Omaha daily bee., 1911-01-26
AVIGTRICE USES FINE GGRB
Bessica Raichs Wears Wonderful Suit
in Flights.
PAYS COMPLIMENT TO BIRDS
Pretty woman AerOnaut Declares She
VIII One Day Fly 90 New York
to shop and "Have Broad
way NJ Her Feet"

Americas only avatrice. Bessie Raiche,
whose achievement in making the first
flight ever made by woman In the United
states was recently rewarded by the Aero
nautical society with a gold medal al
though far more daring than most OF her
sex when II comes to battling with the
periIs OF air holes" in the eternal fem
mime whom il comes to garblng herself for
an ascension.
Few winds or weathers can keep the
pretty Mineola slrwoman from hitting the
ethereal roads in her home made aeroplane
whenever she feels like playing tag with
the clouds, but on no account would she
start a-fyiug without having first In
Quoted her slender self in the tightly clasp
ing and vastly becoming leather costume
made TO measure by a Partisan firm OF
specialists.
Laughingly Mrs. Raiche, who, on her
first exodus from her native Badger state
acquired in France at one and the same
time a love for aviation and for her hus-
band Franchise. declares that she lie I'M
able to exactly say why II is she makes
a fetch OF her specially made leather suit
when starting on a flying expedition.
would rival the birds.
ITS not exactly that I'm superstitous,
she say 9, nor YET Nlldl J w hlhNis Ao'N'NA
Gus about my garb on ordinary occasions.
Perhaps its jrst because the birds that ny
about ones aeroplane and. sometimes.
perch on the struts, seem TO have their
plumage so beautifully smooth and glisten
ing that one feels that venturing among
them-especially II one Is a woman-one
should be we'll groomed.
"Td really feel ashamed to 80 flying IL
] had a baggy old suit on that was Just
smeared up with oil and grease"
The only woman who ever has been
granted the honor OF a medal by the Aero.
nautical society may wei be allowed a
foible I'm regard to her garb when flying,
for her achievements in the flying line,
as well as In others have been remark
able for so young a person, the more so
when II is considered that she Is not of
the sterncr sex.
Besides being pioneer aeroplanist Mrs.
Raiche, who is Just turning the quarter
century mark. Is a musician, painter and
a nguist. In the natatory art she has also
won fame. while equestrianism driving,
fast automobiles and the use of rifle are
among her other accomplishments.
Resolves to Fly.
In Paris. three years ago, Mrs. Rache
saw for the first time an aviator make a
flight Then and there she resolved she
would learn how to fly. Those to whom
she conflded her ambition. when they did
not scott. tried to deter her. They were
unsuccessful.
Setting about the matter in systematica
manner, she first studied thoroughly al
that has been written on the science OF
aeronautlcs. This She supplemented by
knowledge CLEANED at first hand from sew
,.l ba1 70
mechanical end Of aviation not ne
elected She experimental with motors
until she knew the various makes as wei
as she did those inside her sewing basket.
Finally, after she had returned to thu
United states with her husband she had
won abroad. and settled in Mlneola, l.. ]
Mrs. Raiche set about the construction o.
her first aeroplane. with the exception
Of the motor she designed the whole ma
chine herself Then, with some slight aiC
from her husband, himself an expert OF
aeropanes, she supervised the construc
tion OF every detail OF the machine Il
which she planned to entrust her life ant
limb
Tries Again.
Tho first biplane was a good one, bu
the avlatrice believed she could build on
stnl better. She did so. Again she fan
cled she could accomplish more satlsfac
tory results although one OF the earle
machines had brought her silver cup 70
its excellence.
With luck possibly in odd numbers
the bird proved wholly pleasing, In II
after cutting grass" for two days at tn
Hampstead aerodrome. she essayed sue
cessfully her first real flight, the one tina
brought her the medal, presented by MI
Hiram Maxim, president Of the Aeronauti
cal society, expressive Of the admirs
ton OF Its members for the fair airwoman'
skill. persistence and daring.
Al present Mrs Raiche Is planning he
future aerial triumphs. II is her ambl
ton to ny from her home to New Yor
and return, She says she just wants t
ny over the big city and see how Il feel
TO have Broadway at her feet"
She would not admit the Impeachment
but those who knew her best say she
likely to make the Broadway flight lo'
one so she can look into the shop window
and sec II they contain any new ideas
costumes fer an aviatrice,