The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-01-31
EIinor Smith, II, Remains AIoft
Alone 13 Hours is Min.
utes As Seconds
BRAVES Freezing WEATHER
Holds Official Woman's Altitude
Record Of 1868 Feet
Made Last August
|RAvES FREEZING WEATHER

Mitchell Field, N. Y, Jan. 3l.-(R-
Elinor Smith. 17-year-old flying
flapper" today established an endur-
ance flying record for women OF Is
hours, l6 minutes and As seconds.
She broke by hour, minutes and
IS seconds the record established Jan.
l by Miss Bobby Trout Of California.
Taking off In an open cockpit plane
at 2:l7:l0 yesterday afternoon Miss
Smith spent the lonely hours cruising
over the Long Island flying fields,
varying her routine but once by q trip
over lower Manhattan. She landed
at 3:33:55 this morning.
Warmly clad in heavy flying suit
and with her face protected by .
chamois mask she apparently suffered
no Ill effects from the biting winds.
A red nose was the only sign Of the
battle she had fought with the ele-
ments on one Of the coolest nights Of
the winter.
Lifted From Plane
She had to be lifted from her plane
by field attendants. Her legs were
stiff from having been forced to re-
main seated in the one position 50
long. She brought her plane down
at the southern end Of the field, be-
yond the range of the floodlights. but
one OF the first to reach her side was
her father, Tom Smith. also pilot,
who greeted her with a kiss.
She then went to the field oper-
attOns' office where she sat In front
of the fire and drank cup Of hot
coffee. She had taken two vacuum
bottles of beef tea and coffee along
In the plane but did not drink any Of
either. She also had taken some
anti-sleep tablets but said she had
not found 1t necessary to use them.
Her plane. q Drummer Wrinkle BIZ
plane. started with 116 gallons of gas
oline and 80 gallons remained, enough
to fly an additional four hours.
Lights Burn Out
The riding lights on the tip Of the
wings were burned out and the alti-
meter went out Of commission during
the flight. She had to estimate her
altitude. ss
A. beacon. the lone light on the
field, was out of commission several
hours. Mechanics finally effected re-
pairs after climbing the hundred foot
tower in the freezing weather. Miss
Smith flew at an average altitude Of
1900 feet. The flood lights were
turned on hen she signaled by q
flare that she was descending.
Her father arrived at the field yes
terday with the intention of having
her postpone her flight in view Of the
extreme cold, but found she had al
ready taken off.
Later In the afternoon he went up
In another plane on the side Of which
instructions had been chalked advis-
ing her to fly north and south during
the night and informing her she
would have moonlight before II p. m.
Both her mother and father and
her 14-year-old brother remained at
the field throughout the time she was
In the air. The family resides at
Freeport, Long Island.
Miss Smith who wa: granted q pri-
vate pilots license last year has had
considerable experience In the air. On
August 81 she set an official womau's
altitude world record of IL .o63 feet.
Several months ago she was
grounded for Is days by the depart
ment Of commerce for flying under
the four East river bridges, q feat
never before performed by q woman.
Il -