PROGRESS IN AVIATION CHANUTE. 159 



about 122 meters at a height of 2 meters, the aeroplane touched the ground, with- 

 out stopping, however, and set out again almost immediately at a height of 12 

 meters and traversed about 143 meters. M. Bleriot, who for the time had no 

 other means of balancing but by moving his body, then moved a little forward to 

 stop the ascent. The aeroplane plunged forward, and in the fall the propeller 

 was damaged and the axle broken. 



" M. Bl§riot, whose courage as a sportsman equals his learning as an engineer, 

 was fortunately uninjured. An inspection of the apparatus showed that one 

 blade of the propeller was bent, which was sufficient to prevent the maneuver 

 made by the aviator having its desired effect and contributed to the fall. The 

 engine will be repaired without difficulty and the trials will be resumed 

 Friday." 



On August 10 he made a flight of 80 meters, but the motor was not in perfect 

 order, so Bleriot did not make other trials. He decided, however, to substitute 

 definitely a 50-horsepower motor for the 24-horsepower motor with which he 

 made all the experiments above reported, which were of a character to encour- 

 age the most sanguine expectations. 



Ferber advised Bleriot to adopt an elevating rudder also, because the effect 

 produced by changing the position of the center of gravity, although efficacious, 

 is very difficult and delicate to control. 



Appendix II. 



The following table, compiled by the author, is here reprinted through the 

 courtesy of the World Almanac, 1910: 



CHRONOLOGY OF AVIATION. 

 [Compiled by O. Chanute.] 



Bewildering advance in aviation took place in 1908 and 1909. When it is 

 remembered that the first successful man flight, landing safely, was made by 

 Wright brothers December 17, 1903, that it took them two years — 1904-1905 — 

 to obtain entire control over their machine; that the Santos-Dumont flight of 

 720 feet, November 13, 1906, excited the wonder and admiration of all Europe, 

 we can realize partially the progress made, now that flights of over 100 miles 

 have been made, that a height of 1,600 feet is said to have been attained; that 

 there are hundreds of successful experimenters in the field, and that records are 

 being broken every few days. 



It would be quite futile to give a compendium of all the flights made in 1909. 

 They number thousands. The profitable thing which can be done is to tabulate 

 the more remarkable performances; and, in order to mark the advance, to in- 

 clude therewith the former feats of the same aviator, which excited wonder 

 only one or two years ago. The most interesting of these are prefixed with a 

 star. 



During 1909 exhibitions of aviating apparatus were held in Paris, December 

 24 to 30, 1908 ; in London, March 19 to 27 ; in London again, July 6 to August 

 4 ; in Frankfort, July 10 to October 10 ; in Paris again, September 25 to October 

 17; and these drew great crowds; while meets, contests, and tournaments were 

 held at Rheims, August 22 to 29 ; at Brescia, September 5 to 20 ; at Berlin, Sep- 

 tember 26 to October 3 ; at New York, September 25 to October 2 ; at St. Louis, 

 October 4 to 10 ; at Paris, October 2 to 21 ; and at Blackpool and at Doncaster, 

 October 15 to 23. 



