The New York herald., 1921-09-29
SCARS 40,800 FEET,
new ALTITUDE MARK
Lieut.. Macready Fights Up I'm
til Ice Covered Engine
Goes Dead.
GLIDES SAFELY TO EARTH
Ohio Test Pilot Suffers Only
Numbness in Breaking
33, ,114 Foot Record.
GLIDES SAFELY TO EARTH

Special Despatch to THE NEW YoRK HERALD.
DAYTON. Ohio. Sept. 2s.-Lieut. John
A. McCready, test pilot at McCook
Field, flew La Pere biplane to a
height of 40,s00 feet here to-day,
breaking tho record heretofore held by
Rudolph c: Schroeder. who drove the
same biplane to height OF 5000 feet
on February 2S, 1920. The height at
tanned by Schroeder, however, was
later corrected to the true altitude Of
s3.114.
At 40,S00 feet McCready's engine
died with cough and the daring flyer
glided back to the field without any
difficulty.
McCready was in the air one hour
and four minutes, and landed none the
worse for his experience. although he
encountered q temperature OF so de-
grees below zero. He was able to leave
the field soon after landing. He en-
countercd little OF the trouble that al
most killed Schroeder. whose eyeballs
frozc and whose heart dilated to such
an extent that he was In a hospital for
two weeks after his flight. Lieut.. Nc
Cready, however, said that throughout
the flight he suffered nothing but
numbness from the cold, particularly
in his hands, which became so stin he
could hardly operate the controls.
when left the ground" said Lieut..
McCreaGy, Il did not intend to go
above 10000 feet. However. when
reached that height I found my ma
chine was working perfectly. and
decided / could obtain some valuable
data by going higher. commenced to
spiral, and soon reached 40,s00 feet,
when was obliged to descend.
Was Frightened Once.
at 90. 600 feet the temperature on the
thermometer registered zero. The only
time I was scared was just as I reached
the 10000 foot mark. At this point l
slowed UP my motor. This cooled the
cockpit OF the machine and my oxygen
supply pipe froze on me.
II grabbed an emergency bottle OF
oxygen and inserted II through valve
in the side OF the helmet ] broke the
bottle and revived myself Upon speed
ing up The motor I found that the Ice
melted and was able to breathe again.
I do not know just where I was when
reached the mark. ] made the ascent in
large circles. extending as l reached a
high altitude entirely around the city of
Dayton. think perhaps I may have
been between Middletown and Hamilton
when l reached the mark. could not
see Dayton, but could see the rivers
where they converge.
II was aided by many things which
have recently come into use In aviation.
used special gelatin on the inside
OF my goggles to prevent freezing. AL
though some ice did freeze on them l
was able to sec fairly we'll at all times
Mature was with me on the trip. IL
was an ideal day for an altitude flight
The visibility vas perfect at oil times
and was able TO see land. as no clouds
interfercd.
The wind at that height was ter
rifle. can't tell just how fast II was
blowing or in what direction. I would
notice in making my spirals that was
blown rapidly off my general course
when on one side Of the ring.
Il am glad ma1e the record, of
course. like 10 hold record. Any
man does. However. the oata that
obta ined at that height is What I was
afte- and I owe the lack of suffering
on the trip to the rev and scientific
appliances which have boel invented
within tho last year
Eyes Did Not sufyer.
my eyes did not siifser at MI on the
trip. ajor Schroe.t,r on his flight
frozc his eyes. was able 10 see at all
times, although not Sc clearly at times
due to the lack OF arr. I suffered more
from the lack of the air pr.r;ure on my
bodv than did from The ott.- cause.
Il noticed all during tbs rip above
$4,000 feet that my hands fit Hike lead
and that 7 could not move freely. How
ever. I was able 20 handle the controls
and to send the ship j',st wrtrc wanted
her.
when I reached the ground ! was
able TO walk about and felt fine IN 4
few minutes. although ] was o trifle
weak end stiff from the cramped posi-
ton and tho strain. walked into the
hangar and then into the flight COM
mandsrs office. where I made my re-
port on the data that had collected"
Tho Instruments on Lieut.. McCready's
machine we're taken to the technical
data office OF the flying field as soon as
he had landed. and were calibratsd by
-
ysne f{.usd ,u N;wfh po.r