaut who has entered In the
Governments heavier-than-air CON
test, will reach Washington this week
He must come before July l and the
Wrights must finish before June 2S.