Evening Star Newspaper, October 26, 1930, Page 59

CAVIA TION BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON. N attaining the tion it now holds as the mnzesb builder and cperator of airports in the world, the Derrtment of Commerce ys division has into the deserts, the plains, and mountains in le to aid in the conquest of the air and protect the lives of those who fly. The unheralded and eompara- tively unknown battle of airways executives and engineers to plant Intermediate landing fields along the lanes of air travel constitutes one ox ‘the important chapters in romance of aviation. They have tamed mountain torrents, leveled hills, put new floors in mountain gorges and fought shifting desert sands to establish havens of safety for those who travel the airways. e now are 324 Department of Commerce intermediate land- ing fields in operation throughout the United States, 80 of which were completed during the past fiscal year. There are 46 addi- tional ~ intermediate flelds now under construction and approxi- mately 90 will be completed dur- ing the present fiscal year. construction of this year’s quota of flelds will involve the moving of u;mroximately 300,000 ¢ubic yards of earth, the laying of 11 miles of various sizes of pipe and tile drains, the construction of 120 miles of fences, 30 miles of ditches, 1,800 sets of field border markers, and the clearing of ap- ximately 500 acres of timber. to the careful planning of the engineers in charge. the cost to the Government will be only ‘while municipalities in- in ific sites will con- tribute $80,000 more. Into the Wilderness. The task of laying out inter- mediate fields has become steadily more difficult as the planning of alrways through more broken and wilder country went forward. At first the airways were estab- lished only in open country where natural landing fields could be found. The st intermediate landin; were any tracts = of Eoun of approximately 40 acres size which could be utilized in their natural state at appropriate intervals along the airway. It was intended that by the in- tion of lighting equipment at these sites they could be used for emergency landing purposes without conditioning work other than the removal of fences, and ‘other small jobs of an incon- muenfill nature. The original wfl llgowed approximately Thi practice soon’ was out- $500 el grown, however, when the work was extended into mountainous country, and it became impossible to find natural sites of sufficient size. This led to the undertaking of more extensive conditioning and grading of sites. The work at first was directed by the air- ways extension superintendents. As operations expanded, how- ever, it became evident that the services of men especially trained for this type of work were needed and a number of engineers were employed and assigned to super- vise grading and conditioning of flelds, the removal of obstruc- tions and work of like nature. ‘This relieved the extension super- intendents, who were essentially pllots with some degree of en- glneenng knowledge, of the urden of conditioning work and enabled them to apply their aero- nautical experience to preliminary survey worl Plans for Foundifg Airports. ‘Today when an airway is to be lald out between certain points an airways extension superin- tendent in an airways plane goes out first to make a preliminary survey of the route. He flies the section of the airway, notes the general type of terrain and nat- ural features of the ground, the existence of power lines, roads and other features which will assist in determining the location of sites. A ground survey then is made and the sites of the fields tenta- tively selected. At this point the engineer is called in to determine costs, amount of grading and drainage problems to be over- eome. $ Equipped with the engineer’s report, the extension superintend- ent b:tlim negotiations with the perty owners and when suit able agreements are reached, for- wards the information to the office of the airways division in the National Capital. If the tentative selection of sites is ap- roved, the extension superin- dent makes necessary arrange- ments for acquisition or leasing of the sites, calling upon the en- gineer for legal surveying and de- scription of the area. If time is available the engineer will make a complete topographic survey of the fieid and obtain other data necessary in prepara- tion of proposals and specifica- tions for the conditioning work Then, after all the sites have been approved by an executive board o? the aeronautics branch, De- partment of Commerce, the en- gineer prepares proposals and specifications for work necessary to place the fields in condition. These, together with drawings topographic maps and other in formation, are sent to the airways division office here for determina- tion as to the amount and nature 0f work to be performed at each site. The work is advertised and bids awarded, the work being carried on under direct super- vision of the engineer. Much Work Required. The fields are graded nct only to eliminate sharp grades, abrupt changes in slope and reversals i side slopes at the runways, bu also to obtain surface drainage. Tile drains are installed if nec- essary, drainage ditches dug and revetments placed to hold the fills. In some cases small streams are diverted and in one case it was necessary to pipe water from a drainage area of 600 acres under a field to provide a satisfactory runway. In some cases levees are thrown up to prevent inundation of the fields by flood waters. Trees are removed and stumps grubbed and chstructions re- moved on adjoining property if| within the gliding angle of air- eraft which will use the field. Arrang P retmoval"ar low its| ‘| Oreg., ements are made with wer _comy am;; lines. After Fad!n‘ and amooth- ing of the field is completed steps are taken to grennt formation ot washes, which in most cases nec- essitates growing of a good sod, the placing of revetments to hold ils and in some cases constiue- tion of brushwood dams.to aid rainwater in filling low and to break up formation of washes and gullies. Lighting and mark- ing of the flelds form the final stage. As the work of conditioning flelds extends over the entire country, every conceivable condi- tion of climate and soil is met, requiring the soluticn of a at | variety of purely local problems. Nearly all sites are limited by the tracts of ground obtainable at | fair rental, by the nature of the | site, the type of soil and drainage | conditions. Artificial drainage is avoided if possible. Typical Problems Outlined. One of the most interesting of the new airways from the stand- point of intermediate 1la field engineering is that from San Francisco, Calif., to Seattle, Wash., which crosses broad stretches of tule marshes, the fertile lower Sacramento Valley, wild mountain | country which forms some of the | most difficult flying area in the |Nation, and stretches of broad, open country. | _From San Francisco to Redding, |Calif, no particular dificulties were encountered and interme- diate fields were located at Con- cord, Suisun, Capay, Williams and Willows, in addition to which air- ports are available on the airway at Corning, Red Bluff and Red- ding. North of Redding, to Eugene, however, the country is wild and forbidding, lying over mighty mountain ranges, portions of which often are covered by Pacific Coast fogs. The first field north of Redding is located near Bayles, Calif, in the steep-sided valley of the upper Sacra- mento River where the stream has carved out a bench of land long enough to provide for landings up and down the valley. There are 11 acres avail- able between the Pacific Highway and a high-tension electric transmission line. On this tract & 2,200-foot runway tapering in width from 100 to 350 feet has been prepared at considerable cost, including the bullding of a flume to carry off irrigation waters and the building of heavy fences for ki g out livestock which roam at in this region. Approximately 30 miles farther on in the twisting and precipitous valley of the Shasta River near the base of Mount Shasta is an intermediate fleld which has but little more area, but which is being developed by the United States Forest Service as a patrol plane Mountain-Hemmed Field. ‘The next intermediate fleld is at Montague, Calif, in a broad valley fringed with mountains rising more than 5,000 feet above the valley floor. A two-way landing strip half a mile long and 400 feet wide has been pre- pared at considerable expense by the city and licensed to the Department of Commerce as an intermediate fleld. ‘rhough not eligible for a good nun,. this fleld is of great importance, as it is on the southern edge of the highest portion of the Siskivou Mountains, which impose & formidable barrier be- tween Califoriia and Oregon. Four miles west is the Yreka airport, which has a runway & half mile long by 500 feet wide, lying almost at right angles to that at Montague, forming two legs of a four-way fleld four miles apart. Ten miles north of Mon! Hornbrook there is a 23-acre field in a little valley formed by the junction of a small creek with the Shasta River, affording a two-way landing area 3,200 feet long and 300 to 600 feet wide. Ten miles farther north the Oregon boundary is crossed on the summit of the Siskiyous. Eight or nine miles north of the boundary is Barrons Ranch field, near Ashland, Ore. This is a little two-way fleld of 15 acres on a bench of land formed by two of the forks of Bear Creek in the heart of the hest and most forbidden country on this airway. A runway 1,900 feet long and from 300 to 430 feet wide has been prepared and boundary lighted. Trees had to be re- moved from a large area to provide ap- proaches. This fleld is regarded as of great importance, despite its small size, Both this field and the one at Horn- brook are unusually above the low-lying fogs and are nearly always in the clear when flying has to be carried on above the fog. At the same time they usually are below the storm clouds which lower on Siskiyou summit and make the crossing hazardous. Many Emergency Landings. The Barrons Ranch fleld was used 10 times in three months for emergency landings and the Hornbrook seven times in_a little longer period. Twenty miles beyond Barron's is the | stop north of Oakland. From Medford | to Portland the course is over generally | descending_country, the airway follow- | ing Bear Creek and Rouge River Val- Jeys to Grants Pass and then north |t Roseburg over very rough country which is frequently fog-bound. Begin- nign 12 miles north of Grants Pass there is a serles of ridges and valleys at right angles to the alrway. Two-way flelds have been located in Grants Pass, and in the valley of Cow Cresk, seven miles farther north. The Grave Creek field contains but 14 acres, a landing strip 1,900 feet long e, flanked by a hill, & and a_telephone line. The v Creek ficld is even smaller, the landing area being 1,800 by 300 feet, hemmed in_between a mountain wall |and Cow Creek, the area being cur- talled by a road and transmission line. Both flelds, however, have been the means of saving lives in several emerg- encles. More area is available for flelds on the way north of Cow Creek, drainage problems being the most serious con- | fronting the engineers, owing to the | long rainy season, whith tends to cause dangerous softening.of the fields, | Beacon Problem Solved. Many of the alrway beacon sites be- tween Redding and Eugene were ex- tremely difficult to locate and reach with construction materials. ~ All this is densely forested, the timber often exceeding 100 feet in height, which made_topographic mapping x- ceedingly difficult and inaccurate. In some cases visibility for the beacon was obtained by cutting large areas of trees and in other cases towers were raised to 100 or 125 feet to clear the surrounding forest. In very few tases has it been possible to locate beacons on the landing fields, which have been necessarily located 50 low in the valleya that the beam from a beacon would be completely obscured by the sur- rgunding mountatns. There have been 17 intermediate | landing fields installed and lighted, | making a total area of 344 acres, which are rented at an average annual rate of | $10 per acre. The rental would be much higher but for the fact that sev- era] fleld tracts have been furnished at the nominal rate of $1 a year. are known as co-operative _fields. Seventy revolving and 17 Sashing beacons have been placed in operation. | Medford, Ore., airport, the first airmail | the valley of-Grave Creek, 12 miles from | prog THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, OCTOBER 26, 1930—PART FOUR 10 SEE AIR STUNTS Varied Flying Exhibition Is Planned for Tomorrow at Anacostia Station. ‘The new acrobatic section at the Apacostia Naval Air Station, which since its creation last Spring has risen to the rank of the Nation’s foremost acrobatic formation, will make its pub- lic debut in the National Capital at the air station tomorrow afternoon at 3 o'clock, in connection with the official observance of Navy day. 5 ‘The section, composed of Lieut. Mat- thias B. Gardner, operations officer at Iocal station and leader of the sec- tion; Lieut. Aaron P. Storrs 3d, and Lieut. Frederick M. Trapnell, uses three Navy Curtiss Hawk singl ater fight- ers equipped for inverted flying. Among the new maneuwers to be per- formed by the section in its first public appearance here tomorrow will be the “section roll,” recently perfected and flown publicly for the first time a few days ago at Trenton, N. J., during the Eastern air races there. ma- neuver the section of three planes per- forms a half roll of the entire section, finishing with all three planes upside down with the positions of the two wing pianes reversed. The maneuver is com- pleted by a half loop bringing the sec- tion back into normal flying position. The metal-clad dirigible ZMC-2, | which paid its only previous visit to the National Capital last June, will {ly over | the ctiy between nocn and 12:30 p.m. tomorrow, according to word received | by the District Commissioners from the | Naval Alr Station, Lakehurst, N. J. The ZMC-2 is the only ship of its kind | ever to fly and is regarded as an im- portant experiment in the field of lighter-than-air development. . Leaving Lakehyrst at 8 o'clock tomor- Tow , the ZMC-2. will visit a number of cities in New Jersey, Penn- sylvania, Delaware and Maryland, ar- riving over the Capital at 12:05 g .y according to the schedule sent here. S’haw'lll continue to Alexandria, Va., at 12:30. Plancs {0 “Bomb” Crowds. ‘The Anacostia station will be open to the public all day tomorrow, with Comdr. A. H. Douglas, commandant of the station, acting as host. The flying program will begin at 2:30 p.m. with the “bombing” of the crowds at the Washington Navy Yard with paper balls containing Navy day greetings. Para- chute jumping will open the program at the station. A six-plane division of Marine Corps fighters from Quantico, Va., will demen- strate combat and formation flying as developed by the “fiying leathernecks.” ‘The “squirrel cage loop” is expected to be a part of the Marines' program. At 3 p.m. there will be a demonstra- tion of the launching of Navy combat and observation planes by the catapult system at the Washington Navy Yard. At the same time the Anacostia acro- batic section will take the air for a half hour of formation acrobatics. program at the station will be concluded at 3:30 p.m. by the laying of a smoke screen across the sta- tion by Navy planes. Crowds to Inspect Hangars. All the hangars will be open to the public and a number of the various types of Navy planes will be on view, with officers and men on hand to ex- plain their construction, performance, characteristics and uses to those who care to inquire. Fidelia, the young Haitian burro, re- cently flown back to the National Cap- ital by members of the Haitian hurri- cane relief expedition, will be on duty at the station in her official role of mascot and probably will wear her full flying equipment. Lieut. Gardner, leader of the acro- batic section, is a native of the District of Columbia and is rated as one of the best acrobatic pilots in the naval serv- ice. He was the second American pilot to master the inverted falling leaf ma. neuver, which he demonstrated here during the Curtiss Marine Trophy Race last Spring. Lieut. Storrs formerly was 8 member of the famous Navy “Sea- hawks,” an acrobatic section organized on the West Coast. Lieut. Trapnell i & member of the flight test section at Anacostia. CLUB TO RECEIVE FLYING LESSONS Instruction to Begin Next Week. Becond Ground Class to Be Organized. ‘The Eagle Wings Flying Club, avia- tion branch of the Women's City Club, is completing s for flying instruction at a loc rport, begin- ning next week. Men women in- terested in learning to fly, or in build- ing up solo_ flying time, are invited to join the Flying Club, which is de- scribed as “entirely non-commercial.” In addition to flying instruction, the club is forming its second ground school class, under direction of Lieut. Louis M. Rawlins, jr., Army Air Corps | Reserve. The course will consist of | 24 lectures, covering theory of flight, airplanes, engines, meteorology, navi- gation, rules and regulations. Lec- tures will be given at 8 pm. each Priday, under direction of Mrs. Lyle B. Steever, 2400 Sixteenth street, pres- ch’ol the club. In® addition the club is arranging a series of aeronautical lectures by Ing aeronautical authorities and a ram of aeronautical luncheons, dinners and teas. Members of the Eagle Wings Flying Club end the Women's City Club will visit Washington-Hoover Airport Sat- {urdoy aftornoon, leaving the club | house by bus at 4:30 pm. Dinner | has been arranged at the "airport at 6 pm. and the members will remain at the field to see the new flood lights in operation and watch the landing of passenger planes after dark, s ORDEQED TO PANAMA Lieut. Frederic Smith Recently Graduated in Air Corps. Lieut. Frederic H. Smith, son of the adjutant general of the District Na- tional Guard, who graduated from the Army Air Corps Advanced Flying School at Kelly Pleld, Tex. this month, has | been ordered to duty in the Panama Canal Department. He is to sail from | New york for his station about De- cember 2 ! Seventeen members of the same class |are to go to the Hawaiian Islands, Lieut. Smith and six others to Panama, nine to Mather Field, Sacramento, Calif.; four to Langley Field, pton, \Va.; four to Rockwel Field, San Diego, ‘Calif.; one to Crissy Field, San Fran- | cisco,'and one to Mitehel Field, N. Y. —_— e [ beacons are to be installed at Chehalls, | Eugene Medford, Shasta City and Wil- | lows and, together with the radio- beacon now operating at Oakland, will furnish complete radio direction for | blind fiying. An automatic_teletype circuit for collection of weather reports and rej airplane movements ex- 1S Sl oinia o weniher lons at vit or bservations. | Atlanta receives weather reports from The mew famous acrobatic section of the Anacestia Naval Air Cleveland and Trenton, will make its first official appearance in the National shows, left to right, Licut. Matthias the Anacestia David S. I :MAM of 2 . Ingal Seeretary ‘Trapmell. temorrow. The ph Station, tself with glory-at Chicagoe, C:w“ thegNavy day program at " Gariner leader of the section; the ‘Navy fer Aeronantics; Lieut. A, P. Storrs, 34, and Lieut. Frederick M. —Star Staff Photo. COASTAL AIRWAY DISTRICT 1S RATED LINE MADE SAFER Improved Facilities Estab- lished on Route Through National Capital. Alr travel along the Atlantic coastal airway passing through the National | Capital is being expedited and made safer by the operation of newly estab- ished Department of Commerce com- munication cilities along the New York-Atlanta section. The teletype circuit has been completed along this section and now is in operation 24 hours daily. Regular hourly collections of weather information from the entire length of | the ling are made every hour of the day and night in conjunction with the Weather Bureau. This information is gathered from weather stations at At- lanta and Jefferson, Ga.; Andersop and Spartanburg, S. C.; Charlotte and Greensboro, N. 'C.; South Bosto Crewe, Richmond and Quantico, Va. the National Capital, Baltimore and | Aberdeen, Md., and Camden, Trenton, Hadley Field and Newark, N. J. ‘Weather Maps Avallable. Within 10 minutes after the begin- ning of collection of the weather infor- mation at all these stations, the meteor- ologists of the Weather Bureau have the complete report for study and use in connection witll the preparation of weather maps and the furnishing of airway weather information to pilots and dispatchers. Every three hours the Weather Bu- reau alrway division nesdquarters at points on each side of the airway, in addition to the hourly reports from the alrway stations, to obtain information concerning storms or fair weather that may hinder or ald the movement of planes along the airway. The combination of the hourly and three-hour weather information also supplies data for forecasts and sum- maries so the Weather Bureau may give airmen an idea of what weather conditions may be encountered for as much as three hours in advance. | At about 7:45 and 1:45 am. and pm. upper air soundings are made to| determine the direction and force of | winds at those levels, thus providing | valuable information for pilots seeking | favorable winds to speed them on their way. Hourly Reports on Currents. ‘The current hourly reports, three hourly forecasts and upper air reports, as well as emergency Wweather informa- tion are broadcast by radio telephone from Department of Commerce sta- tions—one of which is located just outside the District of Columbia in Maryland—to pilots of afrcraft in flight and to airports. Radlo-range beacon stations also are in operation along the Atlanta-New York airway, stations being located at Atlanta, Spartanburg, Greensbaro, Richmond, Washington and Hadley Field, to guide pilots through fog, dark- ness and storm when landmarks are obliterated. Mail planes of Eastern Air Trans- port, operating along the airway, are being equipped with radio beacon re- celving outfits and during the Winter it is anticipated the pilots of this line, who have been flying by dead reckon- ing when conditions are bad, will be able to use this latest aid to air trans- portaion to guide them on their way. Marker Beacons Promised The Department of Commerce also is planning the installation of marker bea- cons at points between the radio bea- con stations where pllots should tune from one station to the next to re- ceive the guiding signals. These bea- cons, which send & signal on & beam directed vertically, may be in- stalled at certaln points, such as the crests of high ridges or mountains where they will be of especial value to pilots flying “blind.” Certain of the marker beacon stations also may be operated as radio-telephone stations, Department of Commerce of- ficials say, to receive position reports from aircraft for transmission to fields of departure and ficids ahead on the | teletype circuit. These stations also may be used for furnishing emergency information to pilots passing overhead The automatic telet; circult now | in_operation over the local airway is | rn.rl of an 8500-mile system of such ines installed under the program for | the current fiscal year, and the new | radio stations installed and planned | along the airway are a part of the general Federal airways program it was pointed out. Plan Mock Air Attack. United Airport, Los Angeles, has been | selected for aerial maneuvers in which the Army Air Corps Western defenses will be used to defend. Los Angeles against “enemy” air forces. ey Order 1,250,000 Gallons of Gas. ' The Boeing System, operators of Gov- ernment airmail contract routes and PAUL HENDERSON. HENDERSON MADE N. A. T. PRESIDENT “Father of Airmail” to Manage National Air Transport Activities. Paul Henderson, former Assistant Postmaster General in Charge of Alr- mall, has been ted president of Na- tional Air Transpart, operator of the first transcontinental airmail contract service from New York to Chicago, National Alr Transport reccently be- came a division of the United Aircraft & Transport Corporation and has opened passenger service, in addition to airmail service, between Cleveland and Chi ‘The passe: . r line is to be extended to New York soon, it is un- derstood. Mr. Henderson, who has been known as “the father of the airmall,” insti- tuted the night flying of mail planes. He was instrumental in bringing about the organization of National Air Transport, four and s half vears ago. National Air Transport now flies 12,000 miles daily, operating mail and cxpress service between New York, Chicago and Dallas, Tex., and passenger lines be- tween Chicago, Detroit, Toledo and Cleveland. Becoming Assistant Postmaster Gen- eral in 1922, Mr. Henderson brought bout the inauguration of night airmail in 1923 and in 1924 the first continu- ous transcontinental mail flight was made. Today airmail planes fly 58,000 miles’ daily, half of this mileage at . INDUSTRIAL SHOW HAS AVIATION NIGHT Air Transport Development Putting Capital City Among First to Be Featured. The recent development of transport aviation in the National Capital, which has put this city in a position of high rank in the aeronautical world during the past two months. will be stressed in the pre for “Aviation night” at the si: annual industrial exposition of the Washington Chamber of Com- merce next month in the Washington Auditorium. Leaders of all phases of aviation ac- tivity in the Capital are expected to take part in the program, it has been announced by the committee in charge. Of particular interest on “Aviation night” will be the miniature aircraft sustained-flight contest, in which a large number of local model builders will compete for the handsome prizes offered. Invitations have been ex- tended to all those interested to take part in this competition, including the | five boys who represented Washington in the fourth annual miniature air- craft tourney at Atlantic City a few weeks ago. The five are Frank Salisbury, John Sullivan, Harry McGinniss, Kverett Meeks and Ernest Stout. The_industrial exposition model air- craft contest will be held on the stage of the Auditorium under qualified su- rvision. The competition is being eld this year as a result of the pro- nounced success of a similar contest held in connection with the exposition last year. Noted g, ir Pilot Reassigned. Lieut. Carleton C. Champion U. 8. N., former holder of the world altitude its made from Station, has HIGH IN AVIATORS Study Shows Only 8 States Credited With More Transport Pilots. There are only eight States in the Union credited with more licensed air- craft transport pilots than the District of Columbia, according to a survey just completed by the aeronautical branch of the De ent of Commerce. The m& th,l! lflDO plll;)u listed by the de- nt under this highest type of pllot rating. A majority of them are Army and Navy pilots who are main- taining civil ratings though not en- gaging regularly in civil aviation activi- ‘With 273 pilots of all types, the Dis- trict ranks seventeenth’ among the States. There are 74 private pilots and 9 limited commercial pilots credited to the Disic in the Department of Commerce records. The District also stands seventeenth in the list of States according to number of aircraft me- chanies, 142 licenses of this type having been issued to residents of the District. Has Seven Licensed Gliders. ‘The District is credited with 61 licensed or identified ecivil aircraft, there being 55 of the former and 6 of the latter gype. Its 61 planes place it thirtieth I-mol* the list of States in this respect. here are seven licensed gliders credited to the District, 18 of the States having a greater number and 3 having the same number. ‘The District has more licensed planes, pllots than any of the territorial pos- sesslons of the United States. ‘The De) ent of Commerce study shows that on September 30 there were 14,425 aircraft pilots holding licenses issued by the department. is num- ber is considerably in excess of the number of licensed or identified air- craft available for them to fly, the rec- ords lhom.nf a total of 8,893 officlally listed aircraft. A total of 8,979 aircraft mechanics have been licensed by the department. New York Leads List. ‘The records show 977 licensed or identified gliders and 118 glider pilots, though licenses of this type are not compulsory. except for instructors or professional glider pilots. New York was first on the list of licensed or identified aircraft with a total of 1,119, but California had the largest number of pilots, mechanics, gliders and glider pilots, having 2,685 pllots, 1,663 mechanics, 187 gliders and 45 glider pilots. 1Illinois was third in the number of aircraft, pilots and me- chanics, having 585 aircraft, 831 pilots and 550 mechanics, Illinois amd Ohio were tied for second place in the num- ber of glider pilots, with 13 each. 30 MAKE SOLOS AFTER 8-HOUR INSTRUCTION D. C. Air Legion Students Come From Various Parts of United States. The average dual instruction time for 30 students of the D. C. Air Legion, lo- cal private flying club, before they were ready to solo, or fly alone, has been eight hours, according to a study of the flight records by T. J. Waggy, legion manzger. All 30 of the students soloed during the past year. While most of the members who Jearned to fly during the past year were residents of the District of Columbia, 15 giving this city as their home, 2 were from West V! , 4 from Vir- rnh. 1 from Finland, 1 from Denmark, from Maryland, 1 from Iowa and 1 from Wisconsin. to note,” said the ex of two members, all of odgyufi:; learned to fly while holding down ular positions o pay theit living and g expenses. “In order to do this, the legion has started flying every day possible at daybreak and flown until dark, thus giv- ing the members an opportunity to do their fiying before and after work. As & usual thi during the Summer months at least five leglon members are at the field, ready to fly, at 5 o'clock in the morning.” News Platform Proposed. Construction -of a special type of wurtln’ platform aboard cruisers of the type of the U. S. S. Houston upon which shipboard planes may be placed for overhauling and repair work duflx’xg rough weather has been recommends to the Navy Department. In the nor- mal _carrying tion the outboard wings and half of the motor extend over the side of the vessel, making eni!':ne maintenance and repair diffi- cul pilots, mechanics, gliders and glider BY GEORGE UR old friend Johnn W. WATERS. Willlams, who has done more toward the advance of model aircraft than he has ever been credit for and who lost a finger while teaching you model pilots be the American airmen of the future, comes back to these pages once again. Johnny is officially known as model plane instructor of the District and is attached to the Commun Schools. the column over to Johnny. Commerce Chamber Tourney. “Here is the contest for which you have waited one year. It is the Wash- Chamber of Commerce second annual model airplane contest. “The committee in charge promises to make this one of the biggest events in Washington and has arranged a long list of prizes for the winners ranging from the much coveted Jelleff Loving Oup, which, you remember, was won last year by John Sullivan, to other worthwhile prizes. “It's something to shoot for, boys, and maybe you won't be surprised when you hear that aviation officlals from near and far will witness your exhibition and model flying skill on Friday, November 7, at 7 o'clock. Hinton Heads Comunmittee, “The committee in charge, headed 9y our good friend Walter Hinton, wants to impress on you that tryouts will be allowed only Friday, November 7, be- tween 4:30 and 6:15 o'clock In the afternoon, and no planes may be tested after that time. They further state, as you will read in the ‘rules,’ definite pro- cedure, in order to complete the event at 9 o'clock. “Fellows, it's up to us to do our share and co-operate to the fullest extent to make this an annual event, as its success depends largely on having a clear understanding of the rules and following them. Exhibit Booth Cited. “Notice will be sent out to the bo entel es in the exhibit booth. that our will be on the second floor, northwest corner, Nos 12 and 13. Bring your planes in Monday, Novem- ber 3, between 4 and 10 o'clock, at night. Present them to the man in < at tluY booth. l?dwneelvo s olllmck or them. You mus your planes back n Satur between 7:3 o'clock and closing e. It must be understood that the planes on exhibit shall be in full charge of the District of Columbia Model Aircraft League until Saturday night at 7:30 o'clock. “Here are the rules: “This contest will be held at the ‘Washington Auditorium, Nineteenth street at New York avenue, Friday eve- ning, commencing promptly at 7 o'clock and ending at 9 o'clock. “Those boys living in or within 10 ml(l:s of the District are eligible to enter. “The contest will be for the type of flying _model plane known as “the scientific hand-launched” and the fol- lowing rules must be observed by the contestants: “Contestants must register at the Model Aireraft Booth at the Industrial Exhibit before 4:30 o'clock Friday after~ noon, November 1. “There will be two classes. The first class will consist of model flyers whose planes have been officlally timed in- Anw here’s what he has to tell you boys today. ity Center Department of Public We turn doors or outdoors 4 minutes or over.: “Second class consisting of those whose planes have been officially timed under 4 minutes, ¢‘Note, the honesty of the statement at time of registration shall be con- sidered as sufficlent justification as class.) “The wing span and length of fuse- Iage shall not be a factor in the judg- ment of the winners. “Contestants will be allowed to &ry out and adjust their planes November 7 at the Washington Auditorium be- | tween the hours of 4:30 and 6:15 o'clock at night, but at no other time. “This rule shall be held as meanin that all boys to enter the contest shal be in the Auditorium before 8:15 o'clock and that at the deadline all planes not ready to enter shall be disqualified. List to Be Read. “A list of the names will be read from the stage, giving the order in which contestants will fly. *(Note.—This is done to give time for the succeeding boy to be prepared to Iaunch his plane at the time called). “Each contestant will be given three flights, in the order in which his name | appears on the list. | “Any one not prepared to launch his | plane within one minute of time called | shall be credited with a delayed flight, three delayed flights constituting an official flight. - “A flight of less than 10 seconds shall be a delayed. In the event of a breaks up, no extra time shall be allowed for Tepalr, v “‘(Note.—Tt is suggested for that reas -u; more unin a: plane be brought mrlnd or the event). “A plane whose fllflhlvll obstructed in any manner other than by aocl- dental interference by an official shall be accredited only with the time up te 0 | the obstruction. “Planes shall be launched from the floor of the Auditorium between the aisles. © “The Jelliff loving cup shall be awarded to the contestant in Classes 1 and 2 who has taken first place in his class and has competed with three ad- ditional flights against the other firste place holder and securing a longer sus~ tained fiight than his opponent. N “The winners will be judged by- the longest sustained flight of the three. “In case of a tie the next longest flight will be the factor. “All decisions by the judges shall be accepted as final when announced. Prizes Listed. “The kit of model plane builders’ tools shall be awarded to the runner-up., “A list of other prizes will be ane nounced immediately before the cone test and awarded as far down the list as possible. “Due to the shortness of time,- the above rules will be vigorously enforced. COURT IS BALKED BY PRIVATE’'S WIT Claims Officer Was “Encased in Sedan,” Hence Not to Be Saluted. et An Army Air Corps private soldier has created a legal problem which has, left a special court-marial board March Field, Riverside, Calif,, in quandry. The private was on trial for being asleep on post, his accuser being the officer of the day, who testified that he made an inspection at dawn and found the soldier apparently asleep. The soldier denied vehemently that he I had been asleep, but admitted that he had made no effort to get up from seat and salute the officer. ‘The soldier admitted that he knew the requirements of the Eleventh Gen- eral Order, requiring that all officers and standards not cased must be sa- luted, but also admitted he had made no effort o0 salute the lleutenant, though he had recognized him. ked why he had not saluted, the soldier replied: “8ir, the Eleventh Gene: Order specifically states that you are to salute all officers and colors and standards not cased, and, therefore, I could see no reason why I should have jumped to attention and saluted the lieutenant when he drew up to my post. The lieutenant was cased, in that he was inclosed in a big sedan.” Members of the court, according to @ report to the Air Corps news lef ter, | were undetermined as to whether the| soldier was the dumbest individual in| the world or one with & very clever analytical mind. ATTACK ON AIRDROMES TO GET FIRST TEST| Twenty Condemned Planes Turned | Over to Experiment This Week | at Camp Stanley. The effectiveness of attack aviation against hostile airdrogges will be de- termined by the Army Air Corps this week at Camp Stanley, San Anfonio, Tex., 20 condemned planes having been turned over for destruction in the testa. This will be the first time any test of this nature has been undertaken by the Alr Corps, it was announced. The tests will begin about Saturday, when a squadron of 18 attack jlanes from the 3d Attack Group, Fort Crock- ett, Galvestos; Tex., will be assigned | to the attack. Twenty of the con demned planes will be used to repr sent a squadron afrdrome in war time. The attack planes will launch su cessive assaults, employing small fraj mentation bombs and 100-pound d molition bombs, to determine the e fectiveness of these missiles in the d struction of al on the ground. Tracer machine-gun ammunition then will be used to test the incendiary ef- fect against airplane structures and gasoline tanks. NEW AIR-RAIL SERVICE 20 AIR STUDENTS READY FOR SOLOS Mount Vernon Airways to Organ. ize New Ground School . . Tomorrow. With nearly a score of flying sty dents, including two Chinese, buildihg up dual fiying time preparation -for sojping, the Mount Vernon School of Aeronautics, operated by Mount Vernon Airways, at Hybla Vallly, near Alexe andria, Va. is preparing to lnlg; urate a ground school course at field tomorrow night. The course is designed for limjted commerical pilot license aspirants and is a 68-hour course. The class will meet two nights a week for four ‘months. A two-month additional course is being arranged for port license students. “The -school will be in charge of E. W: Robertson, who has conducted an aviation school at Hybla Valley for | niearly five years. Heyward Robertson is flight instruetor. Among the flying students at the fleld, several of whom are nearly ready to solo, are John B. Hale, L. H. Bennett, Yone C. Fong, Marlin W. Lunsford, F. ¢. Schaefer, Miles Hame | mond, Williafa O. Jewby, Reginald Schrader, Kimberly Yee and E. W. Box= ;;ll olvlhl.s“clty; John R. Brown, ea, Va., Henry E. Seitz, Lanham, Md, and N. Larkin, Fair: (] AVIATION Needs Aircraft Engineers a: Draftsmen COLUMBIA “TECH” All Branches of Engineering, Drafting Blueprint Readi; Math. Classes Day and Evening Sessions * Also Correspondence Instructio Send for Drafting or Eng. Register Now for Feb, Eng. COLUMBIA TECHNICAL SCHOOL 1319 F St. N.W. Metro. 5626 AVIATION A complete ground school course of 4 manths’ duration (2 nights per week), at a cost of .~ $64.00, including books. Deferred payments as low as $2.50 per week. This course designed to qualify students for ‘private and limited - commercial pilot'’s written ex-" amination given by Dept. of Commerce. Classes being formed to start Mx:ldly.dxhl':veAmber 3, at the lexan irport, Hybla Valley, south of Alex. Course will inclyde among others aerodynamics, navigation, meteorology. Course, 2 Additional Months for $31. For Information Call Alex. 1631, Mt. Vernon School Transcontinental Line Completed by Recent Hook-up. The recently completed hook-up of | the Boeing System with National Air| Transport and the New York Central | Railroad has ope: a new transconti- tal air-rail service which involves | onlfi 8§71 miles of train travel, ! Cleyeland is 27 hours via the new Boe- ing night line between Chicago and the West.. The combination service also rmits routing of ngers: to the cific Northwest and Montana through Salt Lake Cit; Speedometerge;e duty as B et oo ko of el o transoniiental snq ‘Bactfe ' Goast We Repair All Makes CREEL BROTHERS ‘1811 14th St. N.W. T Dakter 4330 - of Aeronautics Yo fly £ % _PRIVATE PILOT'S COURSE JFOR DEPARTMENT QOF COMMERCE LICENS] Training in New Ships. ferred Payments Arranged. Bond Reguired. Instructors Licensed Transport Pilots. For Information Call dria 1631 Mt. Vernon Airways, Inc, We Have No Washington Office Mt. Vernon School | De- No All of Aeronautics (354 3o Boutl of Abevandri) -