Quote:
Originally posted by AAC Cadet Leader@May 22 2004, 03:55 PM
[b] Rod,
Something is wrong with the five links you cited. None open up.
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Yes, it appears the server is down. Unfortunately its a long weekend and no one would be answering phones at the ISP. Try again later... I'm sure it will be back up soon.
Jempie,
check your U.S. Private Airships list (page 183). Stevens is listed under Greth as a 1903 airship first flown at Coney Island, NY. No other data given.
My research on Stevens concluded this:
The first American airship ascent was made by A. Leo Stevens on 9 Apr 1902 at Manhattan Beach, New York. – A. Leo Stevens (1876-1944) was an early exhibition balloonist and one of America's first parachutists. Stevens built several balloons, parachutes and dirigibles and made over 3000 balloon ascensions. He financed and managed several pioneer aviators including Harriet Quimby. Most notable as an inventor who contributed to aviation safety through work in parachute design; in 1909 Stevens invented the manually operated safety pack parachute - the first backpack style, free-opening parachute. During WWI he was an army instructor at Fort Omaha, Nebraska, and from 1917 until 1926, Stevens worked as a civilian instructor in parachuting and ballooning for the government while working to develop a reliable parachute for aviators. Stevens had conceived a free-fall chute as early as 1908 but had not developed a practical rig. He introduced new concepts of parachute canopies, harnesses and in 1942 he invented the delayed-opening parachute.
I'm very interested in determining whether or not this 1902 airship was in fact a motorized dirigible. It is difficult to ascertain from the photos. It looks to show Stevens on a S-D No.4 type gondola set-up (bicycle seat), but again, the images are poor.
Not all sources in my notes are recorded (me bad) but I did find this information (description of photo not shown) at the Mecklem website (Seattle aeronaut who amongst other things, had previously piloted Baldwin's air-oar airship in 1905) :
“Eastern Airship purchased by Mecklem. New York constructor’s name not recalled, although Mecklem said it might have been A. Leo Stevens on one occasion. Note sliding weight (sandbag) immediately before aeronaut in center of frame. The aeronaut moved the weight backwards or forwards to govern the horizontal attitude of the aircraft. Site of flight not remembered. Mecklem bought the craft in California at end of Dominguez Field meet.”
This would appear to indicate Stevens (if Mecklem's recollecton was correct) continued with airship construction until at least 1910. Yet I can find out almost nothing about his dirigible(s)! -His ballooning and parachute exploits are well noted but his airship career is vague.
VBR
Rod