Los Angeles herald., 1910-12-11
OEFIEs COLD IN
FLIGHT OVER CITY
Aviator Willard PIunges Through
Clouds Close to Mt. Viii
son. to Pasadena
THOUSANDS SEE DARING TRIP
Man Bird Makes 55 Miles in an
Hour and Ten Minutes
in Bad Weather
SEE DARING TRIP
(oontlnued from pare onel

shire boulevard and Bronson street,
to Pasadena and return in an hour
and ten minutes, covering fifty-five
miles. The feat was second in impor-
tance to the notable circling of the
Metropolitan tower in the trip from
Belmont park over the skyscrapers of
New York recently by John Moissant,
the California aviator
The trip was the maiden voyage Of
the biplane, 1.-THE Los Angeles Ex-
press" named by the aviator after
the newspaper of that name. The ma
chine is after the Curtiss model, with
several changes made by Aviator Will
lard himself, and with a Paulhan ro-
tary engine. 1T was constructed by
Willard with parts sent here from the
east in less than a month and the
fight marks an epoch in quick achieve
ment from the beginning of work on
an air craft to its being placed in
service in SO remarkable q test as was
made yesterday.
WATCHERS CROWD ROOFS
Downtown streets and roofs of build
ings were crowded from o'clock yes
terday the hour set for the beginning
of the fight, until after the aviator
had swung into view from the west of
the city, had pirouetted over West
lake park, shot over the business dis
ITJCIt uIDpeu Iuo tOS6 VI Ills IldCIliilC
into the cloud banks. disappearing
again into the west 1t was a thrill
ing exhibition, undertaken under ad-
verse weather conditions which the
airmen would not have attempted to
brave at the first aviation meet held
here q year ago.
Contrary to the opinion of aviators
and aero experts, who said that
weather conditions were against the
e.,I MI {ph NJ fha Hiphf
Willard brought the Express" out Of
its hangar on the Wiltshire field and
announced to his rather dubious as
sistants that he intended to make the
trip.
After tuning the machine up he made
a preliminary flight of twelve minutes,
ascending at 9:18. The motor worked
satisfactorily and the aviator went up
for a second test. This disclosed a
weakness in one of the guiding wires
and a slight tendency of the machine
TO tilt upward A new wire was put
in and perfect equilibrium was at
tained by placing q lead bar to the
front of the craft.
DEFIEs RAIN AND ROC
Both tests had been made with rain
pelting the aviator In the face and In
a fog so dense that it was impossible
to discern landmarks after ascending
1000 feet.
When the last touch had been put on
the machine and every part thorough
ly inspected, Willard announced he was
ready for the fifty-five-mile flight.
Getting off easily, Willard rose grace
fully with his craft three or four hum
dred feet, tilted the machine upward
and described q series of circles until
he had reached an altitude of about
1400 feet. This brought him over West
lake park and in sight of Charles e.
Rilliet, chairman of the Aero clubs
flight committee, and other watchers
on the roof OF the Central building.
President Twining of the Aero club
and Walter Brookins, the Wright avi-
ator, were among the group of experts
who saw the air1nan approach the city.
Willard was still climbing, and be-
fore he had reached point over the
downtown business district watchers
thought he had turned back. He cir
cled from Hollywood back over the
Wiltshire district and presently, getting
the desired level, he pointed the PROV
of his craft toward the business dis
trict, and while thousands craned their
necks at almost breaking angles to get
q view of the spectacle, the aviator
sailed gracefully over the city.
PASSES OVER BUSINESS CENTER
Turning to the northeast directly
over the business center, Willard set
out for Pasadena, coming so close to
Mount Wilson that he was lifted up
and carried for some distance by the
current caused by the mountain con-
tour.
From Mt Wilson to Pasadena, where
the aviator circled the city to the Won
der and admiration of watching