The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-30
"AMERICA" SETS NEW
RECORD IN STORM
Flying Boat Carries Ten Men
in Binding Rain and
35 Mile Wind.
SKATERS WORLD MARK
Lieut.. Porte Pleased, but Plans
More Changes in Red
Sky Whale.

HAMMoNpsroRT. ~ Y. June 2o---Tcn
men weighing 1.bis pounds new tonight
In the transatlantic flying boat America
in a binding rainstorm and a thirty-nve
mile wind that dashed the lake into choppy
whitecaps. This IL the greatest number
ever carried In an aeropiane in this
country. The total load. including pas.
sengers, gasolene and instrumental. was
1905 pounds.
Lieut.. Porte had been waiting all day
for suitable weather TO try out the new
hydroplane surface that was added to
the America last night. Just before dark
the wind let up little and the machine
was unleashed and pushed into the lake.
The passengers including THE Sun
representative. waded into the water and
climbed over the nose OF the red sky
whale. Five men were loaded In the
cabin with Lieut.. Pore and the others
chung to struts between the planes In
the engine section. Tho Weight OF the
fier with her load was 1857 poundA
She will be about 500 pounds more
heavily laden for the overocean flight
There were eleven men on the nier
when Lieut.. Porte frst planed her UP with
the wind, but two hundred pound
mechaniclan was transferred to a motor
boat. Then the new water plane surfaces
washed nicely and Lieut.. Porte brought
the craft to the surface and settled down
again into the water at will. Mr.. Curtiss
and Lieut. J. II. Towers observed the per-
Torrance from a water scooter.
When he turned against the wind Lieut..
Porte used all his skill 10 keep tho craft
on the lake surface. Several times she
leaped into the air and jumped a hundred
feet or more, supported solely by the
wings. IL would have been easy to take
tha rna(hipa hiQh tina laLn y1,it n
the load. but Lieut.. Forte held her within
q few feet OF the water.
when Lieut. Porte stopped her on the
whitecaps again and slowed his engines
there was cheer from the passengers
who had helped TO set new records for air
craft. The America had carried the great
est number ever lifted by an over water
flying machine In the world.
Both Mr.. Curtiss and Lieut.. Porte were
pleased with the performance OF the Amer
lea tonight.
she works pretty we'll as she u.s." Lieut..
Porte said sft4r the fight. but We will
make some other changes"
II think under proper conditions she
would get up now with the required load"
Mr. Curtiss said. but wa may not meet
ideal conditions in Newfoundland or the
Azores and We don't want TO take any
chances"
with eight men and 22O pounds Of
sand as ballast. a new tail water plane
was tried on the America this morning
The fin lifted tho tail too high In the
water and was removed after the seaplanc
had planed through the water for a few
miles
Lieut. Porte IL absolutely certain that he
will have little difficulty in laying his
transatlantic flight course from ST. John :
to the Azores and from there 10 Plymouth,
via Nigo. Spain. He will place his great
est faith In dual compass that has been
specially designed for the America The
compass will be corrected for DETECTION.
Every piece OF metal In the cabin so far
"a possible, Is bronze. so as not to defiec,
the needle.
Observations have been taken from
aeroplanes by United States navy nlers
The aneroid registers the distance above
sea level and with that distance known
there Is no more difficulty in making OBJ
servatlons than when on shlpboard. Lieut.
Porte does not expect 10 fiv higher than
500 feet. and he will use tho horizon In
making observations. If fog or darkness.
make observations impossible. Lieut.. Porte
will use his seaman's knowledge OF dead
reckoning
Although every ship in the ocean will
be instructed to signal TO Lieut. Porte
whether he IL on or of his course the
navigator Is not relying greatly on helm
from that source. He places absolute de.
pendence on navigating instruments
When we are ready We shall start n
: there were not n ship in the ocean
Lieut.. Porte said recently.
II all else goes wrong Il will still h.
possible 10 steer by the sun and the north
star.