The new era., 1909-08-12
q CLENENT-B BAY,A RD

ust % to 20 be success or f1asco?
That question is being hotly debated
In England and other countries by all
who take an interest In aerial loco
motion. 1t is evident that the success
of the great event must depend very
largely on the condition of the at
mosphere. Unless another marked i'm
provement is made in flying machines
within the next two months. enabling
them to live in a much stronger breeze
than they can face at the present mo-
ment, windy week would prove dis
astrous to the enterprise. Every pru-
dent aviator would keep his aeroplane
boxed up in its shed rather than run
the risk of having 1t wrecked. No
doubt the prizes are tempting. For
the Grand Prix de la Champagne ct
de la Vile de Rheims (the long-dis-
tance competition) there are six, of
which the first is $4,000. the second,
$4,000; the third. $4,000, and the three
others $1,000 each; but to make it
worth while to attempt to gain any
one of them by remaining in the air
one. two. three or four hours, the at
mosphere must be calm. For this
contest the organizing committee has
left the competitors the choice, in
the order established by the drawing
during the three days = Sunday.
"Wednesday and Friday. August 20,
25 and 27. between a. m. and p. m.
But 1t depends on the decision of the
controlling committee of the Aero
club of France whether more than
one aeroplane will be permitted In the
air over the ten-kilometer (six and one
fourth miles) circuit at the same time
1t is all the more important that, II
they are numerous. several competi-
tors should be permitted to make their
trial together. because. though nom
inally extended over three whole
days. the time is in reality short.
To start on this enterprise with a rea-
sonable chance of success the wealth
er must not be blustery and the wind
not blowing with a velocity exceeding
25 kilometers t15a miles) an hour;
and there Is not more than one chance
in three that such propitious condi-
tion OF the atmosphere will prevail
during the whole or even half of any
one OF the three days indicated in
the program for the competition. or, at
any rate. between the hours of 9
a. IN. and p. IN. That stipulation,
made with the object of enabling the
paying public to return to Paris,
Rheims, Chalons, ETC.. in good time
for dinner. must initiate against the
chances Of the aviators to distinguish
themselves. The same remarks apply
with greater force to the regulations
of the Prix de Vitesse (the speed con-
tesD over 80 kilometers Q9 miles)
for which the start has to be made
either between 1 p. m. and p. M
on Monday, August %. or between l
p. N. and 3 p. m. on Sunday, August
2s. 1t is just between those hours
OF the day that there is the least
chance of the atmosphere being calm
Eowever. the higher the speed of the
laeroplane the less effect the wind has
on 1t. The competition for the special
record of the circuit (ten kilometers.
or six and one-fourth miles) Is NOM
'inally open dring the whole week,
the competitors being free to make
their trials at any and every moment
between 9 a. m. and p. m. when
! the circuit is not otherwise occupied.
1t Is probable that 1t will generally,
II not always. be otherwise occupied
when the atmosphere Is calm. But
the aviators are granted the advan-
tage of their time In covering the ten
kilometers in other competitions be-
ing counted for this prize. AS for the
three other events on the program.
they are down for fixed days and
hours. The passenger-carrying COM
petition Is to come off on Monday.
August 23, between p. m and 6
p. m. the altitude contest Is fixed
for p IN. on Sunday. August 20. and
the Gordon Bennett Aviation cup, an
international speed competition over
20 kilometers Q2h miles). is to re-
main open the whole of Saturday
August 28. till 5 p. m. After what has
been already said. it is needless to
insist on the possibility. If not the
probability. Of the condition of the
atmosphere interfering with the sue.
cess of these competitions
There are in the regulations a few
other stipulations which are open to
criticism. For instance, in the pas.
senger-carrying trials each passenger
must weight at least SO kilogrammes
(143 pounds), which is not excessive:
but the pilot is not to be permitted
to substitute ballast for living freight
1t seems unnecessary to impose on the
aviator the necessity of risking any
other life than his own. especially
as very few of the existing aeroplanes
are built to accommodate passengers
though capable OF carrying consider
able weight If properly distributed
over the machine SO as not to inter
fere with its stability. Then to fl,
the altitude competition at exactly
% IN on Sunday August 20 in nj