The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-10-03
All Records In Aviation Are
Broken By American In
a Daring Exhibition
GERMAN CROWN PRINCE
MAKES SHORT FLIGHT
Prince Frederick William Had Begged
Wright to Take His for Ride
for Some Time and Aviator
at Last Consents.

Potsdam, October 2.-Orville Wright
the American aviator, today broke his
own and all other records for high fiy-
ing He reached the unprecedented
height of more than 1000 feet. although
an official measurement was not taken
He had a red letter day in double sense
in his experience as an aviator, taking
up Crown Prince Frederick William a.
a passenger and more than doubling the
altitude record which he made recently
over the same field. The crown prince
had been constantly urging Wright since
he first saw the American fly to take
him UP as a passenger. Wright evaded
this responsibility while making flights
at the Tempelhof field owing to the un-
favorble winds, but since the beginning of
the flights at Bornstedt field, near Pots
dam, the prince has been telephoning the
aviator every morning asking him If he
was ready to crafty his request. Wright
finally consented today.
The prince reached the field at 4:S0 in
the afternoon with his adjutant. After
drawing on his overcoat at Wright's sng-
gestion. to save his uniform from being
despatched with oil, the prince took his
seat alongside the aviator and the ma
chine rose in the air Wright kept it at
q height of about 20 feet for a brief
period but the crowd prince exclaimed:
''Eigher, higher Finally the aviator
went up above GO feet and the crowds
heartily eheered the prince who waved
back his acknowledgements. The areo-
plane glided back to the starting point
10 minutes later.
The crown prince Congratulated Mr..
Wright on the easy and safe motion of
the aeroplane and presented him with
souvenir of the occasion, "A diamond and
/ rlipy pin, composing the latter wv, AMI
! crown. He watched the daring aviator
make his high flight. which also was
: viewed by a large multitude. While the
| machine was at its sfeatest aItitude exz
| cursionists on a Hawai- steamer three
miles distant thought 1t was big box
! kite that was In the air and were sur
prised when further evolution showed the
| object TO be Wright's aeroplane.
When he returned to the earth Wright.
speaking of his marvellous flight said.
81 never flew so high before. No meas
urement was taken, but | estimate that
7 reached an altitude of 800 metres 06sT
feet. IL is difficult to gauge height but
I make the estimate from the time II
took me from the starting point to the
greatest altitude.
Immediately after rising set the
height rudder at the maximum and kept
climbing steadily for Is minutes until
the fields and the adjacent country re-
minded me of the picture I had from zep-
pelin's airship. only things seemed
smaller.
, 1.-The descent l made in five minutes.
I came down at a simply terrific speed.
The whole machine shook as it rushed
through the air, but any sensations were
just the same as in lower attitudes. The
air was no colder and the wind resistance
was no greater
With regard to his passenger, the crown
prince, Mr.. Wright said:
1.-The prince did not say much more
than Fine during the flight. but I was
able to read his impressions from his
face. I never looked up at a passenger
who looked so pleased. He just smiled
when we started and he kept smiling I
felt great responsibility in having the
future German emperor as passenger.
not that 1 mistrusted the machine, but
any little irregularity might cause the
people anxiety. I stayed low at FIRST
but the prince kept urging me to go
higher"