The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1911-10-28
Holes In the Air.

riding is due to tho holes in the air. /
| have heard a great many people ridi-
Guile this expression. and they have
been surprised when have asserted
that these 'tholes" really do exist and
that they are a constant menace to
the aviator.
met them hrst very early in my exs
perience when began practicing alt
! tude flying at my private grounds NJ
BeauIieu, in England My first expe-
rIence with them was complete sUr-
prise to me. II was flying cOu6Etably
Eand easily, at height of about 5000
fleet. 1t was toward sunset, on per
tectly calm summer, afternoon, and
not a breath had disturbed me from
che time had left the earth
So smoothly had my climb gone on
TINT I Ind relaxed my vigilance and
WAC sitting back zaAmfortably. really
enjoying thel flight. when suddenly the
RIeriot seemed - drop from under me
md felt myself falling straight for
El,o OArfA. For hundred feet or more.
I Should say, - fell, and then the
Tiifr4ot landed On cushion of air and
rORndoa on the aNat of the Bleriot with
l.bump that taTcDG me.
.Fortuuaka1T wHs headed slightly
Gownwatd at the time AID was able to
recover my equilibrium. bUt'the shock
OF the surprise was sufficient for one
day OF 6yinG Cor such a novice as
was at that time, and came to earth
ut once.
When GIOnn Curtiss made his fl-
nous hAat from Albany to New York
he TTas several times almost thrown
GroEn his seat by these sudden drops
through 'holes" in the air. So serious
An. Impression did it make upon his
mind chat, 1 am told. he has since had
the back OF his seat made with little
curved metal braces that go over his
| shoulders and hold him firmly down
I upon his chair.
Must Watch Constantly.
The philosophy OF the hole in the arr
It seems that many conditions of sun,
clouds and earth will bring about diff
forent conditions of mir over practical
Il u the same locality. In one place
SllerO will be a rising warm current
| and next to it cold current. that falls
| toward the ground. An aviator in fly
| Irfs through the warm current adjusts
Lis machine and his mind to the con-
Qit!ons met with in that particular
phase of atmosphere. Suddenly he
passes from this rising current to the
! falling cold mir. Instantly the Bus-
| tanning power OF the aCuOSpueEs -
decreased, the machine plunges down
liWard and continues to plunge until
the aviator RECEIVERS himself sufficient
IL to adjust his machine to the chang
Cd conditions met with in the atmos-
| ,phere of lower temperature. So, too.
there are whirlw1nds and worthless
formed and sometimes between the
warm and cold currents pockets of
extremely rareficd mir that offer prac-
dcally no support for flying machine.
These things are. as have said.
usually met only by the men who fly
very high above the earth.
StiI, the man who flies close to the
ground will frequently encounter hills
and valleys in the air, not so great
nor so suddenly presented as these
''bumps' and holes that I have de-
sciIbed, but yet unpleasant and dis
concerting enough to put his nerves
nm edge and give him an uncomfort-
able sensation for days afterward.
No; flying is not the smoothest and
easiest kind OF travelling. especially
when there is rough riding" to be
done. when there are aerial ''bumpSE
to be dumped"