FLYING SIX MILES ABOVE THE EARTH.

Dunstan Times, Issue 2989, 29 September 1919, Page 7

FLYING SIX MILES ABOVE THE EARTH.

I (linger, cold, impairment of sight and hearing, and, naturally, difficulty in breathing, were some of the things experienced by Major B. W . Schroeder when he readied an altitude of approximately six' miles in an airplane, the world’s record for high (lying. Then his engine stopped because his gasoline gave out, and (here was nothing to do hut come down to earth, which he did in twenty minutes. Major Hehroeflcr gives a' brief account d ids allitiidinons flight in “Popular Mechanics.'’ He explains that he has been connected with (lie Hying game since 19.10, during which time he has tried In learn all he could about it. lie says all Ids past experience stood nim in good stead in his attempts to make a now world's altitude record. Prior to Major Sehroeder’s record-breaking flight the highest altitude readied by an airplane was 20.258 feet, attained in 1913 by G. Legagnenx in France. The American officer was anxious to outdo the Frenchman, hut he found it a somewhat difficult task. He says.

In order lo take, an airplane to a higher altitude than any other pilot in the world, I found that more than one or two attempts would he necessary. 1 made three, the first taking me to an altitude of 2d,000 feet, the second to 27,000 feet, and the last to 28,900 feet, all of which would have been world’s records, and now I fed certain that with a few changes and improvements I can get to 30.000 feet. The following .experiences and sensations which I noticed during my flight were due to lack of oxygen. I took off at 1.45 p.m.. September 18, 1918, and made a steady westerly climb, passing through clouds at 8,000, 12,000, and 16,000 feet. At 20.000 feet, while still climbing in large circles, my goggles became frosted, making it very difficult to watch the instruments. Tho temperature at lids altitude was 18 degrees centigrade below zero. When I reached 25,000 feet 1 noticed the sun growing very dim, I could hardly hear my motor run, and I felt very hungry.

The trend of my thought was that it must be getting late, that evening must be coming on, and that this was the reason the sun was getting so dim. But T was still climbing, so thought 1 might as well stick to it a little longer, for 1 knew 1 could reach my ceiling pretty soon. Then I Would go down, and even though it were dark I could land all right. for I had made night landing many times before; and so 1 went on talking to myself, and tin’s f thought was a good sign to begin taking oxygen, and 1 did. 1 was then over 25, 000 feet up and the temperature was 25 degrees centigrade below zero. As soon as I started to inhale the oxygen the sun grew brighter again and my motor began to exhaust so loudly that it seemed something must be wrong with it. I/\vas no longer hungry, and the day •seemed to bo a. most beautiful one. 1 felt like singing with sheer joy as I gazed about through the small portion of my goggles which had no frost, due to a drop of oil which had splashed on them from Hie motor.

I kept at it until my oxygen gave out. and at that point 1 noticed my aneroid indicated 'cry nearly 29,0001't. The thermometer showed 32 degrees centigrade below zero. The Jack of oxygon was affecting me and I was beginning to get cross. 1 could not understand why I was only 29.000 feet after climbing for so long a time. I remember that tbo horizon seemed to he very much out of place, but I felt that I was Hying correctly, and that I was right and the horizon wrong About this time the motor quit. 1 was out of gasoline, tlie propeller stopped, and everything was quiet: so down I went in a spiral. When I had des vended to about 20.000 feet. 1 began to feel much better, and realised that the lack of oxygen had affected me 1 passed dow i through the clouds at 16,000 feet, and, as I remember, it was snowing from these cTonds upon the next layer, some 4 000 feet below. During the entire trip I did not see the ground from the tine 1 went up through tlje clouds above Dayton until I came through the clouds again, at 4-000 feet above Canton. I landed near the house of Mr Joseph Scharin, and one of his little daughters cane 'mining up to me. but she was speech less 1 asked her. “Where am 1 and she replied. “Canton, Ohio.” Well, it almost look the wind out of me to think I had drifted oxer 200 miles from when ! started, i reaeln d my greatest height 106 minutes after f started. It required 20 minutes to eufne down I was in the air 125 minutes, flying in a westerly direction practically all the time, and came down 200 miles east of where J went up.”