ÆROPLANING ACHIEVEMENTS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 169, 26 October 1910, Page 5

ÆROPLANING ACHIEVEMENTS

THE NEW YORK MEETING. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Vancouver, October 24. J. A. Drexel, the millionaire clubman of Pittsburg, has. been declared the winner of the aviation speed contest. THE AMERICAN ALTITUDE RECORD. Received 25, 10.10 p.m . New York, October 25. Drexel made an American altitude .record of 7105 feet. There will probably lie a dispute, as Drexel was not entered for the contest. GUIDE-POSTS FOR AIRMEN. Received 25, Midnight. London, October 25. The Daily Mail's Paris correspondent states that for the benefit of aviators whitewashed figures sixty feet square, the .first figure showing the distance north or south of Paris, and the second figure the difference cast or west of the Paris meridian, are being established at every village, beginning with the route from Paris to Chalons.

HOW IT FEELS TO FALL. HEADLONG PLUNGE OF ly a MILES. M. Leon Morane, the great French aviator, recently . ascended more than a mile and a half, and, incidentally, underwent one of the most thrilling experiences that has yet befallen any aeriai pilot. M. Morane had reached an altitude of 8409 feet in his Bleriot monoplane, when his engine showed signs of trouble, and he planed to the earth at such terrific speed that he nearly became He practically dived for a mile. His flight was unusually impressive. M. Morane is one of the most expert aviators in the world, and he drove upwards from the Deanville aerodrome with great skill, circling over the heads of the spectators, and gradually growing smaller until his monoplane was a mere speck in the sky, and then vanished altogether. When lie reappeared it was seen that his aeroplane was rushing earthwards with tremendous velocity, and at an apparently dangerous angle. Twice during its down flight he recovered, and the spectators saw that the pilot was trying to diminish the speed. He could not land in the aerodrome, but alighted more than half a mile away. When his friends arrived in motor-cars they found M. Morane leaning forward in his seat, apparently overcome. He was helped into a motor-car and driven back to the aerodrome, but he did not fully recover from the effects ol his dangerous journey for some time. When able to talk he gave the following account of his flight:—

"I had risen about tioOOft., according to my barograph, before I began to think, of descending. The engine was still working well, and I decided to go still higher. "When I reached 8040 ft, however, my engine began to give out. I cut off the ignition and began to plane down. The drop was so terrific, however, that before I hud fallen 1000 ft I felt dizzy, and my ears began to sing.

"I was afraid that I would collapse, so I switched the ignition on again ana the motor re-started. After resting for a minute or so I again stopped the engine and began to plane anew. ''My speud again became too rapid, ana I attempted to start the ignition for a second time. To my horror, the engine refused to work, and finally the propellor stopped dead. "The aeroplane began to sway like a ship in a heavy sea. The downward motion was so bad that I was flung from side to side, and had the greatest difficulty in keeping m.y seat. All the timt I was dashing towards the earth at lightning speed.

"Finally, after about a minute—which seemed .an hour to me—l was able to descend in sweeping circles. The aeroplane became steadier and obeyed the helm, and finally I landed safely in a field. I hope that I shall never again have such an experience." When landing. Mr. Morane narrowly escaped being entangled in some wire netting which enclosed one side of the field. He alighted, however, without the slightest injury to his machine. His impetus on the downward journey was accelerated by eddying air currents which caught the aeroplane at various angles. When these were passed he was able to regain control of the machine. When M. Morane was received by the enthusiastic crowd at the aerodrome he was still clutching the barograph, which showed the maximum height attained, and which he proudly delivered to the aviation committee.