IN FULL FLIGHT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 777, 29 March 1910, Page 2

IN FULL FLIGHT.

81-PLANE-TRIALS AT MELBOURNE.'! HOUDINI'S SUCCESS. I THREE AND A HALF MILES. ' The greatest • success which lias yet attended Harry Houdini's bi-plane trials was achievod yesterday morning, says the Melbourne "Argus" of Monday last. After a short preliminary flight, lasting 265e0., Hoiidini took wing again, and, amid loiad' applause from the hundred or more spectators, who were on the ground, described three circles at altitudes, varying from 20ft. to over 100 ft., covering' a distance of between three and four 'miles in 3min. 45Jsec. Keen public interest has-been awakened by the reports on Houdini's trials in the- old Plumpton, paddock; at Digger's Kest, which he' has continued since, tis successful ascents on Friday morning. ;Oh Saturday morning he made a sliort flight for 29sec., but, owing to unpropitious winds and minor defects in the engine, he was compelled to abandon his attempts for that day. Yesterday, morning, before it was. daylight; motors began .to roll into the paddock, and, before preparations foT the, flight had been completed, there wore 15 or 16 Melbourne cars beside the tents.. Country-folk arrived in buggies and on horseback, and a springcart brought a band of enterprising young men from .Melbourne. Others sprang up apparently, - from nowhero, and between 100 and 120' people witnessed the trials.. . "Ho's up.; I '.-,',' ; i;^'".;,,.; ; .,. They were to be rewarded fdr -their early journeys. The morning was cloudy, with a light, variable breeze from, the south-east. ; Brassac,-; - the French, mechanician in charge, of the plane, shook his head dubiously as he glanced skywards, "Beauconp de vent;" he muttered. .Fully half of Brassac's conversation consists of "Beaucoup de vent." Houdini, however, was bent, on establishing an Australian record, and the engine; after some little difficulty,, was set-going., : -.The-flying-field is a shallow-basin, and as Houdini'rolled up the farther stopo,. there -was a shout of "He!s up." The machine rose clear of the, ground, and almost immediately came down again. "Only a hop,", was hardly. uttered, when' the plane again took the air,; and, sailed 'along for .300 or 400 yards, fairly close to the ground. The flight lasted. 26 seconds. ,\ ,

Houdini completed the circle, and on reaching the same spot-rhis favourite point for taking-off, for it .enables him to clear-a bank of trees on.the rightHe rose again. This time the piano settled to her work, in real earnest, and the aviator quickly rose„to-:a height of. about 40ft. A' nasty puff of-wind shook him as. he. took his first corner, but'.the plane J was. behaving splendidly, and answered to his touch hko a well-trained horse. . Bound it sailed,; smoothly "and 'gracefully,, ; lifting and sliding as ..Houdini. manoeuvred the planes-to meet the unstable wind, and .the first circle, was completed,!,to ''the sound of cheering and hand-olappinK. - ;"Did they applaud?.", asked Houdini afterwards, "I could not hear a thing. I don't'seem even to hear the propeller -when I'm up. I'only know'it's there." , That., other.-..people heard the scream of the propeller and the roar of the exhaust ws,,sh,o j w,n r .ixhe j rb l p.eighbouring farmers-came.';hurryi.ngf...toHhe fieldj in time to,see the flight completed. "Look Out forrtho Treft!" ,-.,■■'.'.-,".„ ": Just as. Houdini. finished . the first circle 'of his flight, those who had an elementary acquaintance with, aeroplanlrig, held their breath a moment. The plane tilted tail-down, dangerously near, 'to the vertical position,. which spells certain disaster. .'.'■■';.,- ' •'" ■';-.. "Ah! the'danger," murmured Brassac. But his troubled face soon cleared as Houdini righted the'plane and sailed on serenely. ... "Two minutes," counted Mr. A. M'Cracken, who.was amoiig, the specta-to'rs,:.and.fst6p-n:atch in hand, was timing thefligh't. Hpudihi,;came : round:in, beautiful stylo ,to; commence his third circle/' '■''"' :'■' " ■'■ ,

"Look out for the tree!" came a warning shout from, a spot in the centre of the basin, where half the crowd had gathered beneath' '.another tree. "Keep under the trees,-' Houdini.had warned thorn -before ho started; "1 am afraid of trees, and you will be safe there.". - ; '.-, -,- ■ :- 'The'flying man did' not' hear. ..the shout, but he saw the tree, arid ho soared lip to'a height of some 70ft. "I think he has;'cleared it," chuckled one man as the .plane showed: 405t. • above the gently-stirring tree-fop. ' Ihe plane continued on its upward coursei and passing along-what would be the riverside at Flemiugton, showed above the shoulder of Mount Misery at a height variously reckoned at from 100 ft. to 130 ft. When Houdini.had been aloft about 3 \ minutes he appeared to be in diflioulties., Tlib plane dipped unpleasantly, and "came close to earth. He raised it a little, but its-movements suggested that something- was' pressing it down. Then it was seen that the plane was about to take the ground. It came down in a long, swift slide, and just as it reached the earth a treacherous gust,canted,up the,right wing/The point of the left wing grazed the earth, and threw '. up a little cloud of dust, i big. "Ah!" went . up, but Houdini straightened.the plane, and in two seconds ,was afoot,, bowing acknowledgment of congratulations.-,', Mr: M'Cracken's timing of the flight (3min. 451 sec.) was confirmed by 'several other gentlemen who had, motored to the field. Not Enough Power. Houdini explained that .he had come down against his will.; -"I didn't seem to have enough power to fight ~the wind," he said. '.'The engine was not pulling as she should.: But for that, the plane behaved perfectly. -She responded to every touch,, and the flight was undoubtedly ■ tho best that I have made. We must see,what is making that engine l miss." .

The slight, shock of landing was found to have broken one or two wires of the plane. "When these had been replaced, a' rapidly freshening 'breeze precluded further attempts at that time'. Finally/ Houdini decided to devote the rest of the day to a thorough overhaul and tuning-up of the engine, in which he wa3. assisted by one or two motor experts who were on the ground.Ho had hoped, to make another flight later in tho .'day, .'but the arrival of a party..of interstate, yachtsmen,, who prophesied an .increasingly.: strong breeze through the afternoon, put an end to tho anticipa,tioii.: Houdini's intention is to establish anUndeniable record for Australia. An element of, at least, discomposure to tlio aviator was provided by a caroloss horseman riding across the lino of flight, hi spite of Houdini's appeals to tho spectators to keep to those portions of tho field which ho had indicated. Disregard of his request -is fraught' with possibilities of danger, both to the aviator and the obstructor, if a rapid descent becomes necessary.