Reprint From Boston Transcript, August 19, 1901
An Airship Partnership
Whitehead of Bridgeport and Custead of Texas Expect Much From an Acetylene motor
BRIDGEPORT, Conn., With a view to perfecting a flying machine for commercial purposes Gustave Whitehead of this city, and W. D. Custead of Waco Texas, have formed a partnership. Both are inventors. Whitehead has a flying machine and Custead an airship. Last week Whitehead flew in his machine half a mile. Whitehead's machine is equipped with two engines, one to propel it on the ground, on wheels, and the other to make the wings, or propellers, go. In order to fly the machine is speeded to a sufficient momentum on the ground by the lower engine, and then the engine running the propellers is started, which raises the machine in the air at an angle of about six degrees. Custead's airship rises vertically from the ground and requires no running start, but the hopes of both inventors are pinned to a new pressure generator which Whitehead has invented. He has demonstrated that the generator will work, for he used it to furnish power for both of his engines at the trial of his machine last Tuesday. Calcium carbide is used as fuel. By a series of rapid explosions the acetylene gas is forced into chambers where it comes into contact with a chemical preparation. This produces a powerful and even piston pressure. The chemical preparation is the secret of the new generator, and Whitehead will not reveal the ingredients. This new generator will it is claimed by both inventors, lessen the weight of motor power 75 per cent. Mr. Custead is backed by a number of Texas and Southern capitalists for the manufacture of the new airship. The company is capitalized at $100,000.