Los Angeles herald., 1910-10-16
MEET OF
'MEN-BIRDS' OCT. 22-30
Many Foreign Aviators, but Few
Americans Scheduled
for Tournament

NEW YORK, Oct. 15.-While it is
believed that most of the worlds
records will go by the board at the
International aviation tournament at
Belmont Park, L. l., October 22-30, it
it not so certain that all the speed
prizes will go to the swiftest. Two
air courses have been marl.ed out on
the racetrack, one five kilometers
around and the other two and a half
lxiometers. Only the American elimi-
nation trials and the race for the in
ternational speed cup will be flown
over the larger course The rest of the
speed events will take place on. the
two and half kilometer circuit. This
will give an advantage to the slower
and more easily managed American
biplane. 1t will be next to impossible,
1t is said, to make the small circle at
sixty miles an hour. At the western
end of the course the pylons form such
sharp angle that any attempt to
drive a monoplane around the corner
at anything approaching sixty miles
an hour will end in disaster and pos
sibly in a collision with the grand
stand.
James Radley, a member of the team
selected by the Royal Aero Club OF
Great Britain, was out inspecting the
aviation field at Belmont Park the
3,
opinion that it would be impossible to
make tie turn at the present speed
that an aeroplane can make. A Mr..
Herring has also condemned the
smaller course as dangerous.
Mr. Herring, by the way, has Just
made it known that he was the de-
signer of the fast machine. in which
Hamilton came to grief in Sacramento.
This flyer, which is now in New York,
has developed, it is said, 115-horse-
power.
Members of the Aero Club of Cali
fornia are getting a little anxious
over the makeup Of the American team
for the international aviation tourna-
ment. Although seven French, three
English and a number of other foreign
entries have been resting in the safe
at the tournament headquarters for
some days, so far not one American
has officially signified his intention of
taking part in the meet. The last day
on which entries can be received for
the elimination trials for the intema-
tional speed trophy is October 10. Not
only are the Americans needlessly slow
over sending in their entries, but with
one or two exceptions they are all
without the necessary pilots licenses. |
According to the rules of the Interna-
tional Aeronautic federation, every
competitor at an officially sanctioned
meet must HOlQ pilOl iiCeio0' ilC
Wright flyers and Charles K. Hamil- |
ton are among those who so far have
not gone to the trouble of being o Kd
by their national aero club. Glenn H. |
Curtiss, the present holder of the in
ternational speed trophy, has, of
course, a license.
American aviators have. always been
inclined to ignore the rulings of the
International Aeronautic federation
and have, in fact, several times
threatened to form federation OF
their own. However, if they intend
to take part in the big meet, the Amer |
lean aviators must get licenses. Such |
men as Brookins. Johnstone, Frank
Coffyn. Hoxey, Hamilton and Willard
would not be compelled to show their !
wings before being granted licenses |
With their string of records, they can
get the needful pieces Of parchment
for the mere asking.
Alex Ogilvie, the third member of
the English team, has at last made |
known his whereabouts. Some weeks
ago word was received from London |
that he was somewhere in this coun- |
try, but just where the Royal Aero |
Club of Great Britain did not know
It was suspected in this country that
he was secretly practicing at one of
the Wright brothers private training |
grounds This has proved to be the
case. Ogilvie, who has never used any
other machine but a Wright, has been |
for some time with Wilbur and Orville |
Wright at Dayton, Ohio.
Every day the chances of America
getting away with the speed honors at
the Long Island meet look better The
latest piece of good news comes from
Henry Weyman in Paris, who cables
that he is coming over with racing
machine that has been specially built
fo,. h htrI a Mr. Far
man has been working on this flyer
for a long time. The new machine is
fitted with a 14-cylinder, 100-horsepower
Gnome motor and in practice spins has
beaten some of the fastest monoplanes.
Mr.. Weymann will take part in the
American elimination trials for the
big international speed race.
Deaths and accidents have greatly
changed the original list of entries for
the Belmont Park tournament. The
Hon. C. S. Rolls, who was killed at
Bournemouth, was the first man nomi-
mated for the international cup con-
test by the Royal Aero Club of Great
Britain. George Chavez, the Peruvian
hero of the flight over the Alps, died
only a few days after his entry for
the meet had been received. Among
the Frenchmen Labouchere broke his
legs, and in his place on the cup teams
the French Aero club put Thomas,
who in turn was put out of business
in a disastrous collision in the air
with the English aviator Captain
Dickson. Leon Morane's accident re-
Gently was another severe blow to the
French representatives.
1t was learned that Mr.. Ardle is
coming over to complete the English |
team for the international cup contest |
in the event of Claude Grahame- |
White refusing to fulfil his contract |
with the Royal Aero Club of Great |
Tritain. Mr.. Ardle has been associated |
with j. Armstrong Drexel in the lat |
ters aviation school in the New For
est England.
Alfred lie Blanc and John b. Mois- |
SAINT recently arrived in New York. |
other members of the French flying |
SQUADRON, Hubert Latham, Count de
I.esseps. Emil Auburn and Rene |