The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-14
VINCENT ASTOR WILL
FLY HIS PLANE SOON
Trials Next Week Of Costly
Machine That Will Go in
Air Minus Control.
ENGINE Is 4 NOVELTY

M%ARRLEHEAp. Mass, Aug. 13.-vin-
cent Aston IL preparing to take posses
sion OF his new hydro-aeroplanc. AS the
cruise OF the New York Yacht Club has
been finished. The machine. a product
Of the w. Startling Burgess factory In
tests than any other machine turned out
at the plant. Its stability while in
flight will be tested during the next
week by clifford l.. Webster.
This particular machine has been
constructed at rather a high cost. II
has many novel features. including a
specially built boat hull which will
house the pilot and passengers and has
a a for oil and fuel supplies as well
as for food. The boat hull permits the
use of the machine on the surface Of
the water the same as a motor boat and
n speed Of b5 miles an hour can be at
tanned In the water.
There are really two compartments In
the boat, one for ward for the pilot and
one amidships for two passengers.
. hrSt tdl " l'litN utu phSsViik'is u
heavily upnolstt red and have springs
beneath them. There are two controls.
so a one of the passengers can oper-
ate the machine II necessary, The con
troll is the most simple of any now In
use. The boat is so constructed that the
occupants will be thoroughly protected
from wind and spray.
Enter Boat at the how.
A novelty Is the method of entering
the boat. The doors are At the extreme
bow and give direct entrance to the
forwaid and rear compartments.
The motor will develop from 100 to
ITO horsepower. giving the machine a
speed OF from 60 TO 30 miles an hour
in the air. The machine is considered
foolproof. Clifford Webster and w.
Startling Burgess have made flights in
some Of the same type with their hands
of the control levers for many minutes
The peculiar construction adds greatly
to the safety.
IL Is asserted that the machin pos
sesses considerable inherent stability,
and tests have proved this to be a fact.
One flight of ten minutes mas peen made
in a Burgess-Dunne with the levers
locked in one position. All gusts OF
wind and changes were taken care of by
the machin itself without the aid OF the
aviator.
Experts at the Burgess factory have
experimental for many months with this
type of aeroplane. and by making many
changes have succeeded at last In get
ting a type OF %aeroplane that has at
tracted much attention. The Aston ma
chine Is nearer the type OF flying boat
than OF aeroplane, special attention hav-
ing been made to the BOAT part. Two
celluloid windows In the bow give n
CHAR view ahead and at the same time
shelter the occupants from the terrific
wine caused by the high speed.
Muffler Allows Cut In speed.
The motor is the Curtis OXX. located
In the rear. A muller allows the speed
10 be cut down considerably over h n
of the regulation Burgess-Dunne. which
makes so miles an hour in full flight,
A floating hangar of distinctive de-
sign, the first of its kind, has been
evolved by the Burgess company for
housing the ~aeroplane. This is built
upon n pontoon scow with a freeboard
81 from four TO Ave feet at the bow and
one foot at the stern, Room Is pro-
vid.d for a complete machine shop for
repairs.
cunning lengthwise under the centre
OF the roof OF the hangers superstruc-
ture Is a strong steel girder used AZ a
track for a trolley. The girder extends
out over the water at the stern and the
trolley is furnished with n chain for
hooking into rinCbolts on the top of the
%aeroplane. SO carefully has the mechan-
ism of raising the boat been worked out
by W. Startling Burgess that one man
can lift the %ssrOplane INTO the hangar
by means OF a hand winch. II is a slow
hut oafa nrpcp~x