The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-09
From tho New York Sun.

A. N. Ridgely, Wall street man with
ambitions as an amateur aviator, Is walk
ing on crutches after making his first
attempt to fly. His machine composite
type of the Wright and Curtiss models,
was wrecked
II had the machine built for my cwn
use," said Mr. Ridgely. II was so eager
to begin flying that 1 prepared to go up
on the first day, and really made short
flight near the ground Some part of
the machine gave way and l had to post
pone my maiden voyage.
ION the next day I got into the air
something very unusual for a beginner.
realize now that was foolhardy. Ex-
perts declare that an unpractised avia-
tor cannot learn to keep his aeroplane
on a proper flying balance In the air
until he has spent at least six days run
ming the machine along the ground. A
novice learns to operate an Saeroplane
in about the saua. time that he learns
to ride a bicycle.
with no preliminary practice except
my short flight on the day before
rushed my machine aloft at once. 1t
was a gusty day. Two veteran aviators,
Sopwith and McCurdy, each had ma
chine on the ground, but they decided
to wait until the winds had subsided,
and I should have done the same.
''At 30 feet off the ground everything
was running so smoothly that | tilted
the elevating plane for a further rise l
found the motion even more exhilarating
than | had imagined. 1 was not in the
least confused by the deafening clatter
of the motor just behind me.
THE sensation Of speed was delight
full. | may compare 1t only to the feel
ing that one has when perched on the
bow of yacht while it is racing In a
fine stretch of water. An aeroplane
though. is much more intoxicating. 1t
has a peculiar effect upon the senses.
There is no sense of fear, no realization
of danger
''Hoxsey who made an altitude recorc
and was killed, once described the SEN
| sation of flying as comparable to SORT
of pleasant dream during which one is
partly conscious In fact the wits are
completely dulled even by the first rush
of the wind when the light structure
moves at the great speed necessary to
get the aeropane off the ground. There
is a dangerous contentment, a false Sc
curity which one does not resist Ten
sion is completely relaxed. -
II looked down at the earth and saw
it rapidly receding. | remember being
suddenly sobered by thinking of my In
experience.
AT 60 feet up attempted to straighten
out just then a gust of wind struck
head on. fitting the machine and. send
ing it rapidly higher l realized that |
had lost control. My first thought was
10 check the upward speed by removing
nv foot from the throttle. l am told
that this is the first thought of every
amateur aviator in a similar crisis.
Luckily | did not act upon the impulse.
Had | stopped the motor the machine at
the angle it then was would have turned
over backward and within ten or twenty
seconds | should have been as dead as
the late julius Caesar.
II let the machine have its own way
while wondering vaguely what TO do l
wondered whether | could get back TO
earth at the cost of broken bones. For
| felt that l was face to face with
death and was calculating my chances or
surviving as cripple. And all this time
| was conscious OF enjoying my aerial
ride intensely in a kind OF way. It was
physical felicity and mental torture at
one and the same moment
''Somehow two things happened simui-
taneously. One was a struggling attempt
10 point the machine earthward; the other
was the sudden stopping of the wind. l
shot downward like a meteor ] tugged
frantically at the elevating plane to check
the descent The machine was righting
itself when struck. ] remember mar
yelling that was escaping death as by q
miracle
II was carted away to the hospital,
where the doctors sewed up by wounds,
reset my bones and patched me up gen
orally. l shall soon be as sound as ever
was save that my teeth were nearly
destroyed.
II shall resume aviation with ma
chine built for two operators. If rne
should fail the other may still retain
control.
After was able TO leave the hos
pital had some surgical work per-
formed ON my fractured aercplane and
the expert made a trial flight to test
its complete recovery. He came back to
the ground in a hurry after going up
about 10 feet.
Now / know what allied Your ma
chine that day-, he said. The thing Is
tail heavy.
"He then explained that q machine
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