The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1911-05-11
AVIATION MEET
OPENS. WITH A
BIC Null TITUDE
StraitforWard Exhibitions of
Flying Main Part of To
days Schedule
Features of Fly
ing Events Will Begin at
Aerodrome Tomorrow.

Today was Exhibition Day at the
Bridgeport aerodrome, no spectacular
stunts being on the cards. These are
reserved for tomorrow and Saturday.
Curtis,,, McCurdy, Beachey> and
Lieuts. .Fickel ard Ellyson inspected
the Bridgeport Aerodrome this morn
ing. and declared that it suits them in
every respect.
''It is much better than the aver
age field in which we are expected to
fly" said Mr.. Curtiss to a Farmer re-
porter. 1T is both smoother and
larger. Of the two qualifications the
latter is the more Important
Final douches were put upon the
aerodrome this morning in prepara-
ton for this afternoons flights, and
in anticipation of big crowd on the
grounds.
The aviators declared that the day
appears excellent for flights. The air
is moving but slightly and the warmth
of the suns rays is appreciated by the
cold at times in rapidly moving
through the upper atmosphere.
Lieuts. Ellyson and Fickel probably
will not fly until tomorrow Messrs.
McCurdy and Beachey are scheduled
to give the thrills for today, and prob
ably will carry passengers if condi-
tions are satisfactory.
tests will probably be made. The
wireless apparatus which has been in
stalled on one of the aeroplanes weighs
only As pounds. and probably is the
lightest and most compact wireless
kit for it's power that has ever been
devised.
The wireless work is being supervis-
ed by Oscar Roesen, an electrical en-
gineer, of Stevens Institute, who is
performing the experiments for the
New York World He will endeavor
to get into communication with the
wireless station on the World build
ing. test of the kit from the
ground has already been successful.
The stunt Of sending wireless mes
sages from an aeroplane is an ex-
tremely complicated problem, owing to
the fact that on an aerOplane there is
no method of grounding" one of the
wires, as in sending wireless messages
in the usual manner.
A number of ingenious devices have
ficulty and Mr. Rosen is confident of
success.
A Farmer reporter talked to Mr..
Curtiss about the probability of the
Bridgeport Aerodrome's becoming
the center of experimental aviation
in America.
.'The field is in a good location
said Mr.. Curtiss, ''and it is quite pos
sible to develop it as an aviation
park.
'At present, it is amply large
enough for the work of experienced
aviators like Beachy and McCurdy
but it is not large enough for eX-
perimental purposes.
Mr. Curtiss was told of Mr.. Lakes
plans of enlarging the field to make
it contain a 3 and one-tenths miie
course. the prescribed size for inter-
national aeronatic contests. He de-
clared that such a field would be a
splendid thing for Bridgeport
This afternoons program calls for
exhibition flights by McCurdy and
Beachy. McCurdy's machine has
been selected as the one for carry
ing the wireless apparatus aloft. 1T
is also probable that McCurdy will
be the one to take passengers aloft
if any are taken today.
William III. Marigold Jr, is in
charge of the refreshment booths at
the aviation grounds and Has a num-
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