Los Angeles herald., 1910-01-11

Around and around the course he cir
cled. once he cut a wide circle and
went q quarter of q mile south OF
the stand. Then he suddenly gulded
his machine around to the north ana
shot over the stand. while the spec
tators cheered like frenzied beings.
Reach 4oo-Foot Level
As he shot eastward he raised his
machine, attaining height of 400 feet,
according to the judges. 1t was the
prettiest flight ever seen, say those
who have attended the foreign AVA
ton meetings. and one coupled with
daring and deXterity The final f1lght
lasted 29 minutes and seconds ana
covered ten and three-fourths miles.
once while Paulhan was in the air
huge bird flew along by his side
Knabenshue was in the air at the
same time. 1t was almost toss-up
to decide which Travelled with the
most grace, the bird, the dirigible or
the biplane. Each has conquered the
air: one bv nature and the others by
using natures forces or weaknesses
as you will.
Paulhan, during one of his flights,
made nine circles around the course,
which is roughly one and five-eighths
miles. His circles were exact only
three times. For the three laps his
time was 2:5S 2:53 and Pap, the aver
age being two minutes and ffty-one
! seconds BY his feats he won the 500
cash prize for the best showing made
on the opening day.
Used Farman Machine
| The Farman machines used by Paul
| han are entirely different than the. Cur
| tiss biplanes. The forward control IS
| lacking. control being obtained by the
i I-1l, ,fr,f1 @1aa lxTi1 1f n
some fifteen feet The engine is what
is known as a Gnome motor, a French
mechanism. This is a seven-cylinder
engine, the cylinders being set around
a central axis. AS the crank reVolYes
the engine revolVeS with it, as does also
the propeller blade. This eliminates the
use of a cooler and lessons the vibra-
ton. The F'arman engines develop
thirty-ffve horsepower, while the Cur
tiss engines which are similar in many
respects to the engine of an automobile,
develop about twenty-five horsepower.
The Gnome motor is one of the most
powerful engines ever built, and is be-
ing developed for use in autos.
c. X Hamilton, who has gained the
title of the worlds most fearless await
or, made one successful flight of a mile
and a quarter. AS he entered his ma
chine, a Curtiss biplane, he was smok
ing Il Cl6dl6llG % IillC tlld ilt iCS5tli u
the seriousness of his flight that he did
not remove the smoker from his lips.
AS he sped around in the air several
tiny clouds of smoke were seen tWirl-
ing from his mouth.
After the Record
Hamilton has declared he will do bet
ter than anything any other aviator
accomplishes during the meeting. If
his fearlessness and calmness in the
face of danger-for it is dangerous to
fly in a heavier -than-air machine-is an
earnest of his ability, he will accom-
plish what he says he will.
Knabenshue and Beachy are expert
pilots of dirigibIes. They demonstrat-
ed the fact yesterday. To pilot a diri-
gible one must be something of an ac-
robat. He must be able to stand on a
bamboo rod an inch or so in diameter,
and he must be able to twist and turn
like man on a turning ring. That's
what Knabenshue and Beachy did yes
terday afternoon while they were $50
feet above the field.
Knabenshue especially went through
all sorts of motions to raise and
lower his machine. At times he was
doubled up like jackknife. At 9TH
ers he was running forward and back
on the bars, climbing over ropes and
trappings like a cat. He and Beachy
will race their machines today, and
the sight will be worth more than the
price of admission.
Knabenshue made three separate
flights. He was in the air a total Of
sixteen minutes and forty-five seconds.
He covered little more than three
miles. Beachy, who had a great deal
of trouble with his engine, made three
flights and was in the air about twelve
minutes, covering in that time two
and a half miles.
Complain About Gasoline
One of the greatest complaints made
by the aviators yesterday was about
poor gasoline. The gasoline was ex-
tremely muddy" causing the engines
to heat quickly. This was the cause
of Hamiltons failure to make a
lengthy flight. Specially refined gas
oline will be provided today, so better
flights will result.
aviation week. was really opened
by the balloon ascensions of Clifford
Harmon in his New York and Frank
j. Kanne in his Peoria. The gas bags
left Huntington Park balloon field at
IL .35, coming to the earth at lis. The
New York struck the ground three
quarters of a mile west of the city on
Melrose avenue and the Peoria came
down in Colegrove. With Mr.. Har-
mon were Mr.. and Mrs Il. T. Off of
Pasadena, Mrs Dick Ferris and George
b. Harrison. With Mr.. Kanne was j.
@. Mars, pilot of the Oakland Aero
club. The distance travelled by the
balloons was about fifteen miles, al
though the mileage has not been Off
cially computed yet
Not an accident of any sort marred