Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-11-27
CIRCUS IDEA IN AERO CLUB
Heads Of Club VIII Have Trouble
Keeping It's Dignity.
sROTEsUE SHOWS ARE PLANNED
Experts See Prospect OF Clowns in Air
and All sorts OF queer Aviation
Tricks Designed to Get
the Money.

q ticklish Job preserving the dignity OF the
organization az the representative body for
the sporting side OF aviation in the United
States. There are unmistakable signs that
flying Is degenerating into commercial
proposition. or at any rate that the ma
Jorty OF the most famous aviators at the
present time are out simply for the cash.
A member Of the Aero club says nothing
can stop the circus people touring the
country with small troupes Of aviators.
These aviators will have special trains
with Pullman accommodations and freight
cars for their aeroplanes and will give
three TO seven day shows on regular cir
cults throughout the country. There will
be advance agents with bill posters, and
when the jumps are short between towns
the aviators viii fly from one stand to
another in order to stimulate the curiosity
of the people. Men in the little Dennoiselle
monopIanes will be the clowns OF the
troupe. others viii initiate Augustus Posts
aerial bronco-busting stunts. Farman BIZ
planes will be the elephants and the Bleriot
monoplanes the thoroughbreds. II will not
surprise many persons who are in the show
81 the big attraction at Coney Island next
summer were an aviation exhibition along
the line Of Fighting the Flames" can
vas town could be built at one end OF the
nerodrome and a small army OF men in
neroplanee made 20 demolish II with bombs.
At night the aviators could do their damage
with Roman candles and other kinds Of
fireworks and as a grand finale an imita-
zion aeroplane or airship be made to perish
On the red fire Of the doomed city.
America Falls Behind.
Though It was Wilbur Wright who, by
his wing-warplng device, first taught the
world how 70 fly, America, largely owing
20 the indifference Of the government, has
not contributed much 70 the science Of
aviation during the last twelve months.
There are already signs, however, that this
country is going to regain its old position.
The recent international tournament is
already bearing fruit. America can now
boast that she was the first power to
fest the feasibility Of launching an aero
plane from the deck OF a warship. or
indeed from any vessel Engene Bly's
flight from the scout cruiser Birmingham
anchored in Hampton Roads to the shore
five miles away was an unqualified
success The Curtiss aviator's exploit
will no doubt make things easier for
Secretary Of War Dickinson, Major General
Leonard Wood. chief Of starr. and Brig
adler General Allen. chief signal officer Of
suade congress to make a half decent ap-
preparation for the purchase OF areoplanes
for the army. According to Captain Wash
ington Irving Chambers, who had charge
Of Ely's test flight for the Navy de-
partment, a movement will at once be
started to have all the fast cruisers Of the
navy equipped with aeroplanes.
No uupleasantness will now be caused
through the desire of the Pasadena Aero
club and the Aero Club of California to
hold aviation meets at the same time. Some
weeks ago the Pasadena organization, Of
which Clifford b. Harmon is president, got
o sanction from the national council to
hold tournament from December to %.
Then the Aero Club of California came
along with the request for permission to
hold a meet at Los Angeles from December
10 to 20. Les Angeles had to he turned
down. Word has just been received that
Pasadena has courteously surrendered its
dates to Los Angeles. Pasadena now
wants dates in January and has asked the
national council to let It be known that
expenses will be paid to visiting avlators
and 75 per cent OF the gate receipts di-
yided among the competitors, and that no
promoters need apply"
Drexel Has New Plan.
], Armstrong Drexel proposes to build a
Bleriot monoplane capable OF carrying four
persons in addition to the aviator His
new machine will be so arranged that it
win be next to impossible for frightened
passenger to interfere with the pilot. AT
the present time Drexel absolutely refuses
20 take anybody up in his monoplane. The
reason for this Is that short time before
leaving for ha int n
tournament he had an experience with a
woman during flight that might have
ended fatally for both. At height Of 400
20 800 feet the woman became hysterical
and throwing her arms around his neck.
nearly succeeded in making him lose con
troll of his machine. The young Philadel-
phia aviator considers that his most thrill
ing aerial ride. Young Drexel predicts
that by this time next year aeroplanes will
be built with a radius OF 1000 miles. Now
the aeroplane motor plant is the most ex-
travagant type OF internal combustion en-
CINE made. Its capacity for fuel and lu-
brlcating oil IS appalling lie Blanc, the
French champion. lost the international
epeed trophy at Belmont Park because he
did not have enough gasoline TO last sixty
odd miles. Drexel, however, is confident
that before very long engineers will have
cured the abnormal appetite Of the aviation
motor.
Nothing but volplanes. the relative valu,
OF big cross-country flights altitude com
petition and speed contests on closed cir
cults as drawing cards at aviation meet
ings, the future OF flying and other kind
red topics is to be heard nowadays a
prominent local hotel The vestibuie Is
filled from early morn till late at nigh
with the birdmen who took part In IN,
Belmont Park tournament smoking bis
cigars, near-Gyers, Frenehmen trying e
sell motors, makers OF propellers, pres
agents, cranks with the solution OF auto
matte stability ana promoters with dla
monds and coats with astrachan collars
anxious to abandon theatre and circus en-
terprises for flying meets. Great schemes
are being Matched by which Il Is believes
many thousands Of dollars will DO ex
tracted from the pockets Of the American
people during the next six months
CANADIAN HOCKEY Is CHANGE