Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-26
TO CONSTRUCT
AVIATION CAMP
tGontinusn from rnre one,

equally large crowds there in the fore
moons of Aviation week.
Local men who are preparing to en-
ter aeronatics in the Aviation week
contests and the eastern aerOnautS and
aviators already here put in a full
period of work on Christmas day in
their preparations for the events.
Knabenshue, Willard and Beachey
who are overhaullng their machines at
the official repair shop of the Aviation
week committee at Seventh and Los
Angeles streets, will all have prac-
tically new machines by the opening
day.
Knabenshue and Beachey have over
hauled their racing dirigibes so that
they will be as good as the first day
they were used. They expect to make
entirely new records for dirigibe per-
formances in this country, since they
realize they will be pitted against the
aeroplanes for the favor of the spec
tators. Thus far the dDrigiblc air
ship has record for altitude twice
as great as that attained by an aero
plane, but Louis Paulhan announced
in Paris this month that he would set
an altitude mark in Los Angeles near
ly four times greater than the present
height record for heavier than air
machines.
Hlr5hips Are EHIclent
Such an achievement would be en-
tirely out of reach OF the dirigibles
as at present constructed, and they
cannot maintain the speed necessary
to keep an aeroplane in the air But
for efficiency in several lines 1t is as
| serted by I<nabenshue ana Beachey
| that the airsbip is able to outdo the
aeroplane, and they propose to dem
! onstrate this at Los Angeles next
month. The events offer the first op-
| portunity for genuine comparison or
! the merits Of lighter than air craft with
! the gasless machines. The two aero
| nauts have worked out a program for
proving the merits of their ships, ana
they are relying on the attendance OF
Capt. Thomas S. Baldwin, who viii
steer the army diriglble, to aid them.
Charles F. Willard has made more
than 200 aeropane flights already, but
he realizes that the Los Angeles
events will permit him to make bet
ter showing than in all previous
fights combined. With his mechan-
ician he has gone over every piece or
| his Curtiss aeroplane. AS he round
worn parts in the motor he wired TO
the Curtiss factory for new ones ana
will enter the events with an aero
plane and engine to all practical In
tents entirely new.
1.-THE Paulhan and Curtiss aeroplanes
now on the way to Los Angeles are
undoubtedly the finest equipped In the
world" said Willard yesterday, for
their owners intend to fly as the world
has never dreamed of flying before.
Against them / am somewhat at
disadvantage, but I am certainly 60
ing to do my best No one in the east
anticipated how big thing Los An
geles was undertaking when 1t was
first announced, but it is attracting
worldwide attention and among men
interested in flying there is gem
eraI expectation that your aviation
meet will see wonderful PERFORM
ances."
Local men who are entered in the
Aviation week events have most OF
their machines under way at Chutes
Park. Two monoplanes and two bl-
planes now practically completed have
been inspected by Knabenshue and
willard. who say they are built on
lines which make it practically GER
tain that they will make flights. Mon.
oplanes also constructed on approved
lines are entered from other Paciht