The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-09-19
SHRIYER FLIES BY MOONLIGHT
SOARS FOR ~ WHITES ABOvE
THE HEMPSTEAD PLAIN.
Makes n Aerial Circuits % the Fi,ing
Field ana Aseends About 900 Feet
IIlusi,e MO0ubsams Made Hrm Feel
Nearer Earth Excited Crowd 10 See.

Field ana Aseends About 900 Feet
-IIlusise Mooabsams Made Hrm Feel
Nearer Earth Excited Crowd 10 See.
Tod ahriver. Matched a. an aviator q
few weeks ago and hardly out Of the
nsdEling class. got away with a moon
Light flight last night at Hampstead
Plain AVia ton field. shriver began plan
ming this stunt almost before he learned
how 10 fit across the field,
The crowd. which was Of Sunday night
sire. figured that Shriver got up TO an
altitude Of 600 feet. When he came down
he said he thought that was about the
height to which he climbed. He added
that it's hard TO tell just how high you
are by moonlight. because in the decep-
tive glimmer the earth seems nearer than
IL does by daylight.
He saw the lights OF Mineola. figured
that he must be pretty high. and then
swooped down TO an even height Ut about
$50 feet He held that altitude until the
end % tho flight. He went around the
the men below gave him was forty nine
minutes
He kept his machine on an even keel
and flew perfectly. as the atmospheric
conditions were ideal A. no rounded
and rounded the course he looked like a
mere speck swiftly dArtinE between the
grand stand and the great round moon.
Several photographers tried To get pic
lures Of the moving speck in the sky.
Each time Shriver swept past the crowd
cheers went up and the horns Of automo-
biles honked vigorously. The noise of the
engins and the demonstration soon in
creased the number Of spectators and
almost every person living within a five
mile radius arrived before ShriveT came
down from his moonlight jaunt. He
finally descended because he had ex-
hausted his gasolene supply. and landed
within mile Of the starting point.
Shriver said the conditions we're per
feet and 10 fuel had lasted he could have
kept on until daylight. He made q single
lap 81 the course in l minute 50 seconds.
and a. he few out Of the prescribed lines
IL vas estimated he covered a mile and
Other circuits were com
ple,ed in minutes ; seconds
The automobiles that lined the parking
space were turned in the opposite direc-
ton in order that the aviator might not
he CONFUSED by the glare Of the head
lights
The first exhibition 81 moonlight flights
was made by Walter Brookins at the
Asbury Park meet. who carried pas
senger on his night journey.
Shriver was formerly head mechanician
for Glenn II. Curtiss and accompanied
him on his trip Ia Rsims when Curtiss
captured the international trophy.
He built the machine in which h" made
his flight last night and took his seat in
u for tho first time about three weeks
ago. HIS progress has been 50 rapid a.
20 eclip~.s airmen who have been On the
field for months.
Shriver expects 20 enter for some ~
the prizes offered AZ the International
nv iation meet NJ Belmont next month II
the conditions for American aviators
arc made the same as for the sirrnen
from abroad. He said last night that II
The mana cement would pay his expenses
in addition 20 the prize money he would
take par, In the speed contests.
In describing his moonlight flight he
.aid that he experienced no uneasins-s in
he air and that the only difference from
daylight vas that the ground seemed
much nearer.