Army Flier Tells Of Record Flight.

New York Times 100 years ago today, April 27, 1913:
Milling Carried Passenger 448 Miles, from Texas City to San Antonio and Back.
MADE MAPS OF COUNTRY
Proves Need of Great Excess Power and Strong Construction for Machine in Warfare.
    "Lieut. Milling has become one of the foremost aviators of the world," said Major Gen. William H. Carter after reading the report of the great Texas City-San Antonio and return flight of Lieut. Thomas De W. Milling, U.S.A. Milling broke all American records for a continuous flight with a passenger, and proved that a country could be mapped by an observer in an aeroplane even though the machine flew at an altitude of more than 1,000 feet and at a speed approximately a mile a minute.
    In making his report to the War Department Capt. A. S. Cowan, commanding the First Aero Squad, now on duty in Texas of the troops mobilized at the time of the outbreaks in Mexico, called attention to two interesting facts: That Milling and Sherman had established a new American endurance record for pilot and passenger, as well as a new American distance record for pilot and passenger, and that they came within twelve minutes of the world's record for endurance.
    The distance between Texas City and San Antonio is 224 miles, and Milling covered the distance there and back with only a short stop at San Antonio, and at a speed of more than 55 miles an hour. The weather conditions were anything but good, yet, despite all this Lieut. Sherman, who is an Engineer Officer, was able to map in most creditable fashion practically the entire country between the two Texas cities.
    Brig. Gen Scriven, Chief of the Signal Corps, has just made public the report of Lieut. Milling and Lieut. Sherman, in which for the first time the story of the flight is given.
    The report, in part, says:

    In going from Texas City to San Antonio, left the ground at 2:15 P.M. March 28, 1913, in an east wind of twenty-five miles per hour. After circling the field for five minutes and attaining an altitude of 900 feet, started for San Antonio. It was originally intended to mate the flight by compass, verifying the course by prominent points. However, the air was extremely rough, and so hazy that objects over two miles away could not be distinguished. Accordingly, after following a compass course west until the Santa Fe Railroad was reached, at a point five miles east of Algao, it was determined to follow this. The route followed passed through Algao, Arcola, and Richmond, Eagle Lake, Columbus, Flatonia, and Luling, to Fort Sam Houston. We arrived over Fort Sam Houston at 5:35 P.M., and continued circling the field until 6:37, when we landed. The total distance from Texas City to Fort Sam Houston over the route followed is 224 miles, making an average velocity of 68.0 miles per hour. The total time in air was 4 hours 22 minutes.
    Minor repairs were made March 29, 1913, and it was intended to start back March 30, when weather conditions were unusually good, but the preliminary trial flight demonstrated the weakness of one skid, and the return was postponed until March 31. The start was made on this date at 1:29 P. M., in a south-southeast wind of twenty miles per hour, which afterward shifted into south. The route followed was the same as in going over, and the landing was made at Texas City at 5:17 P.M. The total time in air was 3 hours 57 minutes; the average velocity 36 miles per hour.
    The return trip demonstrated anew the necessity for having excess power. Our specifications seem severe, and would insure sufficient power under ideal weather conditions. But with a heavily laden machine and rough weather — the conditions we might normally find in war — the present excess of power is insufficient. Though constantly endeavoring to climb, so much power was used in fighting gusts and down trends that an altitude of 1,500 feet was not gotten until practically the end of the trip. It is recommended that steps be taken to change our specifications with a view to securing greater excess power.
    Too much emphasis cannot be laid on the necessity for great strength in construction. In some of the severe gusts and dives to recover equilibrium, stresses were put on the machine many times the ordinary stresses of flying. It is doubtful if a less stanchly built machine would have held together for the trip.
    The fuselage type, with tractor, is believed to be the most desirable. It interfered in no way with the view either of pilot or observer, and the centrally located weight aided materially in recovering lateral equilibrium. With the weight more distributed laterally, it would have been more difficult to recover. The position of the pilot's seat, which gave a view of the entire plane, was found to be a decided advantage in gusty weather.
    On the first trip, forty-two gallons of gasoline and three and one-eighth gallons of oil were taken. All but one quart of the gasoline was consumed. On the return trip forty-five gallons of gasoline and the same amount of oil wore taken. About thirty-seven gallons were consumed. The oil supply was ample for the trip. With a full supply of oil and gasoline the machine can be flown five hours without replenishing either.

    Lieut. Milling is now planning a flight, it is said, that will, if it is successful, break all records, American and foreign, for endurance and distance with a passenger.