Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-21
FIRST LONG FLIGHT
Rex Smiths BipIane Rises to
Height of Nearly 100 Feet.
TRAVELS MILE AND A HALF
Successful Demonstration by Wash
ington Aviator's Air Machine.
NO ACCIDENT TO MAR VOYAGE
-
Practice to Continue and Plans Made
to Garry Passenger-Trip
Described.
TRAVELS MILE AND A HALF
10 ACCIDENT TO MAR VOYAGE

ct SuSCcSS1ul tfldiS VI tIllS IIldCIlIue
were reported in The Star last week. Mr..
Smith progressed slowly. and the past
week was spent in making short straight
away flights at height of from ten to
twenty feet. Yesterday morning, the air
being still, Mr.. Smith made a flight of
200 yards at about fifteen feet in height,
but broke a skid on landing and had to
put in the most OF the day repairing the
damage. In the afternoon a long flight
was made by Antony JANUS who has
been helping MIR. Smith in the trials.
1t was about o'clock pm. when, in the
presence of 400 spectators, Janus climb
ed into the machine. A running start of
fifty yards was taken and the machine
rose easily and gracefully. Janus rose
to a height of between so and 100 feet
and then Strengthened out for Lakeland
He had the machine under perfect con-
troll and. making long, easy turn at
height Of 100 feet. returned to the north
end of the field. where an easy landing
was made. There was not wire strained
on the flight and the big machine was
rolled into the hangar in as good condi-
ton as when 1t started.
To Continue Practice.
Mr.. Smith will continue practice with
the machine and will make longer flights
used to 1t. The flights yesterday were
made with a propeller that does not be-
long to the machine and only half Of
the engine power was utilized. The en-
CINE is of 100 horsepower, but there is
a foot stop connected with the throttle
which can be set before the flight is
started and prevents the full power be-
power, and the flight was Intentionally
slow.
Mr.. Smith refuses to make any predic-
tions as to the speed of the machine
under full power, but some of his as
sistants say 1t is likely to be q little bet
ter than sixty miles an hour in still air.
The machine is built for weight carry
ing and probably will lift about 600
pounds In addition to its own weight
After the operators get used to handling
passenger seats.
The biplane is not radical in any re-
spect except In weight. 1t has been built
Of Illuminated spruce and oak. the latter be-
ing used very largely in the construction
with an utter disregard for weight. The
machine completed has not been put on
the scales but weighs probably between
$50 and 800 pounds without fuel or op-
orator.
Fuel Tank Small.
There Isl only small fuel tank fitted
now, QeSlSneU lOF ABOUT twenty minutes
in the air, but with the large weight
carrying capacity there is margin enough
for big fuel tank, and it is intended to
make some long flights and possibly try
for a new endurance record.
Antony Janus. who flew the machine
on the long flight. is a graduate OF the
Technical High School. He is a gas en-
CINE expert and has been following avi-
alton since Orviile Wright made his first
demonstrations at Fort Myer. After the
flight yesterday he talked about the SEN
sation In the air.
Il had flown the machine before he
said. land / knew what she could do
start was made with the smaller pro-
peller the engine sputtered little, and
knew that there was not enough power
on. i hated to stop after once starting,
but 1 did not want to take any chances.
and brought the machine down. 1 set
the stop then so as to throw on a little
more power, and after the engine got
warmed up she went like a bird.
Finest Of Sensations.
Flying is the finest sensation in the
world. Being high in the air and NOV
ing fast is not like standing still and
looking over the edge of a cliff. The
speed keeps you from feeling dizzy. and
you have too much to do to cave time
10 worry about anything. The beauty
about flying with this machine is that all
the movements are reflex. You make
Just the movements you would naturally
make to correct your balance, and any
body who is used to handling a canoe or
an automobile would be perfectly at home
handling this machine.
When / was up i did what probably
| is the hardest thing to do with q single
propeller machine. There Is q noticeable
| toraue to the right with the propeller
running fast and when 1 turned to the
left and had to bank the machine for
the turn she began to slide down the air
hill with me- OF course l leaned over
and worked the ailerons and the rudder
both. and that brought me up. but IL look
| ed more risky from the ground than 1t
| really was
Distance Covered.
II made a circuit and half of the
field and travelled about mile and
half I would have gone around and
anghted in front Of the she'd, but 1
struck one Of the things you hear about
in aviation, a hole in the air. 1t was
| late in the evening and near the edge OF
/ the trees the air seemed TO be going to-
| ward the ground. ! suppose it was be-
| cause 1t was cold. Anyhow with the small
/ amount of power ] had could not
/ crawl out Of the hole.
! An interesting thing to me is that the