The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1910-03-05


delivered to aviators, both amateur
and professional, this year in time for
the opening of the spring season. The
demand is SO great for all types of air
craft that the manufacturers are far
behind in their orders. The majority
of these aviators, in their anxiety to
have their flying machines ready in
time for the regular season are paying
high premiums for the delivery of
their craft. The greatest activity in
the aeroplane market is to be found
in France, although the demand in
other European countries and in Ame-
RIGA is rapidly awakening.
1t is conservatively estimated that
more than 100000 will be spent for
aeroplanes alone. These figures do
not include the immense outlay ne
cessary for housing the aircraft, for
transportation or maintenance. The
+ growth of the demand for aeroplanes
! is said to be- far more rapid than in
the case of automobiles in the early
years of that industry. 1t is confident
ly prophesied that another year will
find this demand easily doubled Or
tripled. The activity of the aeroplane
market proved beyond all question
that the day of the aeroplane has ar
rived, and that the new means of
locomotion has definitely passed it's
experimental stage.
! There are already half dozen
standard manufacturers in the mar
ket. 1t is almost impossible, howev-
er, to buy an aeroplane outright for
love or money. Most of these manu-
facturers will not guarantee to deliver
aeroplanes in less than two or three
months, and, in some instances. even
longer The factories, they explain,
are being pushed to their utmost ca
pacity. If the present demand should
increase the summer may even wit
ness something of an aeroplane ia
mine. A number of enthusiastic avi-
ators in their anxiety to have their
aeroplanes in time for the opening
of the spring season, have paid pre-
MUM of so per cent. for early de-
livery.
So lively has become the demand
that a number of spectators have en-
tered the field, who act as middlemen
between the aeroplane manufacturer
and the ultimate consumer These
spectators, it will be recalled, were
very active in the early days of the
automobile trade, when they reaped
a harvest by insuring the early de-
livery of cars. According to the lat
est quotations, these dealers are re-
celVing as much as $4,000 for an An
toinette monoplane for immediate de-
livery, and $4,000 for delivery in six
weeks, while the manufacturers reg
ular price is $50OO There are a few
Wright machines in their hands which
may be bought for $4,000, if you are
in hurry to have your craft at once,
although, according to the regular
catalogue prices. these machines cost
but $500.
, These spectators take some risk
in their ventures, but so far at least
the demand has outstripped the sup
! ply, and their profits have been large.
]
for instance, his machines have en-
! ioyed great popularity. There is at
present a large plant manufacturing
these machines while the spectators
are doing a thriving business. The
manufacturer offers his machines, &C
cording to catalogue at $1,000, promis-
ing delivery in April or May The
spectators are asking $3,1OO for
these air craft, delivered in February,
and $1,000 delivered in May A num-
Der of buyers, discouraged at the
prospect of obtaining such craft, have
come to America for them. The Her
ring-Curtiss company will deliver an
aeroplane within thirty days, without
the payment of any premium, and their
biplanes in several cases have actu-
ally been delivered abroad in less
time than a craft could be obtained
from the French manufacturers.
The prospective purchaser of an
aeroplane will find a bewildering var
iety of airships to choose from. There
may be said to be six standard types,
although a much greater number are
offered for sale, The prices vary
widely. For the aviator of moderate
means there are cheap runabouts for
aerial navigation, while the more Ella
borate cars. those especiaIly designed