Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-01
AVIATION.

Local interest in aviation the past year
was confined almost exclusively to the
army and navy, the army having located
Its aviation camp at College Park, Md.
whence flights were made to Fort Myer
over Washington, to the National Guard
camp at Frederick and to other points
when the trouble in Mexico grew acute
and American troops were ordered to the
international border the War Department
decided 1t was a good time to test the
military value of aeroplanes under actual
heid conditions One plane was contribut-
ed 10y the United States Aeronautical Re-
serve. and several others We're purchased.
The first of these were sent to the army
camp in Texas early in February. and
there were soon six aeropIanes operating
as scouts and carrying dispatches One
or these, driven by professional aviator,
fhii fermlee. and carrying Lieut.. Ben,
lamln D. Foulois as passenger. broke
the world s croSs-country passenger rec
ord by flying from the army camp to
Laredo. a distance of 1O6 miles These
aeroplanes took part in the reviews and
practice marches. There was but one ac-
cldent that resulting in the death OF
Lieut.. George NJ. Kelly a motive aviator
Work on the government hangers at
college Park was commenced late in Nav
and the camp was officially opened June
~. Lieut.. Harry Arnold, Lieut.. Thomas
Milling and Capt. Paul Beck were the
frst army pilots, and they quickly trained
Capt. Charles de Forest Chandler and
Lieut.. r. G Kirkland in the use of the
machlnes. The army now has six licensed
aviation pilots. small nuclei us on which
1t Is hoped to build up an efficient aero
plane service, as more officers are avail
able for the detail.
The army camp at College Park was
maintained through the summer. and in
November when 1t became too cold to
MY in this region. the army camp was
moved to Augusta Ca. where practice
flights are now continuing.
Inc progress in army aviation is indi-
Gated by the fact that the original Wright
machine. bought for the service In 1908
ed to the National Museum June %. This
machine had been considerably altered
while in the hands Of the army, and was
81 mt back to the Wright factory and re-
stored SO that when eventually deposited
in the museum 1t was in the same condi-
ton as when originally delivered to the
government
While the army was working with aero
planes the navy was not idle The de-
yeiopment of the hydro-aeropla ne or
Triad, by Glenn Curtiss, gave the navy
a machine adapted to its use because II
could rise from either the land or the
water. One of these. piloted by Lieuts
Rogers and Towers, flew from Anna polls
summer
demonstrating to the satisfaction Of the
Navy Department the practica bility of
the new machine The army officers at
College Park had been promising to make
the flight from College Park to Annapolis
during the summer, but September %
Lieut.. Rogers, one Of the navy aviators.
beat them to 1t by suddenly dropping in
on the camp and subsequently flying to
Washington. where he called on Capt w.
l. Chambers. in charge Of aeronautics
for the Navy Department
The first sensation in cross country fly
Ing in America was caused by the trip
made during the summer by Harry At
wood from Boston to Washington The
army had just bought a new aeroplane
from the Burgess company of Massachu-
sets, FOR which Atwood was working
Nobody had ever heard Of Atwood as an
aviator when he suddenly flew one morn
ing from Boston to the intercollegiate
boat race at New London Conn. He con-
tiued thence to New York and finally
completed the flight to Washington by
way Of Atlantic City and Baltimore, ar
irving at College Park July IL. The next
day he flew into Washington and called
on President Taft at the White House.
receiving from the hands of the President
a gold medal struck by the Aero Club of
In honor Of the flight.
There was a small aeroplane factory
established by Rex Smith OF Washington
at College Park In the course of the sum-
mer. and there were several other private
machines tried out at the government
camp. Among the devices Of interest was
an automatic stabalizer. the work of
Charles ]. TarboX of North Carolina. A
rotary air-cooled engine was also de-
signed by Emile Berliner OF Washington
and tried out at the park.
One of the most important actions in
the interest of aviation was in connec-
ton with the American Association for |
the Advancement Of Science that met
here in December. One days meeting of
the section on scientific engineering was
devoted to aeroplanes. and several i'm
portant papers were presented by A. Law
renee Rotch of the Blue Hill Observatory
Spencer Heath of Washington, Maj. |
George o. Sauier and Emile Berlner DR.. |
Albert Zahm. secretary of the Aero Club
Of Washington, gave an address on the |
aerOnautic laboratories maintained in |
coroius, Countries aaA &ha nnod ~ six,ai-