Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-07-08
(sy Lieut.. Cyril Porte, r. NY

~0ONs AN 4AAAAAAS vi SAAO AAA va
(sy Lieut.. Cyril Porte, r. NY
Hammondsport, N. Y, June 24.-The
America flew yesterday. Every ex-
pectation of her builder. Mr.. Curtiss.
and myself was equalled. h behaved
as soberly as a woman Of maturity,
instead of a very fresh and shy young
dehutante. She showed none Of the
wild antics that usually go with h try
out Of a new craft.
She showed US speed. lifting power,
buoyancy, rudder elevator n aileron
control and absolutely perfect engine
action. And in that last factor lies our
greatest hope.
With the engines throttled down we
got so miles an hour out OF her. From
the moment that she began going ahead
under her own power we. getting the
feel Of her, knew that h would rise
at our direction and when we tried her
out she did.
It vas as successful a first flight as
ever I had a hand in and MI. Curtiss
tells me that he a never turned out
q machine that has done better on her
first attempt. Light as h is In her
hull construction She did not make q
dip of water even when travelling on
surface at best speed.
The days proceedings began when
MI. Vernon, of Syracuse, christened MS
flying boat which has been built along
side of the America, and then made a
trial flight, after which he carried four
passengers. This was an encourage
ment. 1t was just 2 o'clock in the aft
ernoon that we got the petrol in her
and starting the engines to see now
they worked. We let them speed up to
1900 revolutions per minute and their
action was an earnest Of their beha-
real work.
Mor%h. AZ Yxun Mnfora-
The trials demonstrated clearly the
worth OF two motors, each hitched to
a propeller. Two ~propellers. operated
by separate motors, is rather an
usual method in this country and not
often employed abroad, but 1T appears
to the the construction of the future.
Even when there was a slight variation
in the number Of revolutions per min
ute between the two blades it had alb
solutefy no effect upon the steering
controls. 1t was about 3:15 o'clock
when the controls. having been adjust
ed, the work Of sending her off the
ways up which h had been hauled
to complete the last few jobs, began.
It was just $3.50 o'clock when Mr.. Cur
tiss and I took u places in h cabin.
On the top, in the engine section, stood
George Ballett, my assistant pilot, and
two Of the Curtiss skilled workmen,
George Robinson n James Lamont.
Pushed III clear Hallet turned our
gines over. The left was stiff and took
q bit Of cranking. The right started
before its mate but even with that pro-
peller going hard, we were able to keep
her nose straight by warping, the rud-
der.
When the left engine came in she
seemed to gather up under us like a
race horse at the starting post. When
she shot forward, blowing through the
water at first, until her speed made
her rise to the surface. At the outset
she seemed just a trifle tail-heavy, but
that fault, more apparent than real,
was conquered and we found ourselves
travelling through the lake, or on 1t, at
something like 40 miles an hour, Cur
tiss at the WHEEL. He felt that it was
his duty as the builder to see that at
least she showed ability to perform the
elementary part Of the job for which
she had been constructed. Both he and
/ were rather familiar with h type Of
control that is being used tin America.
]. have been used to steerting with my
feet and working the ailerons with my
hand. In this craft I steer with my
hands and work the a~ilerons with foot
power. We sped along for about three
quarters of q mile. Mr.. Curtiss made
no effort to rise although shesetrained
under us as II anxious to get up in the
air. We stopped and Robinson and La
mont got into h work boat that fol-
lowed. Then we started again. We
were more al home In her by now and
Curtiss shot her ahead at q good pace
and at 1886 o'clock she left the sur
face Of the water and flew.
skins Along Like Rock.
Like the rock Of legend, she climbed
for 20 or 80 feet and then went on
about her business on even keel. Then
we came down again and she slid along
the water az gently AZ a bird. We went
about a mile further and hen stopped.
We, turned slowly around and picked
up quickly and flew back. making two
Jumps on the run Nome.
We found her elevators worked
smoothly. Her engines were singing
truly and In unison. The ailerons kept
her balanced to g nicely. The wings
lifted powerfully. In short she was q
success. Reaching the: landing stage
Curtiss -alighted and I took the wheel
with Hallett by my side. We put In Z
100 pound bag Of ballast andstook on 3
200 pound man who st0od up on the en-
gine section to observe thu motors 81
action. Then we tr3ec our second flight
and this time shesdid et8nsmoro thar
was asked Of her. I wpre /. helmet and
flying overallu and HHllott wore hi1
ovefails too. 1fswas Just $50 when -
pn.hed OF Tor the second trial. oh4S 6ol