CONQUEST OF THE AIR

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13349, 14 December 1906, Page 6

CONQUEST OF THE AIR

M. SANTOS-DIKMONT'S ' AEftIAL MOTOR CAR. • « „ Paris, 'October 24. 'M. 'Santosf:Du(mont "hai. won the Archdeacon Cup by - flying about seventy yards • in iiis, new aeroplane, The Bird of Prey,- .which fulfils the condition otf being heavier, than air. . The machine; < which weighs . 5601b5, ! is. constructed in three, sections, on i the box-kite systefa,. -and ,' consists of j two wings and'"* rjidder.' The lat- i ter, ' which is" oblong y in shape, and with .two large -bdk-Ju'tes is built at' the front 1 of the machine. It controls the. direcLion of tne aeroplane,, either to. the left or. right, or up or down, . . „ .--.- . In the . same -J^Qdy of -the machine is the^ steering. car, v which is mounted on. two pneumatic, wheels, resting on the ground before ike flight. The 50 jb.p. petrol /pxotiQß tjkth.' which. th<f machine is titled is. qapa'bio of driving- the 6ft alumimum .propeller at ISOO .revolutions a., minute, ' and weighs only 130Ibs.\ The trial took ' placo at Bagutetle. V/heja M. Santos-Duxnon't. entered the car and started the 'nlotor the machine ran along on. i ts , wheels at a speed of thirty miles an^our. Then the aeronaut, raised the r glider, and the hnachine . left tne ground,/ and rising to a heiggt of 'four yards, sped along for seventy, yards with, perfect steadiness. Then jit • dropped to the ground. '- T-foe shock, damaged the wheels and* 'the lower part of the framework, but . 'M. . Santoa-Duanont was uninjured* i. SUDBEN PANIC The aeronout;4>fpla|ined thwt-.^e doecfnt was entirely, due- to nervousness on his part. He ' was not* accustomed to the steer \aj^ apparatu3,^anil a auddeiv. panic seized him that be was abou* to jolil &v<k when -Ke .stopped jthe motor. "There /was no '^ reason whatever," he saidj,^ '•'why J should not ha(vie ! gx)ne» -on/'iHeid'escrihles.'th© fbeling ci flying l>y the new miachine as the most delicious, amd states that he ifi n<^v 'coaiiident of success. Whep a .few siigilit alte^atione Jiayebeen ma'tie, he believe* be ..will- be able to fly for miles.'. ' •"ff" ' * ' " Aeroplanes,;^/. ;decl)»reß, will be cheaper than' motor" .cars, and their navigation wjill „bq learned^ as easaJy a« we now letfrn .to.ride a bicycle. . A - large ' and entliusiastic/cro l^ art-tended tihe trial, and w^en/th© aeronaut) caan« down .the v people .aeizecLM. Sawtosl>umont- and!, carried him shoulder high in, triumph. / ( \, M. Archdeacon himself was preserrt. "I really ' believe," he. declaixtl, "that we shall soon be using' airships with as little fuss, as <ye .now.' use motiorcans." M. ' Santps-DUnroht -bas certainly done maryels;' * M. Santos-BWont Voh ..the Deutsch prize o£ £4000 ?in '1901.,.by Bailing rdutbki' > «'''t(We(lEiiiffel; : flJQwflJr'icQ his ci)g;arshaped dirigible^ balboiij 'Sanitos-Du-mont Vli '"'--' ' /