The Washington times., 1911-12-10
'CONNEAU, WINNER
OF A|RSH|P RACES,
TELLS II SENSATIONS: 4 !''!l !!
French Flyer Describes Feel
ing That Comes With
Whirl in Aeroplane.

Many aviators have described their
sensations while in flight In the last
few years, but none more wildly
than Lieutenant Conneau, one of the
famous experts Of the French navy.
Under the name Of Andre Beaumont
he has been the victor in no less than
three of the International cross coun-
try aviation contests this year--the
Paris Rome, Circuit of Europe. and
Circuit of England. In describing how
1t feels to fly recently Lieutenant
Cohneau said:
ut Is difficult enough In all con-
science to discern and analyze ones
ewn emotions, and especially to de-
fine them with requisite correctness.
even when these are emotions which
other men have already known and
experienced.
But here in q domain which is
totally new to humanity, both for the
spectators who observe the flight OF
today IL beginning to try his wings.
there Is something almost audacious
In seeking to lay bare q state Of
mind which iss still .unprecise, a mem
J First Of all, then, let me remark,
people must remember that we who
fly are men like the rest. Therefore
the sensations we have In accomplish
ing the almost superhuman. feat are
profound and intense, and II Is even
by reason. of the depth and intensity
OF these sensations that we are often
ineapa BILE of understanding them. In
point of fact know more than one
sled to cover q hundred miles in full
flfgfrt than to face an interview on
this delicate subject.
Il gather UP, all my courage, then; /
spring into my monoplane: ! switch on
tha onnfQNt. the nrnnallAr flea round
dizzily; give the signal TO let so, and.
with the map Of Europe before my eyes.
rise into the air In search OF my i'm
pressions, scattered over the route be-
tween Rome, Paris. Utrecht, Brussels,
and London.
"As in balloon ascents. one has the
impression that the earth ls sinking
beneath one. People seen far below
then only groups can be seen, then one
is only conscious OF the black mass OF
the spectators.
Everything blends together and
dwindles away. Houses look IKE dice
cities seem like Liliputian towns, the
bas-relief melts away. roads, rivers, and
railways appear to wind their way In a
childs model landscape toy. Only the
sea and lofty mountains are spared In
this wholesale diminution, and they al
ways impose on the airman respectful
admiration mixed with a very lively
sentiment Of fear.
Intoxicated by the sight, the airman
mounts and mounts. his machine point
ing upward. Far beneath him the dis
tant earth lies hattened out. Human
sounds no longer reach his ear. deaf
ened by the motors roar. Suddenly.
appalled, by the utter sense OF solitude,
he rights his machine and planes hori,
zontaily over the hills and followed
valleys.
There are no more roads, nor bridges,
nor barriers; forest, marshes. and lakes
exist for the airman no more; the road
and on every side. 1t Is then that man
has the real sensation Of flying of hav-
ing at last left the earth, Of having
conquered the ocean, moving IN IT.
with a machine OF his own invention,
obedient to his slightest gesture. rising
falling, wheeling. and diving. with the
grace and lightness Of the bird"