Henri Farman Builds New Aeroplane

1908

Frenchman to Contest for $10,000 Prize

Paris. — Henri Farman, the Frenchman, who recently achieved so successful a flight in his aeroplane, has formally entered to contest with Santos-Dumont for the Deutsch-Archdeacon Grand Aviation Prize. In order to win the prize, which is valued at about $10,000, the amateur must arise free from the ground and in clear flight from the line of departure determined by two posts about 166 feet apart, fly around a post erected at a distance of about 1,650 feet, returning to the point of departure.

On the first attempt made by M. Farman to gain the prize In the presence of the official commission of the Aero club of France he made several ineffectual trials to arise, but finally appeared to be in clear flight. Unfortunately some of the ropes connected with his aeroplane grazed the soil, and the commission found it impossible to make the award.

Another attempt was made after Santos-Dumont had a trial, when M. Farman succeeded in making numerous flights of from about 1,000 feet to about half a mile. However, on each occasion he failed to achieve the prize because he did not succeed in coming back to the point of departure. The consistency of his results, however, has been regarded as remarkable, putting him at once in the front rank of the few who have obtained even creditable flights with aeroplanes.

In order to dispute the prize with M. Farman, M. Santos-Dumont has constructed a new aeroplane, numbered 19, for in this way he distinguishes his airships and at the same time confesses his enormous interest in the sport, for probably no person before the time of Santos-Dumont has built so many aerial machines.

With this machine he succeeded in covering about 650 feet, or less than half the required distance, to say nothing of the demand that the contestant shall return to the point of departure. As the case now stands it is generally believed that Henri Farman has the better chance of winning the grand prize, which really means more than the acquisition of $10,000, for it will be an achievement which may have far reaching effects on the problem of aerial flight.