The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-24
Giant Filler Develops Speed of
81 Miles an Hour Tn
der Half Power.

HAAAoNDsPoRT. y. Y. June 28.--The
transatlantic flying boat America, with
Glenn II. Curt.ss at the controls, demon
She mounted the air several times and
ho2ted over Lake Keu,a steady az an
ocean liner, yet sensitive to her helm
Her weight as she flew to-day was $500
pounds. with the gnsolene tanks filed
and her transatlantic equipment aboard
the weight will he 5000 pounds. She
will be tried tomorrow with increased
load.
Six flights were made with three men
in the pilot house She was never under
full power except as she left the water
and the flying speed was So miles an hour
under half power.
Mr. Curtiss made the first three flights,
then Lieut.. John Cyril Porte. who is
to iy the machine across the Atlantic
made flight of mile at an altitude
OF hfty feet. and two shorter flights.
George Hallett, Lieut. Portes flying part
ner. took over the controls In one OF
the flights.
Shes just as steady as blooming
rock" said Lieut.. Porte. "She has tons
OF horsepower, and she's very stable. 1t
was beautiful flight, Why. 1t was hard
to keep her down. This II the finest
machine | was ever in"
Now See Certain Success.
The men who have spent nearly year
developing the Wanamaker transatlantic
fier were happy tonight. Their work
has been successful. automatically and
from the constructors point OF view this
machine should fly safely across the At
lantic. To-day's demonstration increased
the chances OF success twice over In the
opinion OF aviation experts here.
The giant mechanical bird. wings ~
feet from tip to tip. was pushed out into
the water nj 3:l5. The air was hot and
still. Lieut.. Porte ana Mr.. Curtiss we're
In the pilot house and George Hallett
stood between the wings on the engine sec
ton. When the motors were started two
mechanics, holding the wing tips while
standing In water up to their necks, could
not get back to their rowboat and climbed
on the wings OF the hier The America
darted through the water with the five
men aboard, hut Mr.. Curtlss stopped the
engines a mile down the lake and had the
two mechanics transferred to n motor
boat loaded with newspaper men.
Answers Critical Test.
Then he tried the machine on the water.
first with one engine and then with the
other She turned circles in the water
with but one engine running. After try
ing out the controls Mr.. Curtiss headed
her up the lake and raised the elevating
planes She nosed up and cleared the
water for a half minute jump, The crowd
on the lake front applauded. but 1t all
seemed 80 natural that 1t was not SEN
sational.
Few aside from those who had actually
worked on the big scaplane realized what
that first little jump meant TO Glenn Cur
tiss. the Constructor. II there was power
To lift the big machine out Of the water
for n half minute the longer and higher
flights would come as a matter OF course.
Mr.. Curtiss was satisfied. He made
two other flights, but he did not go higher
than fifteen feet nor fly further than half
mile. Frances S. Wildman circled over
the giant red wings with stock Curtiss
flying boat during the trials. Then Mr..
Curtiss turned the machine over to Lieut..
Porte.
George Hallett climbed in the pilot
house with Lieut.. Porte and James La
Mont, who built Lincoln Beachey's loon
ing machine lie started the motors and
the boat darted across the lake buzzlns
like an angry hornet. with La Mont cling
ing to the engine struts.
Lieut. Porte made a couple OF short
jumps through the air OF half "A mile or
So then he shot the machine up fifty feet
for a mile straightaway. He veercd
sharply to the right and volplaned n little
lower for the benefit of half n dozen
camera men In motor boat. The Amer
lea showed the perfect control OF smaller
flying boats. La Mont stood out on the
wings waving a monkey wrench at the
cameras.
Curtiss Fully satisfied.
THE machine comes fully up to my en-
pectations,' said Mr.. Curtiss after the
flight. II expected that some alterations
would be necessary and will have to
make some For instance. the hand throt-