The Washington times., 1914-06-18
Lieut.. Porte Gives Plans
For His Oper-Sea FLIGHT
Aviator Tells The Times He Will
Take SoutherIy Course
From st. Johns.
Selects Route Which Will Keep
Him in Sight of Trans-Atlan-
tic Steamers.
By LIEUT. JOHN CYRIL PORTE, R. N.

By LIEUT. JOHN CYRIL PORTE, R. N
Copyright 1914. by The Press Publishing Co.
HAMMONDSPORT. June 1S.-While
many baseless guesses have been
made as to the route ] purpose fol-
lowing in the transoceanic flight, il is
only now that ! am ready to make
any definite announcement on this
point. have given the matter much
thought and sought to reach a con-
clusion that would satisfy, first of all.
the requirements of practicability. l
think the plan adopted meets that
test
1 shall make two stops on my trip.
Ny first point of call will be the
Azores and my second probably Vigo.
Spain. From that point I hope to
wing my way far over the Bay of
English Channel and land at Plym-
outh.
As The Times announced, my point OF
departure will be st. Johns, Newfound-
land. The mileage thence to the Azores
is 1,1ss. From the Western Islands. as
mariners call them, the distance to
vigo is ss3 From Vigo to Plymouth
the miles are SO.
To Stop at Azores.
1t is planned TO reach the Azores
twenty hours after taking the water.
This means travelling at the average
hourly rate of sixty miles. 1t will take
sixteen hours more to get to Vigo. and
about nine hours more to Plymouth. If a
total of ten hours were used in stops,
the elapsed time in the trip would be
fifty-five hours-seventeen hours. or al
most three-Quarters Of a day. within
the limit of seventy-two hours set down
bv the terms of the Daily Mail prize
offer.
The question naturally asked by those
interested in the attempt is, Why am
I not flying directly from NeW1ouno-
land to Ireland? There are several
reasons, and each Of them Importanitd; ant
that a radical change in plans had been
decided upon: the reference was to this
point.
most efficient type Of machine to use
in the effort to do what has never
been done before is a flying boat OF
, such a construction that could, II
necessity arose, alight on the water
and then resume my flight with
down on the water 1 would be through.
for could not rise again
THAT having been settled, L was con-
fronted with the seemingly insuperable
difficulty pointed out by many notea
| enough gasolene to keep the flying boat
| with its great extra weight golns
| through the whole distance between
| North America and the British Isles.
| To replenish my gasolene ! hit upon the
| Azores as ''coaling station AS that
| poi1t pulls me pretty well to the south.
| I Concluded that II would be the part
of wisdom TO resupply at conVen,
! lent European point, and so selected
Vigo Bav for that purpose.
Will Restock from Boats.
At each of the stations L will hav,
I'assistants ready with petrol and othel
| necessities. shall alight on the water
and restock from boats. I interpret the
terms of the offer TO forbid my COINS
! ashore. so I will not set foot on lana
I hope, from the moment / leave st
| Johns until step out OF my machine
at Plymouth.
| There are other important considera
| tions that affected my judgment. b
| IA king the southern route l shall escape
| the fog area in about six hours. Or
| the direct route between Newfoundland
| and the Irish coast l might be in d fol
| belt for the whole flight The variation
| of the compass is greater on the north
| ern route than on the southern, anc
| the matter Of navigation of the craft Il
one of the big problems confronting us
| on the flight In this connection,
| would encounter greater difficulty ir
| taking my bearings by the sun on the
| northern route than on the other, be
| cause the sun is more frequently oh.
| scured In the northern latitudes, and
again ] will be surer OF a good horizon
on tho south.
Another matter of moment is the
| fact that on the southern track
shall be in constant sight Of the Atlantic
steamers. with which ] expect TO eX.
| change signals.
The Azores have a high altitude
| over 800 feet-and can be seen from A
| long distarce. All thesc little items
/ 90 TO make up the whole. No matter
how small, one cannot afford TO ig
| more them.
MAY Become Common.
| As has been said. one of the heavy
| problems to meet and solve is that ot
NAVIGATION BY thus dividing my jour
ney ] shall al least simplify the ques
| ton. 1t is obviously a less difficult
proposition to Jay a course for the
nearer Azores than for he further
| Irish shore once having reached tht
| Azores, the element of doubt Is re
| ducec. because IL makes little differ
| ance just where / hit Spain. All | dC
- - = - = :