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Show Q Hilltop Times July 10. 2003 CSnpl''"''i'13Ig& Impress your guests with your new Holland Natural Gas Grill. Walter Brookins is surrounded by a maze of flight and your suggestions with our to technology develop the best Holland Grill ever. New looks and upgraded features combined with the patented Holland System guarantees We've combined engine instruments, at the controls of W. E. Scripps' 1912 s Burgess-Curtisflying boat With him is William Kuenzel, you No Flare-UpSimply place the food on the grill, close the lid and come back when it's done. You'll grill, steam, or smoke the juiciest, most appetizing foods. Efficient cooking means that if you can tell time, you can cook like an expert on the new Holland Grill. s. Detroit News photographer. This team made the first aerial photos of Detroit in 1912. re Wright trainee flew high, y set record Several models in stock now starting theefficiencvof cross-countr- by Dave Kendziora Ogden ALC History Office Nearly seven years after the Wright Brothers' famous flight and 93 years ago today, Walter Brookins became the first person to fly at an altitude greater than one mile. He reached 6,175 feet on July 10, 1910, flying for the Wright s exhibitions team and in a Wright biplane, winning a prize of $5,000 from the Atlantic City Aero Club. Walter Richard Brookins was born in Dayton, student and Ohio, on July 11, 1889. Along-tim-e friend of the Wrights, he learned to fly at their V "" school in Alabama. Early in 1910, Brookins soloed to become the nation's first civilian pilot and instructor pilot after the Wright Brothers. As one of the early exhi-bitio- n ? A t tmxt - 2MKi ib-" -l- ; " w him more than six hours of flight time. During May 1910, Brookins trained two students at Montgomery. With clear sky, on May 25, Walter and one of his students decided to fly the plane at night. The first, if not one of the first night flights, took place about 10:30 p.m., and others followed at regular intervals throughout the night and into the early morning hours. In June 1910, the Wright s closed their Alabama civilian flying school. The area would not see such activity again until the events of World War I brought flying back to the site, which later became part of Maxwell AFB. Though the Wrights had previously trained pilots, the Montgomery school "t Centennial S , natural of Flight fThfrtdfrd Grill) s399 at "When you cook outdoors, cook with clean, efficient natural gas." 2003 1946 & SERVICE SALESBlvd. Wash. 31st & Ogden 394-888- 3 327835 CfflROPBACJfc. V T STAFF "DEDICATED TO CARING FOR YOUR HEALTH" A J was the first civilian school established solely for that purpose, and Brookins graduated first. The school was also among the first to conduct instructor pilot training. flyers in America, he set world records for altitude, crossAccording to one account, d Brookins was trained as a country flight and endurance. By 1910, the Wright Brothers pilot,' referring to the arm that operated the all important monopoly on the flying market g was challenged by other invenlever. tors. In hopes of retaining a Though pilots normally used share of the financially promisthe right hand to operate this ing aviation industry, the brothlever, Orville Wright trained ers formed an exhibition team Brookins to fly from the pasto promote the sale of their senger seat, forcing him to use his left hand. Wright thought airplane. Since there were fewer than that breaking Brookins in as a 10 fully qualified aviators in the pilot, would help Brookins teach other members world, the only way to obtain s . of to the pilots was to train them. Cold fly in the tradigroup Walter Brookins tional "right-hand-" way. February weather in their home town of Dayton caused the Wrights relocate During the summer of 1910, Brookins took their school to Alabama. A property owner part in exhibitions at the Indianapolis Speedoffered free use of land just west of Montgomery, way and in Chicago, making a specialty of high and the Montgomery Commercial Club agreed flying. He also liked high speed. to build a hangar on the property, furnish transOn July 7, 1910, Wilbur Wright wrote to Charlie Rolls about Brookins' record of a complete portation to the field, and clear trees and undercircle in 6 23 seconds. growth within three square miles of the area. "I do not expect to be beaten soon. It was the On March 15, 1910, packed in seven large crates, the Wright biplane arrived in Mont- most hairlifting performance I have ever seen," gomery by train. Four days later, Brookins and Wright wrote. "The circle was not over 100 feet another student arrived with Charles Taylor, in diameter, measured at the middle of the the mechanic. Orville and a third student arrived machine, and about 85 at the inside edge. on March 24, while Wilbur remained in Ohio. The centrifugal force was nearly double the Late on the evening of March 26, Orville made weight of the machine, and the strain of the two test flights reaching some 40 machine was about 2 12 times the normal strain. mph, and an altitude of 50 feet. His religious It was a beautifully executed feat, but the strains upbringing precluded flying on Sunday, but a were too great to make such things safe for local newspaper reported the flights and announced everyday work." that air training would begin in earnest the folWith Brookins, the Wrights' exhibition team lowing week. As expected, hundreds of citizens included Frank Cof fyn, Arch Hoxsey, Al Welch, from the surrounding areas were at the field Ralph Johnstone and Phil Parmalee. They were r in full force when flights began on Monday. under contracts, receiving a basic That day, after a test flight, Orville was ready salary of $20 a week, supplemented by $50 per to begin flying instructions. Brookins was his day for every flying day. Unlike Glenn Curtiss' first trainee and aboard the aircraft for the secteam members, they had to turn their prize ond flight of the day. Following takeoff, the money in to the company. Brookins flew some with early military aviabiplane circled the field once before the engine tors. In January 1911, he piloted Wright planes began misfiring. Then, the motor stopped comfrom the Tanforan race track near San Franpletely. Spectators held their breath in anticipation of cisco with Lt. John Walker and, later, Lt. G.E.M. the aircraft's fall. Instead, Orville glided the Kelly as observers. The lieutenants took aerairplane down slowly and landed safely. Wright ial photographs of the area and performed other and Brookins flew again later that day, but again reconnaissance for the U.S. Army. the engine failed and Orville landed the craft After Brookins left the Wright Brothers exhibition team, he flew with other groups as well safely. Through early April, engine trouble and high as independently, and enjoyed continued sucwinds limited flying. Training finally resumed cess. For instance, on Sept. 29, 1911, he set after an engine was rebuilt in Ohio and brought an American record by flying 192 miles from back to Alabama. With each additional les- Chicago to Springfield, 111., making two stops. son, it was apparent that Brookins was close to Very little is published about Brookins' life after he left the Wright Brothers team, but two finishing the course. "So proficient has Mr. Brookins become in facts remain: First, he was a founding member of the "Early Birds," an organization of those controlling the 'aeroplane,'" a local newspaper reported, "that he directed the elevator planes who piloted a glider, airship, or airplane before during the flights and made one landing, accom- Dec. 17, 1916. The first "Early Bird" meeting plishing it in an easy manner." On April 30, was held in Chicago on Dec. 17, 1928, the 1910, Brookins, with Orville Wright aboard, 25th anniversary of the Wrights' first successcontrolled a flight from start to finish. ful controlled powered flight. With improving weather in Ohio, the Wrights Second, when Brookins died April 29, 1953, planned to conduct training near Dayton, at he was buried at the Portal of Folded Wings Huffman Prairie. Since Brookins would be left Shrine to Aviation in North Hollywood, Calif. in charge of the camp, Orville wanted his prize The shrine is a tall structure of marble, student to solo before he left. mosaic and sculpted figures, and is the burial On May 6, 1910, Walter flew alone for 12 minsite for 12 other pioneers of aviation. Built in utes, giving him the honor of being the first and 1924 as the entrance to Pierce Brothers Valonly graduate of the nation's first civilian flying halla Memorial Park, it was dedicated in 1953 school. An estimated 3,000 spectators were by aviation enthusiasts who envisioned a final at the field to witness the event By now, Brookins resting place for pilots, mechanics and other had flown nearly 40 times with Wright, giving pioneers of flight. AT 'left-han- 4 i wing-warpin- 'left-han- d' X f insurance-ove- r 700 insurance companies recognize and cover chiropractic care. This can reduce your cost to little or nothing. "WE OFFER WELL PATIENT CARE." 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