The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-03-27
Aviator Scars for Four Minutes
Over His Winter Camp
Near Montgomery
PEOPLE MAY WITNESS
THE FUTURE FLIGHTS
shops VIII BE Opened to All Who Are
Interested-Wright Talks of Fort
Meyer Accident-The Great
as est of All Sports
by HERyEy w. LAIRD


Montgomery, March 2e.-(Special9-or-
vi lie Wright made his initial fight IN inns
city this afternoon when, in trying out
new engine. he scared for four minutes
at an altitude of so feet. He expresses
pleasure at his first success in Mont
gomery.
Just to look at orville Wright one
would not take him to be man "uo'
with a wonderful invention, has star'ieo
the world. He is modest sort OIL leiio"
with a cordial smile and fraternal temper
ament and seems to be quite fond OF peo-
pie. He talks Interestingly of the many
countries where his machines have peen
exhibited and has found much to enter
tain him outside his airship investiga-
tions.
Mr.. Wright is using at Montgomery the
same machine that bis brother occupied
in flying about the Statue of Liberty IN
New York harbor, only he is Installing
rear portion, taking somewhat the nature
of a. tail. in which the rudder Will pc
held. He came down hurriedly from Day.
ton when he found the workmen were
ready to attach this new portion. There
is ever SO much more of this part of the
machine than before, and it is anticipated
that 1t will add greatly to the handing Oh
the apparatus in mid-air.
People May witness Flights
Many persons are expected to visit the
city and the grounds while Mr.. Wright
and his men are here. There will be no
set time for the try-outs, the flights being
governed by the condition of the weather.
The purpose of the work here is to train
men to handle the aeroplanes, and II VIII
be case of getting in every good hour
| possible in the education laid out There
| is SO much OF demand for the machines
that the factories cannot fill 1t, so it Is
| necessary to get as many men as possible
| In trim for handling them.
| Those who care to go to the GROUNDS
will be welcome, though sthey may or
may not see flight. However" says Mr.
| Wright. "any who come on fine days may
depend almost upon seeing us go up. We
| have a lot of experimenting to do for the
| first few weeks, and it is going to be up
| and down right often, I take it. No
| programme will be made out. and there
| is plenty of field to sit about and see what
| Is being done. Visitors to the shops are
| welcomed so long as they do not get in
| ceal the big car from view.
Accident Is Recalled
| Asked IL he lost his nerve after being
hurt at Fort Myer two years ago-an Off
| Ger of the army was killed at the time
| Mr.. Wright replied in the negative. Twice
| before that time he came much nearer
| being killed. though neither time was he
| injured Once the machine crumpled up
| just over his head, when, IL it had caught
1. t,nx~ aar
| tain, and the other time 1t crumpied but
onto his shoulders, a part of the con-
| struction being broken in such way as
| to relieve his body from pressure.
| The Fort Myer accident could not be
| repeated 1t resulted from a wire be-
coming entangled in the propeller. No
| one could have anticipated such a result
and like every other important detail this
was discovered as a result of experiment
| ing. The Fort Myer accident. too, was
result of not being high enough in the
air If the machine had had as much as
1000 feet more to fall it would have caught
| the air and sailed to comparative safety.
Greatest of Sport
| While there are many limitations in
| the handling of the machines yet, 1t is a
| fact that flying in them is the greatest
| sport ever discovered. This is the reason
SO many are sought by men of means who
desire to use them for the excitement
| they produce. The driver of the machine
| sits directly by the motor and can see
the landscape below him. At height of
a quarter of mile there Is safety, for
then the machine lowers itself with the
sailing motion and a scope of mile and
half square can be used for lighting.
! Mr. Wright thinks the ships will for the
present be taken largely by rich men for
sport However, they will no doubt be
utilized in the near future for carrying
mails and messages into remote sections
and making quick trips of any kind. For
| instance, they will no doubt take the
place of special trains, being able to go
quick and carry all that would be need
ed on journey of this king At pres
ent the cost is $500 each, though they