The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-10-10
LIEUT.LAHM ASSISTS
In GUIDING AIRSHlP
Extra Lever Enables officer
to Direct Flight.
WORLD SPEED RECORD BROKEN
Minister WI COngratuIates Wright's
Pupil I'm Misunderstanding Flight
Made without Starting weights,
and Marvellous Control Exhibited,
speed OF $500 Miles Attained.

Having broken the worlds record by
flying over a closed course 60 SEQ meters
IN 0:5S3-5, Wilbur Wright accomplished
the hardly less astounding feat OF rising
without weights yesterday morning, and
then, TO make the day one Of further
achievement, took Lieut. Lahm Up with
him In the afternoon. giving that officer
his first experience in actually manipl-
lating the amoplane.
Lieut. Lahm was enabled to assist in
the operation OF the machine by means
Of an extra hver. adjusted after the
morning flights. This lever is in effect
a Duplicate Of one operated by Mr.
Wright. By this means. pupils IN the art
Of aviation viii be enabled 70 feel the
manipulations made by the master aero
naut. instead Of merely watching them.
At the same time the guidance OF the
machine remains always under control
OF Mr.. Wright.
The most distinguished spectator at the
afternoon exhibition was Minister WI
Ting-fang, OF China. DR.. WI went to
College Park TO witness a fight for the
first time I'm his life. He came away
enthusiastic over what he had witnessed
Having made a thorough examination or
the biplane before it was rolled out OF
the shed. Mr. WI observed every detail
OF the preparations for the flight. and
when the machine finally scared aloft
he was loud In his EXPLANATIONS OF won
der and admiration.
Made Five Ascents.
Mr.. Wright made three ascents yester-
day morning and two In the afternoon.
II was about $40 o'clock when he made
his first afternoon ascent. This fol-
lowed an attempt made a few minutes
earlier, which did not bring results, as
10. aviation. even more than IN other un-
dertaklngs. discretion IS the better part
OF valor
All preparations had been carefully car
ried out Cor the first ascent. but as tho
biplane shot of the monoran the tail
struck the ground. Fearing that some
thing might have been broken. Mr..
Wright skirted along the ground for
few feet only and then landed. FOrtu-
nately, no breakage had occurred.
The machine was hauled beck 20 the
monOrail and soon preparations for the
flight were completed. 10 was on this
trip that Lieut.. Lahm assisted In guild
ing the machine. lie said afterward that
his part IA the manipulations was not
extensive However. he had made n
beginning. For tire first time in his life
he h2o directed the course Of the areo-
plane When he landed on the earth.
Minister Wa lost no time I'm congratulate
ing him on his efforts and accepted an
invitation TO ride with the Lieutenant
when the latter becomes an expert flyer
On this trip the machine was In the
air about five minutes II clrcled the
course twice. most OF the time at a
height Of from fifty 20 seveuty-five feet
When the preparations were well adj
vanced for the second flight Mr.. WI
exclaimed. Go way up this time"
Supporting Rope Breaks.
The second ascent was made at sd
o'clock. Everything was In readiness
when the hempen cord which was at
tached 10 the weights broke and the
iron slugs fell heavily TO the ground.
Then Mr.. Wright determined 70 make the
ascent without using the weights. and
in a few minutes no shot into the air.
duplicating his achievement OF the fore
noon.
This time he went UP alone. remaining
in the air about three minutes He cir
cled around the park rather more speed
ily than on the first afternoons flight,
and some Of the time scared couple Of
hundred feet above the heads Of his adj
mirers. Both Of his landings were &C
complished easily and gracefully. al
though the second one showed greater
skill than the former.
The crowd which assembled IN the aft
ernoon was the largest which has been
seen at the aviation field. Most Of the
visitors departed after the first afternoon
flight
Minister WI was on the ground early
in the afternoon. In company with Nine.
WI. their daughter-in-law Mrs. WI
Chau-chu. and Ho Wing-yum. a youth
who Is stopping at the Chinese Legation.
he made the trip to the field in an auto
mobile. Discussing the use OF the air
ship in military science, Mr. WI ex-
pressed the opinion that the art Of flying
Is still so young it is hard to determine
It's value
Smaller Size Necessary.
He observed that to be effective in car
rying messages. the airship must be re-
duced In size, and. OF course must DC
operated at a height great enough 10 es-
cape any assault by bullets from below.
Such development. he said. would doubt
less follow easily The distinguished
Oriental said he fully expected 10 live 10
see men fly as readily as birds and 10
see aviation an everyday means OF trans
portation. He personally congratulated
Mr. Wright on the days successes.
The day was ideal for flying. The
three morning flights were made by Mr..
Wright alone. HIS first was made at
$50 o'clock. The machine started of at
fair pace, without the help Of the
weights, but az the end Of the rail Il re-
fused TO rise. After sliding somewhat
over a hundred feet on the ground Il
came 10 a standstiH
In few minutes he was ready again
and at $40 the weight was released and
the machine scared away gracefully to-
ward the northeast. The flight was over
course measured by the Signal Corps
for 800 meters He made the distance up
the field IN 0:2i Is and came back in
0.24 3-5. the wind accounting for the diff
ference. Mr.. Wright and Lieut. Lahrn
later figured out the time per hour max
Ing II 55.S2 miles. The next best record
is 119 FOR the same distance. made bv
Delagrange
The third morning flight was made only
20 see whether the machine could ne
raised without weights. 1t was successful
but was only a little over a minute in
duration This was the second time that
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