The Nebraska State Journal/1931/Eddie Schneider Is a Plucky Birdman

Eddie Schneider Is a Plucky Birdman. Reverses and misfortunes mean nothing to this little and youthful flyer, Eddie Schneider, New York, who, though only nineteen years old has made much aviation history and is a veteran pilot. Eddie came to Lincoln Tuesday with the national air tour. A week and a half ago in last place due to an accident in the Virginia mountains. Eddie had overtaken all but four of the planes contesting for the Edsel B. Ford trophy when the tour arrived in Lincoln. While flying over the Virginia mountains, the propeller of his Cessna monoplane broke. Picking a small plateau in the hills, he brought the plane down to a comparatively good landing. The motor was torn loose and was damaged. It was necessary for Eddie and his mechanic to install several new cylinders and make other repairs before he could continue in the race. With the repairs made, Eddie started out, two complete days behind the other contestants, Besides the loss of these two legs, he also received a penalty for making the repairs and replacing the cylinders. Despite this, he caught up with the other airmen in Texas and at this writing appears to be "in the money." Eddie had to pay all his own expenses on the trip. His only chance to break even is to win one or several offered prizes. When he left Lincoln, he was full of confidence of placing among the first few. Two years ago, Eddie set a junior transcontinental record in his Cessna, and last year he won the light plane class in the national air tour. He learned to fly when sixteen years old, at old Roosevelt field in New York.