The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-04-10
AV|ATORS FIGHT
AGAINST WINDS
Birdmen Take Lives in Hands
at the Big Aviation
Meet.
Continued From Page One.

that Willard was In the air he had a
constant battle to keep from being
turned over by the heavy winds which
whip him about in the air. Even
with the handicap OF the heavy wind
Willard essaycd some trick flying. His
greatest hazard however. was in flying
AT all. as both lie and Ely were In con-
stant danger all Of the time they were
The wires holding the planes together
on Wizards machine were strained 10
the breaking point by the heavy wind
and the discovery that one OF the prin-
cipal steering wires was about 10 break
caused Willard TO make n hasty descent.
Ely followed few minutes later. Both
fate by trying to fly in the choppy winds
and they were persuaded TO wait FOR
calmer atmosphere
Concert Is Given
1t was announced To the crowd that
to fly In the gale that then blow
Ing would be practically suicidal and
that the avators would try to fly later
In the meantime. a concert was given
by Held,s band and the Curtiss and
Wright bIplanes were taken before the
grandstand where the spectators were
given a chance TO compare the two ma :
chimes.
Finally. although the wind had not
decreased. but, on the contrary, had in
creased its velocity, Eugene Ely an
| nounced that he would try To fly in the
wind. Friends tried TO dissuade him
the crowd. and took his machine on the
| field and prepared 10 start BY this
time the wind was blowing so hard that
es nds PapeTT toy eaTsIn eoGns na% and
were in the air The sport the winds
| made OF these objects was warning
OF what would happen to the aeroplane
| that tried to fly In the gale.
Ely Braves Gale.
Nevertheless. Ely started his motor,
| a I'm dc in a \
| he rose above the grand stand gust OF
| wind caught his machine and drove 1t
almost to the ground He KEEP, it up;
| out over Great Salt lake. Finally by
| strenuous efforts he succeeded in get
tIng his craft inland once more. and after
| a wide circle flew slowly in the very
| teeth OF the wind.
His experience would not have been
quite so thrilling had IL not been for
quickly shifted and struck him broad
| sides. He turned to save himself and
his machine almost turned upside down.
| times during the fifteen minutes he was
| In the air. Just before he came to earth
| his machine was caught in the tail Of a
whiriwind, and II took the most strenu-
| TO keep the machine afIoat. Repetitions
| of this whirlwind were imminent. and
Ely came down half mile from the fly
| Ing field just in lime to escape a big
whrlwind that would in all probability
have dashed the aeroplane and It's cour-
ageous pilot to the ground.
Curtiss Ascends.
Although further flights seemed i'm
possible. 1t was announced that Glenn
and attempt to fly from the waters of
| Great Salt lake. Skeptical, the crowd
went TO the lake shore Mr. Curtlss took
| the machine over the lake bottoms and
launched it in the rolling waters OF the
| lake. The waves were high and the
spray when parted by the PROV of the
boat attachment flew over the machine
Mr.. Curtiss drove the machine through
| the water against the wind across an
arm Of the lake, then turned 1t about
and ran with the wind TO the south end
of Antelope island. Then he again re-
vcrsed the machine and going against
the wind lifted II into the air. He was
| subjected to the same buffeting that
was experienced by Ely and Willard
After sailing in the air across the arm
of the lake. Curtiss descended safely on
the surface OF the lake He turned the
powerful wind In his back came with
wonderful speed back across the lake
When he reached point opposite his
landing place he tried to turn the machine
| toward the shore but It would not turn.
| 1t rocked pcrilously but kept going with
the wind Curtiss said afterwards that
machine was going and that he could
not use the rear rudder 10 get back to
land.
Turns Toward Shore.
| In this emergency. he shut off the
/ power and climbed down To the top of
| his boat attachment and by fitting his
| planes succeeded in turning the hydro
| plane toward the shore. His machanicians
| waded out waist deep in water and as
sisted him in turning the machine about
and getting It to shore,
| When he came ashore. Curtiss said
| that he had never encountered similar
conditions. lie said that II was by far
| the mos, severe test that he had given his
| hydroplanc and that he was delighted
| with the success OF the experiment al
| though not eager to repeat the expert
ence.
! The aviation meet will conclude with
| aviation programmes today and tomorrow.
| 4 race in which all four avlators-
| Brookins Parmalce, Willard and Ely
will participate, from Bonneville aviation
| field 10 Antelope island and return will
| be of the features of today's meet
| There is much rivalry between the
| Wright and Cmtiss teams and the race
will demonstrate whether the Wright or
| the Curtiss biplane is the faster. Another
| feature Will be used. These features Will
| be In addition to the regular programme
OF altitude flights. quick starting and
stopping contests and trick and fancy
| flying.