RALPH JOHNSTONE.
Ralph Johnstone was born in Kansas City, Mo., in 1880. He became an expert bicycle rider, and travelled extensively in many countries giving exhibitions of trick bicycle riding, including the feat known as “looping the loop.” He joined the staff of the Wright Brothers’ aviators in April, 1910, and speedily became one of the most skilful aeroplane operators.
He made a specialty of altitude flying, breaking his former records day after day, and finally, at the International Aviation Meet at Belmont Park, L. I., in October, 1910, he made a new world’s altitude record of 9,714 feet, surpassing the previous record of 9,121 feet made by Wynmalen at Mourmelon, on October 1st.
Johnstone was instantly killed at Denver, Col., on November 14, 1910, by a fall with his machine owing to the breaking of one of the wings at a height of 800 feet.
Chapter XIX.
CHRONICLE OF AVIATION ACHIEVEMENTS.
How feeble the start, and how wondrously rapid the growth of the art of flying! Nothing can better convey a full idea of its beginnings and its progress than the recorded facts as given below. And these facts show beyond dispute that the credit of laying the foundation for every accomplishment in the entire record must be largely due to the men whose names stand alone for years as the only aeroplanists in the world—the Wright Brothers.
After the first flight on December 17, 1903, the Wrights worked steadily toward improving their machines, and gaining a higher degree of the art of balancing, without which even the most perfect machines would be useless. Most of their experimenting having been done in secret, the open record of their results from time to time is very meagre. It may be noted, however, that for nearly three years no one else made any records at all.
The next name to appear on the roll is that of Santos-Dumont, already famous for his remarkable achievements in building and navigating dirigible balloons, or airships. His first aeroplane flight was on August 22, 1906, and was but little more than rising clear of the ground.
It was nearly seven months later when Delagrange added his name to the three then on the list of practical aviators. In about five months Bleriot joined them, and in a few more weeks Farman had placed his name on the roll. It is interesting to compare the insignificant figures of the first flights of these men with their successive feats as they gain in experience.
Up to October 19, 1907, the flights recorded had been made with machines of the biplane type, but on that date, R. Esnault-Pelterie made a few short flights with a monoplane. A month later Santos-Dumont had gone over to the monoplane type, and the little group of seven had been divided into two classes—five biplanists and two monoplanists.
On March 29, 1908, Delagrange started a new column in the record book by taking a passenger up with him, in this case, Farman. They flew only 453 feet, but it was the beginning of passenger carrying.
During the first six months of 1908 only two more names were added to the roll—Baldwin and McCurdy—both on the biplane side. On July 4, 1908, Curtiss comes into the circle with his first recorded flight, in which he used a biplane of his own construction. The same day in France, Bleriot changed to the ranks of the monoplane men, with a flight measured in miles, instead of in feet. Two days later, Farman advanced his distance record from 1.24 miles to 12.2 miles, and his speed record from about 21 miles an hour to nearly 39 miles an hour. In two days more, Delagrange had taken up the first woman passenger ever carried on an aeroplane; and a month later, Captain L. F. Ferber had made his first flights in public, and added his name to the growing legion of the biplanists.
In the latter part of 1908, the Wrights seem to take possession of the record—Orville in America, and Wilbur in Europe—surpassing their own previous feats as well as those of others. Bleriot and Farman also steadily advance their performances to a more distinguished level.
The record for 1909 starts off with three new names—Moore-Brabazon, and Legagneux in France, and Cody in England. Richardson, Count de Lambert, Calderara, Latham, Tissandier, Rougier, join the ranks of the aviators before the year is half gone, and a few days later Sommer and Paulhan add their names.
Of these only Latham flies the monoplane type of machine, but at the Rheims tournament Delagrange appears as a monoplanist, increasing the little group to four; but, with Le Blon added later, they perform some of the most remarkable feats on record.
The contest at Rheims in August is a succession of record-breaking and record-making achievements. But it is at Blackpool and Doncaster that the most distinct progress of the year is marked, by the daring flights of Le Blon and Latham in fierce gales. Spectators openly charged these men with foolhardiness, but it was of the first importance that it should be demonstrated that these delicately built machines can be handled safely in the most turbulent weather; and the fact that it has been done successfully will inspire every other aviator with a greater degree of confidence in his ability to control his machine in whatever untoward circumstances he may be placed. And such confidence is by far the largest element in safe and successful flying.