The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-06-24
Flying Boat For Transatlantic
Flight Demonstrates Ability
To Fly
Aviation Experts
Hope For Success
From All Indications The
Wanamaker Machine Should
Fly Safely Across The
Atlantic DC an-Behaves
Perfectly on First Trial

Hammondsport, N Y, June ga
The transatlantic flying boat, Amer
lea, with Glenn II. Curtiss at the con-
trolls, demonstrated her ability 10 fly
this afternoon. She mounted the air
several times. and floated over Lake
keuka steady as an ocean liner, yet
sensitive to the controls. Her weight
as she few today was $500 pounds.
With the gasoline tanks filled and her
trans Atlantic equipment aboard, the
weight will be 5000 pounds She VIII
be tried tomorrow with increased load.
Six flights were made with three
men In the pilot house She was never
under faN power except as she left the
water, and the flying speed WAS sixty
five miles an hour ander half power
Mr.. CurtIss made the first three
flights. Their Lieutenant John Cyril
Porte, who is to fly the machine across
the Atlantic. made fight ST a mile at
fifty feet high. and two shorter fights
George Hallett. Lieutenant Forte's
flying partner. took over the controls
in one Of the rghts-
Builders Enthusiastic
Shes Just SIS steady as a blooming
rock, said Lieutenant Porte She
has tons Of horsepower ard she's very
stable II was d beautiful flight
Why. II was hard 10 keep her down
This il the finest machine l was ever
in
The men who have spent nearly a
year developing the Wanamaker
transatlantic fier were happy to-
night Their work has been success
full Mathematically and from the
constructors point of view this ma
chine should fly safely across the
Atlantic. To1ays demonstration in
Ae rR 81
over In the opinion of aviation eS-
perts here.
THE great question In building a
flying boat Is whether she wifi get on
the water" said Mr. Curtlss before the
fight III she gets of the water she
will fy and IL she flies a minute, she
Will fly just as long as her gasoline
holds out. barring accident.
The giant mechanical bird. with
wings seVonty-two feet from tip to
tip. was pushed out into the water at
a.l5. The air was hot and still Lieu
tenant Porte and Mr. Cartss were in
the pilot house and George Hallett
stood between the wings on the engine
section When the motors were start
ed. two mechanics. holding the wing
tips in water up to their necks. could
not get back to their row boat. and
climbed or the wings Of he ffier. The
America darted through the water
with the fve-n1en aboard, but Mr..
curtiss stopped the engines mile
down the lake and had the two ma
chanics transferred 10 a motor boat,
Then he tried the machine on the
water first with one engine and then
the other. She turned circles in the
water with hat one engine -runalnEi
After trying out the controls Mr. Cur
tiss headed her up the lake and raised
the elevatng planes. She nnsed up
and cleared the water far half min
ute Jump The crowd on the lake
front appiauded. bat II all seemed 80
natural that II was not sensational
Curttss Satisfied.
Few aside from those who had &C
,,,auy worked on the big sea~pka ne.
realized what that first little jump
meant 20 Glenn Curtiss- II there was
power enough to lift the big ma .
chine out Of the water for half min
ute. the longer and higher fights
would come as n matter Of course,
Mr. Curt!ss was satisfied He made
two other flights. but he did not 60
higher than fifteen feet, nor fly further
than half mile Francis s Wild
man circled over the giant red wings
with a stock Curtiss flying boat dur
ing the trials Then Mr. Curtiss turn
cd the machine over TO Lieutenant
Porte
George Haiiett climbed In the pilot
Continued on Second Page)