Nulli Secundus I RAE-O1070 during World War I

Aviation in Britain Before the First World War
A good view of Nulli Secundus I on the ground in the middle of the cycle track at Crystal Palace (visible in the background), the same venue where Cody used to carry out his horse against cycle races (Cody riding a horse verses a professional cyclist of the day). This is the end of the record breaking flight from Farnborough to London made by Cody and Colonel Capper of the Balloon School at Aldershot. The journey of 40 miles took three hours twenty five minutes and included circling St Paul's Cathedral. At the time this was a world record for a non-rigid airship. Cody was responsible for the design of the nacelle and spar frame that attached the nacelle to the airship envelope and kept the latter rigid. The construction of the frame from hickory, spruce and bamboo followed similar lines to the methods used for his kites and gliders.

Colonel Capper was instrumental in the War Office deciding to use Cody's man carrying kites and appointing him as instructor. After this their relationship soured, due partly to Capper's bias towards airships rather than aeroplanes and his support of a rival aviator John Dunne. Cody's none military attitude also caused a certain amount of friction between the two of them. Their relationship did however remain cordial, and on 15th August 1909 in the mark IC, piloted by Cody, Capper became the first passenger to be carried by an aircraft in Britain.