Evening Star Newspaper, October 12, 1930, Page 63

VAVIA TION BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON. BOVE the earth exists a new world of. evanescent and uncharted valleys, peaks, A caverns and strangely beautiful and exciting, known only to those who fly. It/ is the world which exists above the clouds. ‘To any one with any sort of imagination or eye for beauty the first flight above a solid bank of clouds is a taste of one of the it and headiest wines of life. It is* an adventure in a world which cannot be judged by any- thing in experience on the ground ow. | The world of the clouds is one of rare magnificence, of spotless purity, without harshness or eye- sores anywhere, of ceaselessl change and yet unchanglngl beauty. It is a world which can- not be seen with the eyes alone, but which must be felt with the senses. It is a world where noth- ing is gross, where the spirit can range free without any of the trammels or cares of the mun- dane life crawling beneath. In short, a visit to the world above | the clouds is one which should be in the experience of those who have the fire of life which impels men to climb out of the ruts ordinary living. The amazing suddenness of the transition from the world below to the world above may explain some of the fascination it holds for the minds of those who ex- perience it for the first time. Rain and Gloom. On the ground the day is gloomy. The earth is den. Clouds hang low and there is a gray mist. Water drips from the eaves, from branches and twigs, from the hat brim. It is a day when worldly cares hang heavy, when carking little thoughts chase through the mind, a dull day de- voted to dullness. Still, your day calls for a little job of flying, as & passenger, of course, since this is not intended for the eyes of pilots who have lived through the ex- perience already. The airport is apt to be depress- ing. There will be mud through which you pick your way, your thoughts on the ground, upon muck and dirty water and the unpleasantness of getting soiled. The rain drips and an upturned coat collar and downturned hat ;Jrlm are not conducive to com- ort. You climb into the plane with- out enthusiasm; there is no tendency to warm up to the prospect of flying through these dull gray spaces below the clouds, with driving rain hammering, hammering under the lash of the propeller stream. You are chilled and slump down in your seat waiting for the splashing of mud and water in the run across the field. The grayness of the day is in your mind, there is no warmth or cheer inside or out. As you had anticipated, there is a great splashing of soupy mud and you rise finally, sluggishly, into the rain and mist which now seems darker and more forbidding than ever. Rain sluices in hori- zontal lines across the triplex glass, you ram your hands into your pdckets and hunch down into your coat collar. Below the paved roads gleam, black and oily under the rain, and a thin, un- easy mist curls up from the soaked fields. The Earth Disappears. As the plane climbs shreds of clouds stream by below and the earth, already dull, becomes tenu- ous and unreal, like a dark dream. ‘The mist and clouds close in, less and less of the earth is seen. ‘What part remains visible is darker and darker. Then the clouds close in tight, there is no ground below, there is no sky above, there is nothing but an impalpable, clinging gray every- where. There is an abrupt sense of smothering, you strive to pump more air into your lungs, you feel buried in an ocean of wool. Grope as you will, there is nothing any- where that is tangible, nothing solid all about to tie your thoughts to. The rain sluices across the windows. Now you notice that the mist is becoming brighter. Where it was| dull gray there now is a hint of silver and motherof pearl. Steadily it becomes brighter and brighter and your thoughts lift little by little. Then, as the mist becomes so bright you wince a bit, you plunge abruptly out of the clouds into the new world. The sun blazes out of a splendid sky, blue as the dream of a day in June. Mighty terraces and crags of cloud jut up all around, gleaming in the light of the glorious day. Up you climb through a gorge in the cloud banks, which boil on either side, WRIGHT MONUMENT TO BE STARTED SOON Band of Kill Devil Hill Prevented From Shifting by Planting of Shrubs. KITTY HAWK, N. C. (#).—Klill Devil Hill has “ceased to roam.” ‘The big sand dune became famous 27 years ago when the Wright brothers made the first airplane flight from its brow. ‘The Government wanted to build a monument to the Wrights, but decided they could not do so on & moving sand dune. Engineers were called in to plan some method of “anchoring” the hill, which has moved 20 feet to the south- west every year since time immemorial. It was decided that if the soil could be made to produce grass, trees and shrubs the hill would “rettle down.” ‘That was tried, and Capt. John A. Gilman of the United States Army Engineers says the dune has not moved an inch since early in 1920. Work on the monument will be started next year. Experimental Air Line. Experim alr service from Liver- 1 to [:’n‘d‘lnn has been established. andley Page planes, carrying 16 pas- sengers each, are used. — Venice Improving Airports. Historic Venice is improving and en- its ajrport facllities to provide g " travel to and from g 1o 8 re- by the Department for increased air port recelv: ©f Commerce. changing color as they change shape through the range of silver, | pearl gray and even faint lav- ravines, | ender, faint as the scarcely sensed | fragrance of a distant flower, New World Appears., | As the plane drones cheerfully | up out of its silver valley, this new |and brilliant world begins in the distance over the rim, gray gives way to white so vir- ginal and gleaming as nearly to blind the eyes. You squint until your pupils close against the glare. | You find that your hands are out of your pockets without any consclousness of taking them out, that you are sitting up straighter and that there is a tingling in all your veins and a warmth rising in your brain. Your heart is beat- ing faster, you breathe deeply and vigorously. There is not a thou(zhtI of the troubles which weighted | your brain below; the world of rain and mist and darkness is vanished for the moment as com- pletely as though it had never been. You feel almost literally born anew, clean, pure as the new world taking form about you. At this point many burst into song, clenching their fists in excite- ment, faces beaming, eyes glisten- ing. Ask any pilot who has taken passengers into the new world how his charges conduct them- selves and you will learn some- thing of human emotion. Above the cloud world the plane climbs. Great valleys, shading into the most delicate colors open to the view, at the bottoms there may be pits through which a limpse of the dark earth below Suhea momentarily; an earth which concerns you not at all. There are people below who plod through the rain and think dull thoughts. They are no part of you and their thoughts are none of yours. Alone in the Sky. Here above the clouds is your world and your world alone. There is no living thing visible in all the circle about, only the hills and vales of the glowing clouds. ‘You realize that you are living as you never have lived before. Every sense is alive with a vigorous life. You yearn to take the controls\ and explore this strange land your- self. If your pilot is an obll*lng and understanding soul he will do it for you. He will nose down the plane and slide, with greater and reater speed down a long gleam- fnz cloud hill into one of the| darkling hollows; then up the| other side you go with a joyful| crescendo from the engine. You bank and race around the buttress | of a towering peak of cloud and find around its shoulder a broad and brilliant plain. On you go, u] and up, curving as you climl along the side of the cloudy peak, with the glistening plain spread- | ing out wider and farther below. Now there is a cavern in the side of the cloud mountain, into which you plunge behind your striving motor. The clouds are all about, you twist around and the blue is behind your shoulder. As you duck instinctively, the plane | crashes into the depth of the cav- ern and is sucked up in the mist, | which closes all about. Out Into the Sun. Then in a second® you burst! wildly out into the sunshine, with a cloud slope dropping deep, deep | below and rising almost sheer| above and behind. You bank and turn sharply, and the great white crags and heights slide by just beyond the end of the wing. You reach the end of the wall and the cloud stuff drops away below, a half mile down on either side, and abruptly becomes a cloud ocean, rolling and restless, surging against the shore of the great cloud dome behind the tail of your plane. Now you are swinging down in wide, easy spirals to the surface of the cloud sea. It opens below and you are abruptly swallowed | up, sinking again through the darkening mist into the gloomy| world which you left seemingly an eternity ago to climb the cloud- covered heights. Mist forms on the windows and turns into rain, everything be- comes darker without, you drop down into the world of dripping trees from which workaday cares and worries swarm up to meet | you. You land, and a great ad-| venture is over, the memories of | which will linger long in your| heart and mind. | | o spread out. New cloud domes rise | TriE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, OVEROCEAN FLIGHT TRIED 20 YEARS AGO 'Exploit of Walter Wellman and Party October 15, 1910, Recalled. BY OSCAR LEIDING, Associated Press Aviation Editor. ATLANTIC CITY (#)~Dimmed by the passing years, man's first attempt |to fly the Atlantic will be recalled Oc- tober 15, on the anniversary of the take-off. The flight was made in the dirigible | America, starting at Atlantic City and terminating 1,000 miles at sea October 18, 1910, when the crew of six forsook their craft for the Royal Mail steamer Trent. It was nine years later that the ocean was conquered by Navy fiyers in the NC-4 and Capt. Alcock and Lieut, Ar- thur W. Brown, first to span the water non-stop. Walter Wellman, veteran _explorer and newspaper man, headed the America’s crew, which included Melvin Vaniman, chief engineer; P. M. Si- mons, navigator; J. K. Irwin, wireless operator; A. L. Loud and Jean Aubert, assistant engineers, and a kitten as mascot. Craft Made of Silk and Cotton. ‘Their craft, a far cry from today's monster airliners, was made of silk and cotton gummed together to form a clgar bag 228 feet long and 52 feet in diameter. On the under side was a car 156 feet long, in the bottom of Which was & 75-foot steel tank for gasoline, Below it was hung a lifeboat, used in flight as_sleeping quarters. Suspended from the rigid bag was a novel device called the equilibrator, 300 feet of steel cable, from which dangled 30 steel tanks filled with gas- oline and a “rat tail” of 40 wooden blocks. This device, in the water, was thought vital to successful flight, but Wellman, after the rescue at sea, branded it as “the fatal mistake of the venture.” ‘The equilibrator was belleved neces- sary to ground the wireless, to maintain the ship on even keel and to lighten the load when gas seeped from the envelope or shrank in cool air. Averages 12 Miles an Hour. Starting from Atlantic City, powered bg two engines of 80 horsepower each, the ghip averaged 12 miles an hour, though it had a maximum speed of 26 miles an hour, and for three days 2 ed toward Europe until the dangling equilibrator, tossed by the waves, gave promise of tearing the America asunder. At dawn the fourth day the Trent was sighted and signaled to stand by. The America was maneuvered close to the ship. The lifeboat was dropped and was nearly capsized by the thrash- ing equilibrator. e crew was trans- ferred. The dirigible, free of the weight, mounted the skies as an aerial derelict and was lost at sea. Wellman, now nearing his seventy- second birthday, lives in New York. Vaniman, undaunted by the first fail- ure, built the dirigible Akron and was killed July 2, 1912, when is exploded over the Atlantic on a test flight. nite knowledge. Irwin, he believes, is in the naval service, Aubert in Los An- geles, Loud untraced and Simons, an Englishman, is somewhere in Great Britain, e TEN PLANE RIDES A YEAR ALLOWED IN INSURANCE New York Company Calculates Aviation Risks and Bases Busi- ness on Its Estimates. NEW YORK (#).—An estimate that three out of four American business plane forms the basis on which one in- surance company calculates the aviation risks of its applicants. A rapidly growing proportion of this 75 per cent is using the airplane ex- tensively for business and pleasure, the company's figures show. Many appli- cants use planes regularly for business transportation. The growing importance of aviation in the insurance fleld is demonstrated by the company's ruling that 10 plane rides a year require no additional premium ‘charge. Additional charges are made for those taking more than 10 trips a year. In the past life insur- ance been available to those fre- quenting the air only at considerable charge, while pilots often were unable to obtain insurance, BLIND FLYING PLANNED Student Aviators to Be Taught Use of Instruments. Student aviators will be taught in- strument flying immediately after the have mastered take-offs and landings in the near future, in the opinion of Maj. H. F. Plerce, Army Medical Corps Reserve, now on active duty at Brooks Medicine. Maj. Plerce, who is an associate pro- fessor at Johns Hopkins University, has specialized in a study of the physio- logical aspects of flying since 1917. He recently underwent blind flying ex- periments with Lieut. L. J. Carr, Air Corps, at Kelly Pield, Tex. Of the rest, Wellman has no defi- | men have made at least one trip by air- | Field, Tex., in the School of Aviation! The dirigible America, shown above, challenged the Atlantic in 1910 with a crew headed by Walter Wellman (left). craft was rescued at sea by the mail steamer Trent, as shown below. OCTOBER 12, 1930—PART FOUR. The AIR TRANSPORT ‘Though the past month has brought the greatest air transport developments in the history of the National Capital and the Atlantic coastal region, the month of October is expected to bring still further developments of the great- est importance locally. About the middle of October the Na- tional Capital is to be given direct aerial connection with the three transconti- nental airmail-passenger lines, two of which are to be inaugurated on or about October 15 under the terms of recently awarded postal contracts. Further developments of transport services between the National Capital and the connecting points with these lines are anticipated. During the past | week Eastern Air Transport, operating the New York-Miami airmail line, was forced to put on for the first time a third shuttle plane between New York and Washington to handle increased traffic. The first shuttle service was begun last Spring and now two regular shuttle flights are scheduled, with a third looming as a necessity in the not far distant future. The Eastern Alr Transport passenger line, now operating through this city | between New York and Richmond, is | due for important changes within the next two or three weeks. Extension of the iine. probably to Atlanta, Ga., is AVIATION ADOPTED BY EORGIA FAMLY State’s First Pilot, His Wife and Seven Children Take to Flying. ATHENS, Ga. (#).—Flying's a family affairs for the Epps of Athens, who— Pather Epps, Mother Epps and the seven little Eppses—take to the air for pleasure and profits. ‘They come by it naturally, for the head of the house, Ben T. Epps, was Georgia’s first air pilot. The first aviator of the younger gen- eration is Ben, jr., 13 years old and scaling an even hundred pounds, who |1s a qualified pilot. He took his first solo hop three months ago and makes solitary flights regularly now. Evelyn, 15, and the oldest child, is taking lessons from her father, who | operates a flying school, and expects to have & pilot’s license before long. May Virginia, 11, will be next in line for instruction, and there are four | other children down to William Doug- las, 14 months old, waiting their turn | to learn. All of them and Mrs. Epps go for air rides frequently. ~Willilam Douglas, named for Douglas Davis of Atlanta, winner of the free-for-all event at the national air races last Summer, had his first trip through the skies recently and celebrated by promptly going to | sleep. Epps buflt a plane of his own design lat 20, in 1007, shortly after the first | successful flighis by the Wright broth- |ers. Epps’ ship was only partially suc- | césstul in fiight. BOY, 13, SOLOS AS EPPS FAMILY TAKES TO AIR lessons when they are big enoug ing to fly. built in 1907, Five younger c! whole family of Ben T. Epps (lower center), Georgla's first aviator, has taken to the air. His son, Ben, jr., lower a pilot at 13 and daughter Evelyn, left, 15, is learn| hildren start th. Above is & plane Epps have flown and will DEVELOPMENTS TO REACH PEAK IN OCTOBER Capital Will Be Given Direct Acrial NLOLRVE AIR LIST Connection With Three Trans- Continental Lines. expected early next month. At A%~ lanta the line will connect with the new Southern Air Fast Express con- tract airmail and passenger service to Los Angeles. Eventually the Eastern Air Transport passenger service will be extended to Miami. Several types of transport planes are being tested by pilots of the line, and the present equipment may be replaced or augmented by even larger planes than the tri-motored Fokkers and Ford now in service. Two Lines to Be Affected. ‘The Eastern Air Transport passenger line and the New York, Philadelphia and Washington Airways Corporation line, operating hourly service between this city and New York, are expected to be affected by the establishment of the new transcontinental lines, which may bring increased business for the East Coast systems. Important developments will come this month on the question of direct mail and passenger service between the National Capital and the West by way of Pittsburgh and Cleveland and be- tween the Capital and Norfolk, Va. Clifford Ball's contract for carrying the airmail between Cleveland and Pittsburgh will expire October 26 and must either be renewed by issuance of an operating certificate by the Post Of- fice Department or new bids must be asked for operation of the line. The Department of Commerce now is completing the lighting of the Wash- ington-Pittsburgh and Washington- Norfolk airways and the establishment along these routes of intermediate land- ing fields and other airway facilities. Clifford Ball, through Pennsylvania Alrlines, now is operating passenger service from the National Capital to Pittsburgh and Cleveland and it is ex- pected the passenger service will be converted into a mail and passenger service this month. Postal officials have not yet decided whether to award a contract for oper- ation of atrmail service between this city and Norfolk and Pittsburgh, ac- cording to Earl Wadsworth, superin- tendent of the contract airmail service, but will reach a decision before the ex- piration of the Ball contract. Alr passenger service between the National Capital and Charlottesville, Va, is to be opened within a few days by the Dixie Flying Service, which has been operating commercially at the Virginia university town for some time. Single-engined Fokker Super-Univer- sals are to be used on the run, and it is understood two round trips are planned daily. Washington - Hoover Alrport will be the local terminal. The Capital will be given direct air- mail connection through the Eastern Alr Transport line with the new trans- continental line from Atlanta, Ga., to Los Angeles to be established on Oc- tober 15 by Southern Air Fast Express, | & new transport line formed by the | Aviation Corporation, Robertson Alr- ‘}mfi. Corporation and Southwest Air | Fast Express to operate the Southern transcontinental airmail line contracted for recently by the Post Office Depart- ment. The new line will operate a fleet of nine mail and passenger: transport planes between Atlanta and' Los An- geles, connecting with Eastern Air Transport at Atlanta. The planes, of the tri-motored Fokker F-10 type, will carry eight passengers and mall, oper- ating on a daylight schedule pending completion of the airway beacon sys- tem over the route. Atlanta to Dallas in Seven Hours. A seven-hour schedule will be main- tained between Atlanta and Dallas, Tex., and a 12-hour schedule between Dallas and Los Angeles, Dallas being the night layover point for both east and west bound planes. Mail stops will be made at Jackson, Miss.; Shreveport, La.; Dallas, Fort Worth, Big Spring and El Paso, Tex., and Douglas, Tucson and Phoenix, Ariz. In addition, a spur line will operate betwken Big Spring and San Antonio, Tex. On October 15 Transcontinental Air ‘Transport and Western Air Express will begin operation of the new transconti- nental mail-passenger line from New York to Los Angeles by the mid-conti- nental route. The Capital will be con- nected with this line by Eastern Air ‘Transport at New York and Philadel- phia; New York, Philadelphia and ‘Washington Airlines Corporation at Philadelphia and New York, and Penn- sylvania Afrlines at Pittsburgh. The Pennsylvania line also makes connec- tion with the Northern transcontinental lie at Cleveland. FOUR PLANES ORDERED Lockheed Cabin Craft to Be Put Into Use. ‘The Army Air Corps soon 1s to receive four of the latest type Ford tri-motored transport planes and a Lockheed single engine in transport plane, under terms of contracts recently signed. ‘The four Fords are to be of the model c-‘AVIW‘ powered with Pratt & Whit- & Whitney Aircraft Co. was given a con- tract for 24 Wasp engines and spare parts, 12 to be installed in the Fords and 12 to be held as spares. The con- tract price 1s $132,629.58. he Air h- 37 with a Wasp engine. BY ARMY AIR CORPS| Latest Type Ford Transports and | Under a contract with the De(.mlt‘ ARMY WILL PRUNE Juniors Must Qualify as Pilots or Miss Extended Active Duty. The Army Alr Corps has begun & program of cleaning out the deadwood from its roster of Reserve pilots and | warning has gone out to all junor air- plane pilots in the Reserve that they | must qualify as arplane pilots if they {goge to be called for extended active uty. Y. Efforts are being made to rate each of the 3,018 Air Reserve officers listed by the Air Corps according to actual fly- ing ability, it has been announced by the War Department, so that the worth of the Reserves can be gauged in case of emergency. Of the 3,018 Air Reserve offices holding heavier-than-air pilot ratings, the War Department has announced, 2,155 hold the junior airplane pilot rating, while only 863 hold the higher rating of airplane pilot. “Undoubtedly many junior airplane pilots are capable of passing the more stringent flight tests and receiving the airplane pilot rating,” said Maj. Gen. James E. Fechet, chief of the Air Corps, in discussing the Re- serve situation. “Some of them are en- gaged in commercial aviation and are very capable pilots, but are neglect- ing to apply for the higher rating. “The Air Corps has been steadily eliminating all deadwood among Re- servists and has avoided training those who have shown they were not receiv- ing benefit from further flying training. The Ajr Corps is just as diligent pr:g- erly to rate ‘its pilots and give e advanced rating to those lower-rated pilots who can qualify for the airplane pilot rating. In this way the Air Cor) can make a reasonable estimate of potential werth of its Reserve body in the event of a national emergency. “In addition, it behooves junior air- plane pilots to qualify, if possible, as airplane pilots, as only the latter will hereafter be called to extended active duty with tactical units for a period of one year.” To be eligible to take flying tests for the rating of airplane pilot, & junior airplane pilot must have had at least 200 hours pilot time, of which 75 hours must have been with no other quali- fied pilot present in the airplane, the War Department explained. Of the 200 hours, at least 100 hours must have been in service-type airplanes, powered with 300 horsepower or greater, and at least 40 hours of the minimum 200 hours’ time must have been within the 12 months preceding the date of ap- plication for the required test. Flying experience of 400 pilot hours in any type airplane is acceptable in lleu of the 100 hours in service-type airplanes. 'ACROBATIC SECTION ' WILL FLY AT TRENTON L | | The famous Anacostia Naval Air Sta- tion acrobatic section, composed of | Lieut. Matthias B. Gardner, section leader; Lieut. A. P. Storrs and Lieut. Frederick ‘Trapnell, which specializes in inverted formation flight, will B Mercer Airport, Trenton, N. J., Octo- ber 18 to participate in the All Eastern States air races there in connection with a benefit for the American Legion “Cathedral of the Air,” to be erected at_Lakehurst, N. J., Naval Air Station. The cathedral is to_honor the ment- ory of airmen who have given their lives and those who still carry on in the conquest of the air. In addition to its star acrobatic section, the Navy will send the dirigible Los Angeles, a Marine fighting plane squadron from Quantico, Va., and a free balloon. The flight of the Los Angeles will include | & demonstration of the hooking of an airpane to the ship in flight. The Anacostia section, successor to the famous Navy “Seahawks,” of which Lieut. Storrs was a member, has made only two public appearances, the first at Chicago in connection with the Na- tional Air Races and the second at Cleyeland for the start of the Gordon Bennett international balloon race. The Los Angeles made a flight on October 6 to attract attention to the Trenton races, visiting many cities and towns in New Jersey. Navy participa- tion in the Mercer Alrport demonstra- tions was authorized on condition that there be no unduly hazardous stunts, such as wing walking, airplane trapeze performances, transfers from plane to or similar sensational demonstrations by any persons at or near the airport. Autocrat Motor Oil is richer in oilness— gives a stronger pro- tecting film—a tre- mendously strong, toughened piston ring seal—smoother motor performance—greater power — longer life— more mileage. of our 2,155 (W plane, delayed release parachute jumps | in "BEST OIL IN THE WORLL BY GEORGE evidence again this year wh: 1 model aircraft finals. W. WATERS. / HOSE ear-to-ear grins we wrote about last year when the model aircraft pilots left for the Louisville finals were much in en the five District champions left the Franklin School Building Thursday for the Atlantic City Since the columin goes to press some time Friday to appear today we have learned nothing of what the champs are doing with the boys up in Atlantic City. Expect Good Results. Prediction is the best we can do at present. And as far as the writer's concerned there’s no doubt that one of the District flyers will bring home some of that well known bacon. And there’s a chance that more than laurel will be copped for the Dis- trict. Just take a look back at Herbert Dorsey's work at the finals—and John Sullivan’s expert flying at the national finals last year. Well, I guess by this time you fellows and, lest we forget, lassies, know who the winners are. There should be some Associated Press dispatched from the tournament before this column gets into print. “Any New Ideas?” Say, you boys and girls, drop a line to the column as to what the Winter’s golng to bring forth in model aircraft building. What new kind of planes are you build- ing? Come on, fellows, and divuige some of those secret plans so the other boys will have a chance to build some new types of planes. The five boys who have quali- fled for entrance into the natiopal playgrounds miniature aircraft contest will be invited to partici- pate in the sustained flight con- | test for such models which the |Chamber of Commerce will hold In connection with the forthcom- - ing sixth annual industrial ex- 'wamon at the Washington Audi- rium. ? Boys Are Listed. The boys are John Sullivan, who holds the world's record of 18 minutes and 4 seconds with his model plane; Frank Salisbury, District of Columbia 1930 cham- plon; Everett Meeks, Harry Mc= Ginnis and George Shipley. These model plane flyers will represent Washington at the play- grounds contest scheduled to be held in Atlantic City, October 10 and 11. It is pointed out that the National Capital's representation is exceedingly strong in that there are only a total of 40 entrants from all parts of the United States. According to the industrial ex- tion committee of the cham- T, & special invitation will be extended to these five boys to participate in the contest which will be a feature of the trade show this year. All boys interested, however, are cordially invited by the chamber to compete for the coveted award. PLANES MAY BE USED TO FIND LEAKS IN TRANSMISSION LINES Device Developed by Engineer Enables Single Craft to Replace Large Ground Inspection Crew. Alrplanes soon will detecting leaks in long-distance elec- trical n lines if tests now being conducted by a Midwestern power company are successful. The company owns & tri-motored Ford Inwon plane which is being equlpred th an electrical device capa- ble of detecting power leaks from trans- mission lines. flying low over the lines engineers in the planes will be able to detect inlhnl.l{ power leaks and to determine accurately at which tower the leak is to be found, so that repair crews may be sent 51ull:k.|y to the scene. The new device been developed by Earl C. Hansen, radio engineer, lectrical pilot cable, worked out vy ided allied shipp through mine fe With this device a single plane can be used to replace large ground in- spection crews. Find Several Uses for Plane. The power company purchased the plane o?l%unuy to carry officials from St. Louls to & \J LARGE WIND TUNNEL AT DUNDALK FINISHED Said to Be Biggest Commercially Operated Testing Plant in World. be put to work in What is sald to be the largest com- mercfally operated wind tunnel in the ‘world has been completed at the Ber- liner-Joyce Alrcraft tion plant near the new municipal airport at Dundalk, Md., to permit the testing of air forces and moments on scale models of airplanes proposed for construction as an aid to design and determination in advance of performance and stabil- ity characteristics of the planes. ‘The tunnel is housed in a brick struc- ture built for the purpose, a feature of which is smoothly plastered, curved wall construction to direct the air flow. Air is drawn through the tunnel by a four-bladed propelier 12%; feet in diameter, ven by a 224-horsepower electric motor. The flow of air through the 7%-foot throat of the tunnel is at the rate of 110 miles per hour. ‘The model to be tested is placed near the throat openi and is hung upside down on a very delicate balance, thus eliminating the large rods which would be required if it were placed right side up. So sensitive is the balance that it is cajable of measuring to two-ten- thousandths of a pound six distinet aerodynamic components of the force exerted upon the model by the air stream. These components are lift, drag, side-force, ‘rlwhhlx moment, rolling moment ang z‘-wln‘ moment, all of which determine performance and stability of the plane. ‘There is said to be only one other commercial wind tunnel in the United States and that is not nearly as large as the new Baltimore plant. Henry Berliner, who was associated with Tem- ple Joyce in the establishment of the plant, is a resident of this city, the son of the late Emile Berliner, noted scientist and inventor. School Opens New Cla: The first class in a two-year course covering aerodynamics, stress analysis and airplane design has been started by the Columbia School of Drafting, | f Enginecering and Aviation. The in- eruc'l.m'; in charge is Arthur Hlelltex:i, assoclate engineer at the Bureau of Standards and Reserve military pilot. The school's aircraft drafting course now is in its third year. ———— s Seek Planes for Air Clubs. An appropriation of $40,000,000 to pro- vide .i’rg,m at Federal expense for %rh-ah ing clubs is authorized in a ill which Senator Thomas D. Schall of Minnesota is expected to introduce dur- ing the next --l:;a o The clety for the Promotion of Aeronautice Nothing is more important than thorough lubrication. Al RAT— BERREANT VOu ATe THELY Beware of Substitutes Try Autocrat the next time you need oil, and judge its advantages for yourself. At the Better Dealers A QUART T NO. S _BAYERSON OIL WORKS, COLUMBIA 5228 construction in the le for carrying spare for machines, for taking medical suj g\; or physicians to workmen who injured or for taking badly injured men to a city hospital. Later it was used for tral pay rolls. The company was maint s large force of inspectors, who kept up & constant partol on foot of the long transmission lines, on the alert for broken insulators over which electrical ene; could be spi resulting in large loss of power. 1t was found that many of the broken insulators could be seen from the air, but a more certain method seemed de- sirable, and Hansen was set to work on the electrical detecting device. Company officials are so optimistic over their plans that they propose that parts, such as insulators packed in cartons, and repair tools be carried in the patrol plane, ready to be dropped overboard where power leaks are found. In emergency cases they even intend to carry repair crews in the plane to the breaks in the power line and send them overboard to their work in parachutes. Saving in Costs Expected. ‘The officials are confident thmt some uvlng in tremendous present costs of stand by power equipment will be Wil permi’ Tapid. Tepaiss of ower > rapid re wer x epa po Still other uses beside those already mentioned have also been found for the big Ford plane. It is to be employed for a large amount of aerial mapping in connection with transmission line and dam construction, and to this end vertical and oblique mounts for aerial cameras have been set up in the cabin. The officials also are planning to co- operate closely with officers of the St. Louis Chamber of Commerce and In- dustrial Club and to utilize the plane to take manufacturers considering St. Louis as a site for their plants on aerial tours of the city, thus giving them a comprehensive picture of the city’s in- dustrial advanta; It even will be possible, it is pointed out, to send the plane to cities several hundred miles from St. Louls, load the entire official personnel of a company from president down, and take them quickly upon & tour of inspection of the city. —e BRITISH AIRCRAFT JOINS IN EXHIBITIONS ABROAD Manufacturers to Enter Big Dis- play of Planes at Trade Expo- sition in Buenos Aires. LONDON (#)—Makers of British aircraft will co-operate abroad for the first time in an organized exhibition of their work when the British trade ex- hibition is held in Buenos Aires in March and April next year. Hitherto only individual firms have sent airplanes to the various trade fairs held in other countries. British aircraft at present has a mi- nority sale in the Argentine, but manu- facturers are to make a determined ef- fort to break the strong position gained there by the United States. It is understood that the British ad- miralty is to lend an aircraft carrier for tra purposes, and, in addition to the exhibits, at least one squadron of service alrplanes will be carried. Demonstrations with these will be given Just outside the exhibition ground, Whéch has* an area of 300,000 square eet. Airline Baggage Insured. Excess baggage now can be insured on air lines in the same manner as on trains, under a plan inaugurated by the Boeing System. Company ticket agents :hothnndle ut:rnva}er:; insurance ?n z;; uest, & policy of $5,000, good for hours, being issued for $2. Change Your Oil Filter Cartridge Every 10,000 A\ S\ /lc A % FILTERS