What it Feels Like to Fly.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13874, 10 April 1909, Page 1 (Supplement)

What it Feels Like to Fly.

THE BIRD-MAN. ' '.;,- , A vivid description of a flight in Wilbur Uriglrfß aeroplane appears in the '' Motor " from; the pen •of " Parisian." "' :' ■-'-.'

"I was wedged .into a , canvascovered, strawrstulfed seat," says the writer, " nloulited on the centre of the oil-bespattered wing'of the aeroplane, with a wooden cross-bar for my feet to keep mo wedged ..tightly home. Wilbur Wright climbed over the wire stays' and wooden bars that attach the forward rudder to the main wings, "and caino round to his own place' tin'■ niy left. '.■.'• v

"The familiar signal ' was l given; Wilbur Wright fastened tho two lower buttons of his jacket; as we had' seen him do. many a, time before, then,, climbing into his seat,' he pulled his peaked cloth cap well over his 'eyes,, leaned forward, hesitated ■•a Second 1 |to see that the man at the wing -tip. was ready,, released the catch, and we wer.e off. Yes, off, and with such a rush that we seemed to have been shot forth from the mouth of a'cannon. Pre?pared as I "was for a quick start, the terrific.impetus, nevertheless, staggeredme. Had it been possible, I should doubtless have shouted out; for surely there was something wrong with this high-speed sAvitchback, which did nbt' even provide the momentary lull bofore the downward plunge. "But almost before my thoughts had time to definitely shape themselves it' was,oyer. There was a thud in the rear—k>nly tho wooden bogey, which hod dropped to the ground on reaching the end of the starting rail. No need to worry about that, and wo were being gently swayed in a calm atmosphere. We were climbing upwards, moderately fast, to judge by the way in which the ground was slipping away underneath. But a minute later even th(s had stopped, and we'were slowly advancing with a gently undulating motion, which made one smile at the thought that this could end in disaster. • CRADLED IN AIR. "But how deceiving is was! Tho sensation suggests that you arc being cradled in the air; you are moving so gently that you could not como to any harm if you fell; thero is not muoh wind, only a .gentle .' breeze—nothing whatever to disturb ,youV And reason insisted; you are. travelling at forty miles an hour; you :have nothing to support you. Down thero, '6oft. awoJs:, . Under the purple heather; is" tho' hard : ground waiting to wreck you and the, ' machine; if tho engine stops, the. air' which is now lulling yiSu will turn traitor and let you frill cruelly; if tho pilot forgets himself for ah instant, yoti ; '■'• may rush downward-'at the speed of ah - express train, or you may overturn al- ~ together. Sensation's reply was 'Nori- • sense!' And Sensation won.

"One, two, three,"and four round! of the held. Minutes had lengthened: out, the novelty had long ceased, and I alternately gazed 'round idly gt ■watched the motionless figure that had never proffered a word or given a sigh that he was awaro of my presence. J thought thcro would bo .half, a gale blowing up here, but instead' there seemed to bo so much air,imprisoned in-the planes that the draught, is very slight, not a fraction of what one. feels on a motor-car at forty miles an'hpur. "But ho is putting on speeft now. We are dropping down arid going ata tremendous pace. Another second and we shall strike tho ground, and theVo will be a smash.

"What on earth is the man doing? A moment later and Wilbur Wright raises his right hand quickly, striking the cord stretched across and attached to the wire stays. Ho has relieved the compression by opening the Exhaust valves, and the engine stops. Still.we : rush ahead, the ground racing by a't breakneck speed. But we are no longer.in danger of. striking it; wo are hovering about, it... Presently, fto touch; when, I do hot know, for I*felt no shook whatever, but. after-a .few seconds of this silent glide the machine comes to. a stop, and.it is over. . ''"-We step out together, and I break tho silence with my. congratuiatityis and thanks. ■_; ■ '.,_)'.-■•:<• "■.' Yes,', replied . Wilbur : Wright, briefly. . Then, looking, round*-'Np>v, wouldnt that make yqu tired? ,1 thought I.was. close, to,my starring rail, ancl lam 3QO yards away from it! The sun. was in' my eyes, and I could not see clearly." ■ ■ .■■-.. ..? ; ;j