Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-19
ENGINE IS DISABLED
Temporary Halt in Aviation at
College Park.
SLIGHT REPAIRS NEEDED
Wilbur Wright and Pupil Make But
Two Flights This Morning.
EARLY RESUMPTION ASSURED
Army Officers Becoming Skillful in
Managing the Airship-Suc-
cessful Flights Yesterday.
EARLY RESUMPTION ASSURED

Engine trouble put an end to the flight
of the Wright machine at College Park
this morning, after it had been in the
air twice The first fight was made
little before o'clock with Lieut.. Hum
phreys as the passenger This flight last
ed something over eleven minutes Lieut.
Humphreys had complete control of the
machine and Mr.. Wright was scarcely
more than a passenger The flight was
very successful and eight rounds of the
field were made.
On the next trip up, at 7:15, Lieut. Lahm
took the passenger seat and operated the
levers for four minutes. At the end of
this time, when the aeroplane was at
the west side of the field and about
twenty-five feet high, the engine sudden
ly stopped. Mr. Wright was alongside
of the aviator, and had hold of the levers
in an instant. He brought the machine
to the ground after a short glide. Lieut.
Lahm said afterward he thought he
could have brought the machine safely
to earth, but his instructor was not TAX
ing any chances.
The machine was run back to the shed
| and Mr.. Wright went over the engine to
/ see what was the trouble. He said he
thought the magnetic had given out, but
that 1T would be a comparatively email
matter to put into working order, and
| flights would be made again this after
| noon with the usual provision that the
weather should be favorable. The wind
| had sprung up In the meantime, and there
was no chance of further trials till the
calm that usually sets in about sunset.
Interested in Paris Exploit.
Mr.. Wright was interested in the report
from Paris that Count de Lambert had
| flown over the Eiffel Tower in a Wright
machine. He did not, however, approve
| of the performance. and said the exhibit
ton was useless, in view of the fact that
the syndicate having control of the
| Wright patents in France already had
more work than it could possibly do in
| furnishing machines already ordered
| Neither of the Wright brothers approves
of taking any chances.
| Orviile Wright was at Fort Myer when
Count de Lambert made his attempt to
| fly the English channel. He said at that
| time that it was useless for a good man
to attempt such performance when the
syndicate would need all of the teachers
it could command in order to train the
people who had already bought machines.
He said at that time that the French
syndicate was in position where 1t could
make great deal Of money in course of
the present year, If it attended to busi-
ness and did not attempt to get advertis-
ing which it did not really need.
Officers Quick to Learn.
In six training fights at the Govern
ment Aviation School at College Park
under the direction of Instructor Wright
the two army officers, Lieuts. Lahm and
Humphreys. demonstrated their ability
to handle the government aeroplane,
purchased from the Wright brothers dur
ing the past summer by the Signal
Corps. Each officer accompanied Mr.
Wright on three flights.
Although the sky was overcast for most
| of the day and showers occasionally
| sprinkled the aviation field. the anemom-
eter registered practically no wind
i Before the sun had r.sep in the east the
aerOplane was rolled from its shed and in
what was practically dead calm. Mr..
! Wright and Lieut. Humphreys made a
4 flight of over eleven minutes duration.
! The second flight, with Lieut.. Lahm in
the pupils seat, was the longest that has
been made at the Signal Corps aero
drome, lasting for eighteen minutes and
4 thirty-seven seconds. In both flights Mr.
| Wright permitted the pupil at times to
operate the machine unaided.
Slight Breeze This Time.
i The third flight was made in a slight
breeze Lieut.. Humphreys again accom-
pany.ag Mr.. Wright The machine was
! III the air for over ten minutes. After
| breakfast the flying machine was again
| taken from its shed and MIR. Wright, ac-
companied by Lieut. Lanm, hen flew for
| eleven minutes and tnrty-four seconds.
| While the machine was encirc,ing the
| field 1t was pitched and tossed by d ten
! mile wind which had sprung up after the
| flight was begun.
Following this flight Mr.. Wright went
| to Washington, where he intended to col
lect $4,000 of the S3J,OUO which the gov
eminent is to pay when he completes the
instruction of the two officers. But in
stead of calling at the Signal Corps Office
| for his draft. Mr.. Wright attended to 9TH
| er matters and returned to the aviation
! field in time 10 make two more flights
with his pupils before darkness settled
over the field.
In the evening Mr.. Wright was accom-
panied on the first flight by Lieut.
Humphreys, who handled tine machine un-
aided through most of the nine minutes
and thirty-seven Sc OndS that the aero
| plane was kept aloft.
| officer expressed his pleasure in having
been able to handle the aeroplane un-
! aided. He said it was far better sport
to ride in an aeropane than to take
trip in a balloon or do anything else that
was considered exciting.
Flight Of Eight Minutes.
On the last flight of the day Mr.. Wright
had Lieut.. Lahm with him for more than
eight minutes. AS the machine sped
! around the ueiu MI wright COulQ De seen
| to take his hands off Of the levers and
allow his pupil to guide the craft. He
| held himself in readiness to take hold of
the craft at any moment, and when a
sudden gust of unusua *orce would strike
| the machine the instructor would grab
the levers and bring the machine back on
| an even keel.
While flying about the aerodrome with
Lieut.. Lahm and Mr.. Wright the areo-
plane came abreast of swiftly moving
| express train. So close was the machine
of the air to it's rival on the earth that
, 1t appeared to be right above 1t. The
| disturbance of the air created by the
| speed of the train seemed to affect the
| aeroplane, which swept down dangerously
| close to the earth. AS the wind caught 1t
and aided it onward it seemed to gain
upon the train.
Greater Distance to Be Covered.
Longer flights and more difficult ma
neuvcrs are now to be attempted by the
aviation class at the government aero
drome. Lieut.. Benjamin D. Foulois. the
young Signal Corps officer who made the
famous Alexandria cross-ocuntry fight
with Orville Wright. returned today from
| Nancy, France where he had been the
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