Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-04-01
PLANS FOR FLIGHT
AROUND THE WORLD
Director Kruckman Here to
Enlist Aid of United States
in PatroIIing Course.
NO LONGER IDLE DREAM,
SAYS PROMOTER OF RACE
Aviators Who Formerly Scoffed Now
Growing Interested in Great
1915 Event.

Arnold kruckman, protector ana OIL
rector of the worlds circuit aeropiane
race that is to be feature OF the
Panama-Pacifc exposition in 1915, has
come to Washington to enlist the CO.
operation of this government in look
Ing after the section of the race route
that will pass through the United
States. In speaking of the race pros
pect Mr.. kruckman said:
1T is almost too early to say anything
definite about the arrangements for the
race, except that 1t will be held. and
will do a great deal toward developing
interest in aeronautics in this country
and bringing together the nations TAX
ing part in the event
Two years ago such a race as this
would have been unthinkable- Today
1t is fair possibility, and by 1915
1t will be a reasonable certainty. Such
unfavorable comments as have been
made by noted long-distarce fiiers like
Garros. Andre Beaumont and La Blanc
have been based upon conditions as
they were year or two ago.
Even the most prejudiced when they
are brought face to face with the cond
tons are willing to agree with me that
already the worlds circuit IS a fair pos
siblity-
Orville Wright Interested.
81 had sample of this in Dayton,
Ohio not many days ago. orville Wright
you know. is about as conservative and
unenthusiastic as any one you can find,
but after talking over the matter with
me for an hour he suggested himself ex-
tending the conference and talked with
me the greater part of the day, winding
~ wifi no a1r th,t
a much more practicable thing than he
had been at first willing to admit.
We will. of course, have to take the
Wrights into consideration from legal
standpoint in arranging for the section of
the race to be flown in this country. We
are not hunting trouble, nor seeking to
involve the foreign aviators in any
Therefore, we Will arrange for a license
from the Wrights for any foreign ma
cnine that Is entered in the competition
so that the foreigners need have no fear
OF legal complications when they fly in
this country.
Already We have gone over a large
section Of the worlds route that will be
covered by the race, and 1t is surprising
to find how easily what looked like hard
problems have worked out japan, Rus
STA, France. Germany and England have
al cheerfully volunteered to look after
the route wherever it touches their ter
ritory.
Going Over the Route.
We have had two men going over the
Alaskan coast from Seattle to Nome, and
thence around the southern coast and
chain of islands to its nearest approach
to Asia Their report has been wholly
favorable, because the various islands all
offer good alighting ground. and all of
them have smooth and well sheltered
bays in which hydro-aeroplanes and hy-
ing boats can easily be sheltered 1 am
gong shortly on a trip across European
Russia and Siberia to determine just what
arrangements must be made for stocking
gasoline, Oil and spare parts at the con-
troll stations over this part of the route
or course, all Of the aeroplanes entered
In the race will have a chance to carry
wireless. and all Of the control stations
VIII be equipped with wireless instru-
ments, so that they can both receive and
send messages. An aviator will not have
10 be an expert wireless operator to be
able to send and receive enough to COM
municate with the nearest control station
outside of which he may light
In all probability the control stations
and the racing machines will have a
sending radius Of 100 miles. The section
OF the race through Europe will be very
easily managed, and there is nothing at
all difficult about the Atlantic crossing II
one takes the northern route by way of
Iceland. Greenland and Newfoundland.
Rules Only Tentative.
1T is hardly fair to say that we have
either made or changed any of the con-
ditions governing the worlds race. What
We are doing SO far is to lay the subject
before the aviators in all the countries
interested, and after getting the best
opinion of every body to boil that down
into such form will be practical for
everybody concerned. At first it was
suggested to put a time limit of ninety
days on the flight around the world.
This has tentatively been changed to
1p days That is about as far as definite
arrangements have been made. II looks
now as though this time limit might even
lie extended SO that if nobody finishes
within 10 days they still will be given
time to complete the circuit, although
they will be penalized a certain amount
for each day that they take over 100.
Il cannot yet say how many entrants
there are liable to be in the race, but
II is practically a certainty that there
Will be Representatives of every country
having a national areo club, and an
effort will be made to arrange the con-
ditions so as to give all of the best men
as even show as possible.
During my present visit to Washing
ton l expect to see President Wilson.
iels. | have been unofficially assured
Is possible in looking after and patroIing