New-York tribune., 1909-07-20
WRIGHT FLIES 81 NILES
TWO 4SCENSION.S M4DE
At FORT MTER.
Circles Drill Grounds Ffty-fUe
i Times-Not Ready for
Official Test.
From The Tribune Bureau. ]

washington. July la.-After flying far enough to
e have crossed the English Channel had he been
going in a straight line. OrEiIe Wright this even
ing finished the second cf two trial flights at Fort
sIyer Just as the sky getting too dark TO see
the machine.
In the first flight the aviator circled the parade
grounds twenty-five and one-half times. In the
second tVenty-nne and one-half circuits made.
In the ffty-hve minutes the flyer in the air it
covered approximately thirty-seven miles.
The flights still warming up variety.
and tended only TO work down the bearings OF the
engine and transmission gear. they would be
sure not 10 overhead in the government endurance
test. Mr.. Wright fe1w alone hut in the endurance
test he will be required to carry a man with hin
Nothing has yet been settled about speed trial
and the contract for the Geroplane leaves it an
open question whether ;he aviator will be COM
PEELED t0 carry passenger or fly alone
The first Of the two flights began at s:S4. and
was expected 10 last about twenty-five minutes
The ,Nrights have only this one machine available
for the government test and do not intend 10 take
fany chances ove-heating their engine. although
as L Is water cooled, this danger is reduced a
minimum.
The fight lasted precisely twenty-five minutes.
although about twenty seconds was consumed in
landing. Nj Wright said that the trial was per
1ect thai the bearings had heated in the slight
est, and the conditions altogether too good
miss having another trial Accordingly the ma
chine was taken back 10 the starting rail and just
AN hour after the first fight made the second
began. The engine did behave so well on the
first flight. 1t heard TO miss a number OF
times the rounds Of the led made. al
though this NAV have been due to the fact that
the air was growing cooler in streaks and the
aviator was putting his machine more severe
test.
The aeroplane seemed to be making excellent
time. II had averaged about forty or forty-one
miles hour II was impossible however to time
the speed with any accuracy. Mr. Wright few
in larger and smaller circles. apparently the
mood took him, sometimes going far the south
OF the aeroplane shed and sometimes much 10 the
north Of It, In fact some Of the turns that he
made were as short have been seen at Fort
aIyer.
When the final landing was made it was seen
that he had been in the air the second trial
more than thirty minutes. and this allowing his
speed 10 have been something over forty miles an
hour. would hare carried him the English
Channel, where Hubert Latham with disaster
IN his flight to-day.
The average height OF the fight was not over
-SeVenty-hVe feet, but Mr.. Wright not trying
for height There a great crowd present
fourteen hundred at the outside. Among these
were General Aleshire. General Crozier, ex-Quar-
Sermaster General Humphrey. John Barrett di-
lsector Of the Bureau OF American Republics: the
Mexican Ambassador. the Secretary Of the Navy.
Mrs. Nicholas Longworth and Theodore Roose-
sseit, II
The Wrights are TO give the War Department
'twentyfour hours notice before an official is
made. and as they have not yet done so the
chances are thGt this test will not come until late
sn the week, if indeed. IT is not put off until Mon
DAY II is expected that there will be forty-hve
,nznute flight tomorrow, and after that something
sever hour, make that the machine IS
swell over the government requirement No flight
with passenger has been made thus far but it is
Thought that after the hour mark has been passed
sSn the endurance test Lieutenant Frank E. Lahm
will be taken aoft a passenger
4 The failure Of Latham cross the English Chan
elel brought expressions confidence from the
Wright brothers that their machine make q
Successful flight across that body of water.
The Of Latham's failure-the stopping Of
: his motor while in md-air-bears out the conten-
sion Of the Wrsfts that the future aeroplane must
Sepend the development of a motor Orville
Wright considers the aviator's greatest peril to he
the possibility Of becoming entangled in the wires
a. the aeroplane falls into