Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-10
GALE TOSSES AERO
Beachy Has PeriIous Flight in
Forty-MiIe Wind.
UNFAMILIAR WITH MACHINE
Aviator Has Considerable Trouble in
Landing After His Ascent
at College Park.

Lincoln Beachy, the aviator. made a
flight at College Park yesterday afternoon
that was regarded as. in some respects.
the most remarkable an aeroplane ever
has made There was q gale blowing that
probably reached forty miles an hour
while Mr. Beachy was in the air. The big
machine was tossed about like a leaf, and.
while there was no way Of accurately
timing it, the aeroplane, going with the
wind. probably made eighty miles an
hour.
The machine was the big double-con-
troll Curtiss that is awaiting acceptance
by the government. Beachy never had
handled a machine of this type, and the
weather was so bad that the officers of
the army interested in the flight did not
think he would attempt to get or the
ground.
The machine has met all the require
ments as to speed and endurance, but
has not yet met the altitude requirement.
That is that it shall climb 1000 feet in
ten minutes with 40 pounds of extra
load This is a severe requirement, but
not more so than that imposed on ma
chimes by the French war office. which
requires them to make q similar climb
carrying 6M pounds.
When Beachy went to College Park yes
terday there was every prospect of
bad afternoon for flying. The wind was
blowing half gale. and aloft there were
huge masses Of cumulus clouds that por-
tended a STERN.
Takes Practice Spin.
In comparative lull. however. when
the thermometer was showing only TWEEN
ty-four miles Of wind. Mr.. Beachy had
the big machine rolled out and started
practice spin to familiarize himself with
ii. He had hardly taken his seat when
the wind increased to thirty-four miles,
and from that time it kept rising and
falling-a puffy. unreliable gale that is
disliked by aviators.
Beachy put the nose Of the machine
into the wind and with the power on it
was tossed almost straight into the air.
accident. but tho aeroplane stood the
buffeting and made a wide sweep out
over the railroad track.
In the teeth Of the wind it could not
make more than twenty-five miles an
hour, but as 1t wore around with the wind
behind 1t the aeroplane jumped like
scared rabbit and tore down the wind
at a rate that looked like anything over
eighty miles an hour. The drop was so
sudden when the machine went before
the wind that the gasoline momentarily
stopped feeding and the engine skipped.
1t picked up, however. before touching
the ground, and, with the power on, the
machine tore across the field.
Difficulty in Grounding.
When the aeroplane came up into the
wind again Beachy had some trouble in
landing. for the wind got under the big
plane and tossed him up after he had
touched the ground. He was able finally
to bring the aeroplane to a standstill
without damage either to himself or the
machine. After getting out Of the drivers
seat Beachy said 1t was the worst wealth
er In which he had ever flown. There were
holes. ruts and ridges aloft and 1t was
utterly impossible to do anything with
an aeroplane except to keep it right side
up.
It is not certain whether another flight
will be attempted today. If the machine
Is required to buck any such wind as was
blowing yesterday there will have to he
some changes made In the controls. If
the weather Is good, however, the aero
plane can attempt the climb without al
teration.