HOW IT FEELS TO FLY.

Mt Benger Mail, 18 March 1914, Page 3

HOW IT FEELS TO FLY.

Descr.bmg his tirst tlight in an aeroplane, .Mr Charles C Tunur ivriio as f0110w... in P.P. r, \\ ft kl\ \\ hen ail .va> it-.idy a uin hank' gave tli«= propcl.ci a tain. by thus means sun ting tin' ••11g.no, which immediately burst into thunderous noise, the whoie structure trembling in itvsponse. As M>on as tlit* "wind-Mick. a> Brooklands jargon hathe propelici. aai> levolving at a great speed, L cutciuiiiL W atkins held 111> his hand as a signal u< the men who v, . i, Holding tiie machine back. They mined ia ;cl\ .el go, and the aeroplane l« gan to mo\<- torward. In a couple 01 second- its speed uib ilia; 01 a la.-t motor-..ar, and the rush ot air .11 ti.e tace u.i,. like tin' wind oi .1 „ah . ihe motion wa» almost 11 < e liom bumping and joiting, and cttt- the rapidly increased it became smootiar, 1< r hign sl-ved <|.llilli islles tile plessUle o! 1- •» net-Is on tin _r.-iind. In lour or hve seconds the motion nau nccome absolutely ciiiooili, and Without noticing the moment oi transition it su idciily daw ned ui'on the passeugi r that al:eauy tin s did ground ha i Let n ior--a.ken and t at i. was riyi: The thing had to be reasoned out Horn the reduced apjareiii size oi the grasi bel-ov, and alv trc.m the diniin•shing apparent .-; cod ; the lUsh 01 an a a.i ar» tieen a-» e\ ei. Ihe ground Lh--■Oll swept past less and nss swiitly. :hi> phenomenon being due t" mcreas ing distance, just as tlie fai away appears to the railway travellei to be pacing \ iiy siowiy, while tn te.egiaph posts close l>y scurry pat?" ia the biur of spied. .Now the r ai ot tlie engine Had become less iiottci able, partly due t,. ; amiliai ity, am paitly a.*j to the iact that en thgiound tiie vibration is vt-ry great as the noise is r. tlc tcd and multipl.i-i Veiy soon tlie pa.-.-tt gt-r u-ahtsed that lie was at least JU" feet above the grouiul but there was no sense o height and no sensation 01 A -art trom the roar of the engine a. • th.e limited seating accommodation, t. sensations were of intense enjoyment 11 which personal comfort was of minoi imjxirtance, and the sense of triumph the exlnlaiation oi speed and ot a ioitiness 01 vision everything. Ihe speed was alxiut 40 miles per hour, which meant* a gale el wind in the race; was therefore unpleasantly old. Alter two or three comp'ete circles 01 the aerodrome the pilot began the descent. There was a sudden tilting down .! ;i: Ik ad .>1 tin* uaeliine, hm im; at a" uncomfortable angle. At the same instant the mot r was hushed, ami all one could heai was ti.e swish all through the machine. W were no-, sweeping down smoothly and with little noi>e; hut it might have heeu that we were motionless, and that the ground was coining up to greet lis. As it got nearer it swept hack below us faster and faster, until it seemed as if we must pinn..-.' into it. But just as the passenger began to think a vk lent collision in.citable there was a quick movement of the- pilot's right hand, and we w.i on a level keel again, with the turf -■• 1 1 nig past a few feet below. Wither,; the uassenger noticing the moment of contact the machine grounded, and after a run of a fewyards came to re»i.