The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-04-21
FLYING FIELD 0. K.
Kansas Curtiss AirpIane Com
pany AyiatOrs Enthusiastic.
Say COwIes Tract One of Best
Natural Grounds In u. s.
REPORTER PLAYS WITH BIRDS
Finds Things Running Smooth
Mile "Up."
Planes Will Fly Over City
Every Day Now.
REPORTER PLAYS WITH BIRDS


Enthusiastic approval of Cowles
field was expressed by the aviators of
the Kansas Curtiss Airplane company,
who We're flying above the city today.
\. ID. Trinler, chief flying instructor
for the company, says it is one of the
best natural fields he has ever seen.
1t is high in the middle and has a nat
ural drainage. he pointed out. Rains
will not muddy it up for days at
time. The ground is firm with just
the right amount of elasticity to make
landings easy and light as a feather,
made only one criticism. An old road
running thru the field leaves a hollow
This can be easily filled, however.
I The field is located on the road that
runs by the east side of Gage park,
just north of Seventeenth street. Hun
toon street extends directly to the
field. 1t viii be possible for planes
10 land or take off in any direction,
making allowance for the wind The
prevailing wind here is from the south.
Anderson stated this morning that
number of students who have
signed up for the flying course will
come to Topeka as soon as the COM
pany is operating completely. Filters
are going to Fort Dodge, Iowa, soon
to bring down two more planes. Both
of those now at Cowles field are the
Curtiss JIM AID type, one Canadian
and one American. The Canadian
plane was in the air today.
A representative of The State Jour
nal took his maiden air trip in one of
Andersons machines this morning.
Contact" called Anderson.
IAN right" said N. d. Trinler, chief
flying instructor
Anderson whirled the prop" The
powerful 9O-horse power motor began
. TO roar and the big Curtiss JIM 4-D
took off on its first flight in Topeka
with the reporter as a passenger.
Trinler Experienced Flyer.
Trinler spent year flying over the
western front in Europe. meditated the
reporter. Should be pretty safe with
him. Then he remembered how the
crowd on the ground had looked at
him If to say, Il wonder what that
bird will do when he Gels In the air.
Probably lose his lunch over the ships
side"
Consciousness came then; the Cur
tiss was already in the air. With al
together too great frequency the ship
seemed to hit a bump" and bounce
into the air
The plane rose higher. The air was
now as smooth as a paved street. In
a surprised way the reporter realized
that he had no sensation of great
height or that he was moving rapidly.
The plane reached a height of more
than Il mile. Moving north with the
wind it was making a speed of around
underneath in panorama form like a
little garden.
Mile Up I'm Air.
When directly over the state house
dome Trinler shut off the motor,
tapped the passenger on the shoulder
and shouted at him that they were a
mile in the air. 1t thrilled one, but
it was not nearly so fearsome as i'm
agination had pictured it.
Flying was a wonderful sport. Trim
Ter slowed down the motor and
coasted, like a big car on a down
grade, toward the field. He was ma
neuvering for the landing. This is
going to be bad news, thought the re-
porter. My aunt is going to have
an awful sick boy in just about a
minute
The plane tipped over on its side,
lowered ain instant and started the
dive towards the field. The sensation
of speed had been lacking before
passenger felt he could take care Of
The sickened, all gone inside" feeling
that one gets when an express elevator
in a big city skyscraper starts for the
ground came the instant the plane
started earthward. Involunt arily the
passenger grabbed the rails of the
cockpit, stiffened out. and hoped it
was not a long way to the ground. 1t
was not either. The sickened feeling
passed away as the plane Strengthened
out for the contact with the ground.
The landing was so easy the passenger
did not really know when he ceased to
be in the air.
L could have jazzed it up a bit for