AT REST IN THE AIR.

Mataura Ensign, 29 November 1911, Page 4

AT REST IN THE AIR.

FLYING WITHOUT ENCINE. Mil O. 11. WBKJHTS FEAT In his new improved glider Mr <)rville Wright yesterday performed the unique feat of remaining motionless in tho air, at the height <u' 125 feet, for a spare (.(' liv? s'. -jiils (stated th<>

'Daily Mail's' N. .. York corroipon<!rnt on October li!-. The new machine is an aeroplane without propellers. :ui<l is the outcome of \u- Wright's effort* to period a device to apply power to movable wing,-; in imitation < ; f the flight of birds. The experiments «'•:.', tho inventor, with the abstain-!' 01 Mr Alexander Ogilvie, oi London, -ad his brother.

Mr Lorin Wright, i.-. conducting uhov« til- rand dunes near Kill Devil Hill life-saving station. North Carolina, tiro being watched with the utmost interest. Before lie had the misfortune to fall and smash the biplane Mr Wright twice brought himself to a complete standstill high in the air. The new biplane, ivhieh differ* from its pndeee• sors more particularly in its elevating apparatus, is not fitted with an engine. With Mr Orvillo Wright seated at the levers, the glider was earn- 1 to the to}j of a sandhill 00ft high. A tv.tnty-fi\'e-mil«s wind was blowing. Mr Ogilvie and Mr \ahiu Wright, grasped the poles near the front of the machine and started to run.

At ;i .signal from Mr Orvillo Wright they rok-a.-ed their bold of the biplane iiiul it so:-.red lli-lit into the air. Mr Orvilb Y.'right. worked the U'voi'k U> :.ikl fro. Tlit'ii, while Mr Ogilvie's natch ticked live seconds, tho biplane icmair.ed in a fixed position. It then started forward again and alighted as gently as a l.'H on the ground after a. ilight ./i one minute fifteen «r----ends.

"A world's record" exclaimed Mi Ogilvio triumphantly. T\i'» 1.1:11;' <;!'<!< s Here made, the machine remaining in the air, despite a gusty wind. !'.)r twenty and thirty we--011:!,; i'r.-;)c( lively. At his fourth attempt Mr Wright duplicated his first performance, keeping the biplane in a itxed position. The fifth glide ended in an accident. The biplane shot upwards (K)ft and then foil .'/Oft, seemingly performing; a som-t-rfaiilt. .Mr Wright succeeded in fighting tho planes about 14it above the ground, le.it the machine defended with a crash l:> tho ground, the inventor being hurled from his seat. He» turned a (*oubk> somersault, hut roM» instantly uninjured and rushed back to examine the broken wings of the biplane. "I am perfectly satisfied," he said. "that the flights have demonstrated beyond doubt tli:»t 1 can hold the hirl.iii > in fix-. ! portion for a considerab].' time. There are, however, some di.'tts in t!:(> machine, which 1 ean speedily remedy."