Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-06
STARS GUEST IN AIR
Mr.. Ryan First Contestant to
Enjoy AeropIane Ride.
SHORT DASH WITH BEACHY
Weather Not Favorable. But He Pre-
ferred Not to Wait.
CIRCLES THE CAPITOL DOME
Beachy Pulls Off Spectacular Num-
Der Not on the Benning
Program.
CIRCLES THE CAPITOL DOME

oSSlaN u. Ky an, the lllSt pl ] IT, NliI y
aeroplane ride contestants, was given a
trip in n C,irtiss flying machine al tn
Benning aviation meet Yesterday after
noon.
II was only . short straightaway ri.e.
but Mr.. Ryan took Il rather than risl,
waiting for better weather. 1t was IN"
first day of the aviation meet. Tlc
crowd was not large. but it was 81
thusiastic Glenn Curtiss. who was TO
have been at the meet. was detained IN
New York on business. but IL WIS
nounced that he MOULD he here this
morning and would take part In the
Langley day observarres a. the Press
club tonight This will he meeting ian
memory of the first Hight of a heavier
than-air machine at Whitewater. Va, n
teen Years ego, when Prof. Langley. after
zen Years Of experiment. succeeded In
launching the first haavier-thau-air ma
chine mat ever made a tigk: Ills model
atropiaRc weighed thirty pounds. was
driven b. "A steam engine and flew three
quarters of 4 mile
Weather Not Favorable.
The afternoon yesterday not good
for aeroplanins. The day was clear and
the Sun was bright but there was a
brisk wind-nf.cen miles an hour. accord
ing To the weather bureau. Ii was such
a wind as would have absolutely prohih
tied flying two years ago but the aero
planes rose, Circled and dipped without
any apparent trouble. In fact. II is t2-
apparent ease with wAicl an aer"pisne
does things, even in the face OF bad con
ditions. that robs The show of much a.
pearance OF me spectacular
The Unq was bad enough to preclude
passent-r carrying. The aviators lad m
objection 20 taking chan rs themselves,
but they did not want :" risk accidents
with outsider. Besides, carving a
passenger makes aeroplane harder -
handle and il does rot rise "a well. There
fore W. II johnson Of the Remington
Arms Company. who was fn"re for ar
get shooting. was eft on the ground an"
there We're no photogra phS taken from
the machines as had been intended.
Takes Straightaway Ride.
Toward sunset the wind died down
somewhat. and Beachy. who had been do
ing some Of the most spectacular Gring,
told Mr.. Ryan that he would take him
up for low. straight fiight if he pre-
ferred that to waiting Mr.. RYAN said he
did Tie wind was blowing from the
north. and Beachy explained that where
ii came over q wooded ridge at the up
per end Of the field il made n bad aerial
surf and tended to force the machine
down Mr. Ryan said lie would rather
risk a short flight than TO wait for bette
weather. and he was accordingly given =.
straight fight down the field. Ine eIeN a
ton was low at all times, but Mr.. Ryan
said he enjoyed il and was slad OF tn
experience.
The most startling performance OF thu
afternoon was one not on the program
Beachy, who five years ago flew the first
dirigible that was ever seen in Washing
ton, started of to make an altitude flight
The weather conditions were bad. ana
when he had risen a few hundred feet
he was seen to turn his machine toward
Washington
Circles the Capitol Dome.
He pointed the nose down at the dome
of the Capitol. and passing over the east
ern end OF the city circied the dome or
the big white building. II was the first
time he had seen tho Capitol that close
for Ave years. and strangely enough he
has never been that close to il on the
ground
The sound Of the drumming motor
brought people out of the building, and
made those the streets stop and look
up. The flight was over five miles and
lasted fraction over five minutes.
There were a number Of good flights
around the Benning field. Hugh A. Rob
inson undertook to race ]. A. II. McCurdy.
but his motor misbehaved soon after the
before the contestants were even straight
ened out for the flight. He and McCurdE
are to meet today for fve-nile race.
and Beachy will Join them.
Neither Beachy nor McCurdy have ever
received their pilots license and II has
been arranged for them TO make the
qualifying flights this afternoon. Lieut..
Theodore Eilyson of the navy. formerly
attached to the submarine Seal, VII! also
go for his license under the observation
of the representatives OF the Washington
Aero Club
There were a number Of boys OF the
Junior Aero Club of Washington present
with small machines. The boys nave
been working hard building models, and
il had been arranged that they should
yesterday afternoon. Some Of the model.
however, We're not on the ground ana
some more had been injured In transpor-
tation so ii was decided to postpone the
contests till today.
Motorcycles Out in Force.
The motorcyclists were out in force
There was q race ON whenever there was
nothing doing in the air. TIE winners
OF the cycle events were:
Ten-mile. open race-Frank Hart. nrs.;
NJ. A. Mangold. second, and J. Anderson,
third: time, 1892
Three-mile novice-T. r. Dodge. frst:
William Denham, second and E. Tsel,
third: time, 5.0l.
Five-mile scratch-Frank Hart, first
third; time, 6.1a.
Three-mile race--B. Fene-stein first; L.
X. Marsh. second: time. 4.
Ten-.nile handicap--R x Marsh.
London Closing Stocks