Geese

Lieutenants M. L. Elliot and Homer B. Chandler made a record flight from Buffalo to Mineola, L. I. With a favorable wind of 40 miles an hour, they covered the 310 miles in 2 hours, 21 minutes, averaging nearly 150 miles an hour. Flying south of Binghamton, at a height of 6,000 feet, the officers encountered a flock of Canadian geese flying north in "V" formation. The flock broke into circular formation just in time to avoid collision. Had they struck the plane, it is probable that no damage would have resulted--except to the geese. But the propeller of a Liberty motor revolves at 1,600 revolutions per minute--so rapidly that a point on the blade may travel at 500 miles an hour. The impact of a bird at such speed would be terrific, and the propeller being already strained to a high point by centrifugal force, would burst into a dozen pieces; this might cut wires and cause dire wreckage, if not complete collapse of the plane.