Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-04
PLAN FLIGHTS TODAY
Government Aviators May Pay
Visit to Benning.
OVERHEAD TANK DOOMED
Fatal Accidents Due to Explosion of
Fuel Mean Location Will
Be Changed.

Probably there will be aeroplane fights
from College Park to Benning this after
noon. This will depend on weather con-
ditions, the behavior of the motors and
the condition OF the aviators themselves.
1t has been decided. however, If every
thing is favorable to send all three ma
chimes from the field to Bcnning.
There are three aeroplanes and three
aviators available for the trip. Lieut..
Arnold is expected to take the Wright
machine. Lieut.. Kirkland the Burgess
Wright and Capt. Beck, the Curtiss. 1t
is possible that one or more of the
machines may carry a passenger. The
distance from College Park to Benning is
only five miles air line, SO it will not be
a matter of much more than ten minutes
TO make the round trip If no stop is
made If there IL a. landing at the race
track. more time will be consumed.
There has been a great deal Of interest
not only among tho aviation officers at
College Park, hut among airmen general
~, in the number of fatal accidents with
in the last year attributed 10 exploding
ga soIine tanks. There have been a num-
Der of such accidents this summer. Ac-
cidsnts with aeroplaneS seem to run i'm
series like accidents at foot ball. ii was
only year ago that a series of broken
rules, and this seems to have had an CT
feet in checking them.
Overhead Tanks to Go.
1t is thought that the explosion of the
gasoline tanks has been explained and
the last accident, resulting in the killing
of Lieut.. de Orally at Troyes, France
Saturday, probably will sound the death
knell of the overhead tank. Experiments
made by Glenn Curtiss recently show a
simple explanation of the tank explosions
that might apply to all the recent dis
asters Of this sort
Many II not most aeroplanes. have
their tanks swung over the engine and
use gravity for the gasoline feed. This is
simple and convenient and does away
with the necessity for pump
The exhaust from the engine is prac-
ticdiiy continuous and is hotter than a
gas fiame-much hotter than * necessary
TO fire gasoline. If drop IF sasoiine
falls through the exhaust 1t naturally
catches fire. Curtiss had Eugene Ely
make experiments with a number OF
tanks and engines on tho ground. 1t was
found that tile gasoline dripping through
the exhaust was fired and either ran up
and exploded the tank instantly or
burned on the outside of tho leak till the
tank was hot enough to explode. Both
things happened.
The remedy was obyious-either to put
the tank below the level of the engine
and use force feed for the gasoline or
to put the tank out OF reach OF the ex-
haust. The Curtiss machines and num-
! Der OF others are now being arranged Ia
| do away with the danger of the leaking
tank. All of the machines at College
! Park now have the overhead tanks. bur
none Of them has leaked and there has
| been no trouble, bat some, at least. Of
| the gravity feed tanks are to be moved
/ out of danger.
There is another thing that can hap
| pen TO the gasoline tank of an aeroplane
not to cause serious accident, but to
interfere with flight, and this has hap
pened on a number of occasions. 1t is
| to stop the air hole in the tank over the
gasoline. OF course, as the gasoline is
used by the engine, air has to come in
! to take it's place. else there is a vacuum
formed over the gasoline and 1t refuses
| to run through the feed pipe.