<p>President William Howard Taft was among the crowd that came to Ft Myer that summer evening. It was relatively calm, the earlier gusty winds having abated before the flight. The Associated Press night report, dated 27 July, gave this description of the endurance run: "Round and round the aeroplane went, 74 times about the great drill ground—4,000 ft in circumference, some times in shorter circles. The machine kept 60 ft high, save where some stray currents of air rocked her up or down.
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<p>"After the 70th turn, a great shout went up, automobile horns were tooted in a deafening chorus and handclapping and cheers and waving of hats and handkerchiefs told the men in the flying craft that their task was accomplished."
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<p>Orville again flew for the 10-mile cross-country speed trial required by the contract. On 30 July, he and passenger Lieutenant Foulois flew the measured course in 14 minutes and 42 seconds, for an average speed greater than 42 mph (68 km/h). The course ran between Ft Myer and Shooter Hill in Alexandria, the present site of the Mason Memorial to George Washington. More than 7,000 people crowded the perimeter of the drill ground to watch the take-off and cheer the return.
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<p>The Associated Press story that night said about the drama of the take-off: "As if drawn by invisible power, it rose higher and higher, reached the end of the field, turned at a slight angle and came about, facing the madly-cheering multitude.
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<p>"Hats and handkerchiefs were waving, automobile horns were tooting, some overwrought spectators even wept as the great white creature turned again southward at the starting tower."
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<p>President Taft was there again to greet Orville and Foulois on their return, and "...to participate in the wild demonstration which welcomed the triumphant aviator."
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<p>The final report of the trials recorded that the airplane had met its requirement for endurance, and that the official speed according to the terms of the contract was 42.583 mph (68.529 km/h). The Wrights received $30,000 instead of $25,000 for their aircraft as a result.
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<p>Lahm and Foulois had been selected as pilot trainees under the terms of the Wright contract, but Foulois was sent abroad as a delegate to the International Congress of Aeronautics, and his place was taken by 2nd Lieutenant Frederic E. Humphreys. The training site wa a field near the Maryland Agricultural College at College Park, Maryland. It was leased, cleared and readied for flight training which began on 8 October 1909. Both students soloed on 26 October, Humphreys with a total logged dual time of three hours, three minutes and 36 seconds, and Lahm with three hours, seven minutes and 24 seconds. On 5 November, the airplane was damaged in a minor crash. While the pilots waited for parts from the factory, the weather turned cold and windy. Clearly, College Park was not suited for year-round flying training; those earliest airplanes were defeated by a light wind, and winter flying clothing had yet to be developed.
