Harry Ferguson: 1910 First Flight in Ireland
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"THE Emerald Isle is not by any means very far behind the times in matters of practical value, and among the several flying machines which have been built and experimented with, that of Mr. H. G. Ferguson, of Belfast, appears to give very good promise of success. So far the work of trying it has been hampered by the lack of a suitable ground, but it is hoped that this will shortly be remedied. It has been located at Lord Downshire's park at Hillsborough, but this, having proved to be too hilly, a move has been decided upon.
During the three weeks the monoplane has been at Hillsborough, the weather has been all against practice, but on the last day of the old year Mr. Ferguson, after fitting a new Cochrane propeller, was successful in getting his machine to rise and fly for 130 yards, and this in spite of a gusty wind blowing at an average rate of 25 miles an hour. During this trial Mr. Ferguson had the machine under perfect control and landed again without difficulty. The machine is a monoplane somewhat suggestive of the Bleriot cross-Channel flyer, having a supporting surface of 192 sq. ft., the main planes being 34 ft. span. They are mounted with a dihedral angle of 4°, while the angle of incidence when flying is 7°. The length of the machine is 30 ft., and it weighs 620 lbs.
It is fitted with a 7 ft. tractor, driven at a speed of 1,200 revs, per min. by a 35-h.p. 8-cyl. air-cooled J.A.P. engine, and a speed of 32 miles has to be obtained before lifting is accomplished. The monoplane was constructed entirely in the works of Messrs. J. B. Ferguson, Ltd., of Belfast, and was designed by Mr. H. G. Ferguson after studying the various aeroplanes which took part in the Rheims and Blackpool meetings. The owner hopes to be the first to fly across the Irish Channel, and moreover to accomplish it before long."
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