1st Female Pilot to Cross English Channel Was Not Named Amelia April 15, 2010

The real first lady of flight

 

One Hot Pilot

 On This Date In History:

Perhaps the greatest and most courageous aviators no one has ever heard of got her flying license on August 1, 1911. Harriet Quimby was a single woman working in New York, which at the time was a pretty tough thing to do. Quimby worked for Leslie’s Illustrated Weekly. She was an independent and strong minded woman but wasn’t cast in the role of the Suffragettes. Instead she wrote articles that focused on neglect of children, corrupt politics and over hunting of certain species of animals.  However, she went on to do spectacular things that hardly anyone knows about.  Fortunately, as a writer, she did leave behind the tales of Harriet Quimby adventures in her own words.

Quimby also must have had a thing for machines because in 1906 while covering a race at the Vanderbilt Race Track, she went for a ride in a high speed automobile. So enthralled was she that she purchased her own car. I wonder if she was the only female car owner in 1906 New York. She covered a flying meet in 1910 and decided to take flying lessons.   Quimby met Matilde Moisant and her brother John at the Belmont Park International Aviation Tournament.  John and his brother Alfred ran a flying school so Harriet signed up.  She said ” There is no more risk in an airplane than a high-speed automobile and a lot more fun. Why shouldn’t we have some good American pilots.”   She became the first American woman to get a flying license and the second in the world.   Not only did Harriet get her pilot’s license, but so did her friend Matilde, who became the second American woman to officially become a pilot just 10 days after Harriet.  Matlide went on to establish herself as a female aviation pioneer as she and Harriet had a friendly competition.  Just a month after receiving her license, Moisant defeated both Quimby and French pilot Helene Dutrieu in an altitude competition when she took her 50 hp monoplane up to 1200 feet.  I’ve driven go-karts with a 50 hp engine.  That’s really pretty incredible and the ladies were quite brave. 

Harriet Quimby and Matilde Moisant

In fact, it took quite a bit of bravery to take to the air in the early days of aviation. Perhaps she learned her daring from John Moisant who dazzled the world when he crossed the English channel only  a month after he learned to fly!  Nevertheless, in spite of Harriet’s claim that it was no more dangerous than driving a car,  John Moisant was killed in a flying accident not long after she made his acquaintance.   Then, on April 14, 1912, Matlide landed her plane after a performance and it burst into flames due to a leaky fuel tank.  She was pulled from the wreckage with her clothing on fire, but she survived.   Nevertheless, Harriet was not deterred.   Just two days after her friend nearly burned to death,  on this date in 1912 Harriet Quimby became the first woman to fly solo across the English Channel.   Her accomplishment went largely unnoticed because on April 16, 1912, the press was filled with details of the tragic Titanic sinking and her feat was left to the back pages and generally lost to history.  However, as  a journalist, Quimby decided to write the story of how Harriet Quimby flew solo across the English Channel.

A looker

A few months later, she turned her sights on the air speed record. Her plane was a two seat monoplane. When she flew this particular aircraft solo, she used sandbags in the passenger seat in order to maintain balance. For some reason, she took a man on a ride, presumably before she went for the record. The man won the opportunity in a coin flip with his son.   As the plane went on its journey, for unknown reason it pitched forward and the man was tossed to his death.   Harriet maintained control briefly before the plane pitched again and she was tossed to her death at age 37(NYTimes 1912 story/obit). Like the more famous, Amelia Earhart, I think that Harriet was quite the looker. Her flying outfit was a quite handsome purple silk jumpsuit. Earhart gained fame perhaps as much for her disappearance as for her flying feats. While Quimby has been largely forgotten, I have an idea that her death highlighted the need of seatbelts in planes. When you buckle up on your next flight, think of Harriet.

SPC slight risk for April 16 2010

Weather Bottom Line:  After a week of splendid weather, the big day is here.  Yes, it’s my birthday but to highlight it’s importance, I am getting a colonoscopy! That is a sure sign that age is creeping up and that I don’t count birthdays anymore.  Snow White already had my birthday party last week at Burger King.  I think that she’s getting me back for taking her to Golden Corral for Valentine’s Day.  Guys..don’t make fun of Valentine’s Day.  It will go on the “do not forget” list.  But, this evening, it will be interesting to see how my emcee appearance goes tonight for the Justice Racing Stables as they kick off the Derby season.   Hopefully, no one will strike a match.  And I hope that John Nolley has planned for an indoor event because the cold front will be coming through and I suspect it will be less exciting than my visit to the doctor, though the Storm Prediction Center is rattling our cage a bit.

SPC risk for gusty winds biggest threat

That 5% risk for severe weather that they had yesterday they upped to be a slight risk for severe thunderstorms.  They only claim a less than 2% risk for twisters and hail but are watchful for high winds.  As the front comes down, they are noting the amount of sunshine ahead of the boundary and that may increase the lapse rates sufficiently to team with a low level jet of about 50 kts and increasing dew points to produce a line of thunder storms.  We are on the extreme western tip of the risk area but nothing really jumps out at me.  The CAPE forecast is only 500 J/KG and, while  that is sufficient to produce some boomers, I’m not too impressed.  So, I wouldn’t head to the basement just yet.  Nevertheless, it’s out there so keep in mind, if we do get some storms this evening with the front, there may be some winds to contend with in individual storms.  Otherwise, Thunder Over Louisville weekend is upon us and the weather will be pretty good, though cooler than we’ve recently seen.  Highs in the low to mid 60′s.  Fireworks temperatures will be falling through the 50′s and the wind will be out of the North, meaning that if you are on the Louisville side of the river, be prepared for some smoke.

Farting Pig, Thirsty Camels Gain Attention of Australian Officials; Pre-Global Warming Storm Devastates London November 28, 2009

Weird Critter Stories in Australia

Camel Convention

What is going in the land down under. Parts of Australia have been suffering from a terrible drought. That has created a fire hazard and also brought out the camels. Yes, camels. Back in the 19th century, camels were imported into Australia.  There was a need for the beasts of burden for commercial and expeditionary ventures in the somewhat arid Western Australia.   Since that time, the offspring of those original visitors have multiplied. Even efficient camels need water and, with the severity of the current dry spell. a herd of at least 3000 camels has descended on a western Australia town to forage for water. They are causing so much damage and creating so much mayhem, Australian authorities are taking drastic steps to fend off the assault of camels on an Aussie town in the Northern Territory.

Contributor to Global Warming?

While the government deals with the camels, a fire department had to deal with a gas leak. They were called to a home expecting to find a leaking gas cylinder. Instead, firemen near Bendigo, Australia found the source of the gas was a pig. The fat porker is a family pet and firemen on the scene concluded that the gas odor in the area came from the pig when they heard it squeal loudly from one end and then play a not so melodious tune from the other.  Fire Chief Peter Harkins described the sound a “very full on.”  Unlike the family of balloon boy in the United States, the owners of the pig refused media requests for their story or for photographs of Australia’s most famous farting pig.  There is no regarding the pig’s effects on global warming or if the family must purchase carbon credits to offset the gas release by the family pet.

Great Storm of 1703 By J.S. Miller

Eddystone Lighthouse Before 1703 Storm

On This Date in History: On this date in 1703, an unusual and powerful storm finally ended in England. In it’s wake, some 10,000 to 30,000 were dead, including about 8,000 sailors aboard part of the English fleet anchored just offshore the island nation. Winds were well over hurricane force and apparently the storm stuck around for about two weeks. Claims were that the Thames river had 6 foot waves and 5000 homes were destroyed along the river on which London is built. The author of Robinson Crusoe,

Last Glimpse of Eddystone Lighthouse 1703

Daniel Defoe, reported a tornado that “snapped the body of an oak.” Henry Winstanley had designed and built the first Eddystone Lighthouse at Plymouth in 1696. Just a few weeks before the storm he expressed his desire that he be in his creation during the greatest storm of all time so he could see the effect on his tower. In the be-careful-what-you-wish-for department, he and those who resided there went down with the lighthouse when it was smashed to bits.

The details of the storm are varied. Some say the death toll was just 15,000 other 9000. The date can’t even be totally ascertained because of something about the switch between the Julian and Gregorian calenders. Either way, it was a huge storm; hurricane force winds, thousands dead, thousands of livestock dead, tornadoes, reports of a ship being lifted 800 feet inland by a waterspout and a cow getting lifted into a tree. Thousands of trees down across the country, monstrous waves….it was a doosey. Here is an account from The Weather Doctor Almanac. Seems just as reliable as other sources.

Can you imagine if that happened today? It happened 300 years ago, so it’s happened before. But, you can

Great Storm of 1987 Was Not Anything New For England

bet that Global Warming would get the blame this time around. Never mind that this wild storm happened all by itself during what was called the “mini-ice age” which was a 300-400 year period of extremely cold global temperatures that was partly the primer for the emigration to the New World. Nope, you know that Global Warming would be the culprit. Why do I know this with a certainty? Because the press has already reported it. On the 300th anniversary in 2003, the BBC put out this report, pointing to a storm that was not as strong but still devastating in 1987 as proof. Proof as what? That a storm reported in 1703 was still possible today?

So Cal 1938 Storms...Would A Such A Storm Today Be Blamed on Global Warming Even Though Such an Event Occured 70 Years Ago?

This is the type of nonsense that really hacks me as a meteorologist and historian. I think the anthropogenic global warming issue should be studied closely but, when the press and proponents put out this type of nonsense, it really hurts their credibility. Hurricane Katrina comes to mind. After that storm someone actually said that it was due to Global Warming. Never did the press point out that New Orleans did not get hit by a hurricane, Mississippi did. They did not point out that it was a strong 130 mph hurricane that had a huge storm surge but followed almost the exact same path as the incredibly powerful Hurricane Camille in 1969 with 200 mph winds. It was not unprecedented and, if one were to be basic and silly, one could draw the juvenile conclusion that Global Warming was making hurricanes weaker because Camille was was stronger than Katrina, followe the same path and was 36 years earlier. That is just as foolish a statement as claiming that Katrina was caused by Global Warming.

So, what does the Great 1703 Storm teach us? That large, powerful storms and unusual weather has been happening on the earth for a long, long time. Unexpectedly strong and severe situations will occur again, Global Warming or not. Beware of sources and media reports that try to offer such limited and simple evidence for climate changes of any kind and forever one should hold any reports from those sources with skepticism.

Freezing Line at all levels well south of Ohio Valley by Friday Morning

Weather Bottom Line:  The past two weekends, Snow White and I have been graced with the hospitality of the Justice Racing Stables.  We were the guests at the upstart horse racing venture at Churchill Downs and John C. Nolley could not have been nicer.  In fact, every single person whom we encountered who was associated with the group was just outstanding.  I’ve never had a more favorable experience and impression of horse racing as I did with the folks at Justice Racing.  We really appreciate it.  Mr. Nolley has named me the meteorologist of Justice Racing.  I informed him that the quality of my forecasts will be directly tied to the value of his checks.

I told Mr. Nolley not to believe the calls for highs in the upper 40′s Thanksgiving or Friday.  I was a bit surprised though by how much sunshine we had in the afternoon.  Saturday, it looks as if a warm front comes through as ridging builds in pretty quickly.  This should result in temperatures in the afternoon about 10 to 15 degrees warmer than Friday afternoon and will probably be the warmest we see for several days.  A front comes down on Sunday night.  Clouds will be increasing on Sunday so it will be a few degrees cooler on Sunday than Saturday.  Let’s say mid 50′s.  Rain chances shoot upward on Sunday night into early Monday.  The front leaves behind a big fat cut-off low in the SW United States but another big trof in the northern jet stream will come out of the northwest and pick up that low.  As the second front comes in mid week, the cut-off low will get picked up, move into southeast Texas and then up into the Southeast US.  That will mean another chance for rain and also a further fall in the mercury.  Highs Monday-Wed will be in the 40′s but by Thursday and Friday we may be talking about highs in the 30′s.