Viewing page 63 of 74
This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.
Those Who Made Flights Tuesday Miss Josephine Alger. Mrs. E. S. Barbour. E. S. George. A. H. MacCauley. P. H. McMillan. L. M. Hamlin C. H. Taylor. F. C. Benzer It's "Good morning, have you planed yet?" out in Grosse Pointe now. On the broad verandas of the Country club, in the beautiful green surrounded homes of the Pointe, in motor cars whirring along the shaded roads, there is only one topic of conversation. All the ordinary amusements have been shelved, all the usual things talked about are forgotten; the big, Wright bi-plane soaring over the green sward of golf links and the trees and the fartns to the north is the center of interest. Its flights started Monday morning, continued Monday evening and were resumed Tuesday morning. When Aviator Coffyn pulled off his green gogglese [[goggles]] and stopped his engine at the conclusion of Tuesday morning's flights he had taken 21 people in the three series, five of them women, and had established a number of new American records. Here are some of them: First purely sporting aviation meet ever held in the world. Youngest person to go up in this country makes the trip. Greatest number of passengers ever taken aloft in the same period of time. -Greatest number of flights by ona [[one]] aeroplane [[airplane]]without overhauling or without setback. Greatest accuracy in landing ever abtained [[obtained]] by an American aviator. Eight times in succession Mr. Coffyn brought his machine to a stop within five feet of a given point. Syndicate to be Formed. As a result of this great exhibition and the enthusiasm that has been aroused, preliminary steps were taken Tuesday morning for the formation of a syndicate within the membership of the Michigan Aero club for the purchase of an aeroplane [[airplane]] and the inauguration of a series of flights to continue all summer. It is probable that the aeroplane in use at present will be purchased and Frank Coffyn, who is now the idol of Grosse Pointe, engaged to conduct the flights. In addition to taking passengers aloft the aviator will act as instructor to those who wish to learn to fly-and there are many of these in the Aero club. The desire for the plane grows out of the demand for longer flights made by those who have already enjoyed a trip in the air at the Country club. "I want to go across country now." declared Wm. E. Metzger, who is one of the most enthusiastic followers of aviation in Detroit. "I want to enjoy all the pleasure of an extended trip in the air." And out of that statement largely grew the plans for the purchase of the aeroplane. While there is nothing definite about the plans, yet some of the men included in the syndicate are Russell A. Alger, Fred M. Alger, Wm, E. Metzger, R. D. Chapin, F. D. Benzer, Howard E. Coffin, (E. W. Lewis and C. H. Taylor. The meet is the only one of its kind ever held in the world. Flyig with passengers has heretofore taken place, even in France, only at the aviation scools and strictly as a monetary proposition. Some people have also been taken aloft at the various professional aviation meets held in this country and Europe, lost Detroit bears the distinction of holding the first private meet for the benefit of the members of a club. Miss Alger, 14, in Flight. The flight of Miss Josephine Alger. 140year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Russel A, Alger, Tuesday morning, established another American record as Miss Russell is the youngest person to ever go aloft in an aeroplane in this countr. And she enjoyed the experience immensely. "Fine! Wonderful!' she exclaimed as the big bird machine was brought to a halt and her father and aunt, Mrs. Fred M. Alger, hurried forward to assist her from the plane. "Oh, it was just grand," she added, as she stepped to the ground. Miss Alger was cooler in preparing for the ascent than many of the men. For more than an house she waited for her turn, prepared with a ribbon to tie her skirts and with a piece (?) cotton batting ready to insert in her ears to shut off the sound of the exhaust to of the engine. Miss Alger was not the only woman to fly Tuesday morning, Mrs. E S. Barbour also taking a trip. In all, nine people went up, including Phil. H. McMillan. "It's great, isn't it?" said Mr. Mc Millah as he alighted. Incidentally, Mr. McMillan won a wager from Jay McLaughlin, the steel man. More than six months ago they wagered a dinner as to which would fly first. All day Monday Mr McLaughlin was around looking for an opportunity to soar aloft, but his turn didn't come. Tuesday morning Mr. McMillan was on hand at 7 o'clock and was one of the first to fly. The morning was perfect. There was hardly a breath of air stirring and the big Wright biplane worked without the semblance of a hitch. In fact, aviation is getting to be almost the same as monitoring. Mr. Coffyn and his assistants rolled the machine out of the nangar shortly before 7 o'clock, filled the gasoline and oil tanks and announced that he was ready. E. S. George climbed aboard and without any preliminary tuning they were off in a perfect flight. The carrying capacity of the machine was shown in the trip of Maurice McMillan, who weighs 215 pounds. The flights will be resumed this evening at 5:30. The list of applicants is growing so large that burns Henry, secretary of the Aero club, is busy figuring out how he is going to be able to accommodate all who wish to fly. They now number a total of 36. Miss Loomis in Flight. Miss Elizabeth Loomis was the third Detroit society woman to attempt a conquest of the air, Monday afternoon. Mrs. Fred M. and Russell A. Alger went aloft in the morning and they agreed with Miss Loomis that "the sensation of gliding through space was perfectly delightful." During yesterday afternoon four men also went up, and on their return to earth they were unanimous in declaring the sport was the coming one for Detroit and Detroiters. William E. Metzger, motor car manufacturer was the first to ascend in the afternoon. E. W. Lewis took the second flight, and R. D. Chapin, the third passenger, urged Aviator Loomis was the fourth passenger, and she stepped into the machine without a trace of nervousness. Her trip lasted six minutes, and included a number of fancy dips and curves. It was after sundown when F. H. Clark, the last enthusiast, took his seat. Aeroplane Advance Shown. The rapid march toward entire stability and perfection in manufacture of the aeroplane is well evidenced by the preset meet. A yar ago at the State Fair graunds two Wright machines were used in exhibition flights. They were the best then in use in this country. But there were long, wearisome waits while the ma- Continued on Page Eight June 20, 1911. Miss Josephine Alger is Youngest in U.S. to Fly - Continued From First Page. - chines were made ready, and after every flight a host of mechanics was necessary in overhauling the apparatus and getting it in readiness for another flight. The control was cumbersome, there was no refinement about the mechanism and the engine trouble was continuous. But today all is changed. "So long as I stick to straight flying and don't attempt any fancy stunts we're just as safe in the 'plane as we would be in a motor car," says Aviator Coffyn, and his statement appears as absolutely true to those who have watched the flights. The aviator does not attempt the tricks which draw the cheers from the crowds when a professional aviator is performing and risking his life alone for those cheers. Coffyn's business is to take people aloft and bring them safely back to earth. He sweeps in wide circles, takes off easily and lands like a bird coming to rest. Has New Landing Stunt. Speaking of landing, by the way, Coffyn does a new stunt. he starts on the links on a long green where he has a runway probably 125 yards long. On returning he lands of this runway without shutting off the power and rolls lightly over the ground with his propellers whirring away. A mechanic grabs an end of the plane as it rushes up, and holds on with the result that it swings around in a half circle and comes to a stop on the exact spot from which the start was made. Thus far he has not had a particle of trouble with the plane. That he is a real aviator he demonstrated Monday evening, wehn he started out for a tuning up spin and drew cheers from the crowd by rushing along the course, hurdling the binders and knolls. - Notes of the Meet Mrs. Mary Mannering Wadsworth has arranged to make a flight this afternoon. Wm. E. Metzger declares that he'll have his own aeroplane before another year is out. Dainty slippers and lingerie morning gowns are sugaring this week. Walking through the dewy grass in the early morning makes business for the bookmaker and modiste. Tuesday morning some of the spectators didn't have time for breakfast before leaving home and servants arrived later in motors and served al fresco breakfasts under the trees. Harry Evans, invertebrate golfer of the Country club, does not propose to have his gold disturbed by the flying machine. He was on the links at 8 o'clock and followed the "pill" around while Coffyn circled over him in the plane. C. H. Taylor, who made a trip on Tuesday morning, has been chasing aviation meets around the country for two years trying to get a chance to fly. Mr.Taylor is an engineer with the E.-M.-F. Co. and is a student of the 'plane from an engineering standpoint. Now that a quintet of women have successfully made trips in the air everyone a. the Pointe is crazy to go and Burns Henry promises to develop a few gray hairs figuring out how to take care of all the fair applicants while giving the men members of the zero club their turns.
