El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-03-23
AIR
ISTREACHEROUS
Main Reason For Failure OF
Flyers With Pershing
Column is Stated.

When the aeroist leaves the ground
at Columbus and alights on the SrOuhu
at Casas Grande. he IS on pIdue
equal in altitude to his lotuest illsnts
when making ascents on the coast IN
rising above the foothills ana noun
tains Of northern Mexico he attalns
a height that far surpasses any anu
tude reached in the customary L,snls
from the low lands. This tact VIII e@-
Dlain the probable disappearance OF
Tfeut ID S. Gorreu, it is stated BY
army men. .+.4
The further Chihuahua is penetrated
and the higher the peaks, the more
the ayiators encounter the rareIleu cur
rents of air telling both upon tne
LUNGS of the operator and the Staolhty
of the machine. An expert eHSIlte
attached to one of the Mining enter
prises Of El PasO. in discussing ~
difference i'm the altitude 10 WhlJn ~
ayiators are accustomed to clho anu
the unusual altitude that must oe
reached for any observation worn III
the Sierra Nadre, said;
Air Pockets and Freak CurrenSS +o
The aviators arc not accustolll lS'l,, ne
such thin air. There are ~ erco1In
currents and air pockets TO pc enSouI
tered that were not brought INTO ~ ~
Culation before Not only must "
aviators become accustomed "
changed conditions. ana TINS py
outs. but their machines VIII nave ~
IN
lions Of a higher altitude. .i.,o nm
"a man not used to mourning ~
ward Of 5000 and 5000 feet. anu ~ u1i ~
Sierra Madre he viii have 10 S'' ~
even higher to learn allyySl n,,ts Of the
topography or the Whereabouts oI ~ ~
enemy. is i'm danger Of wrecklhs ~
heart bv the sudden change ana INC
lifting Of the blood pressure
TreacherOus Air Currents
"That the aviators made numerous
S,.r~or,te hoFp~a setting ont on SuHud9
morning for the purpose OF i
standing the higher strata OF SlIi
certain. The further, however t44SSS
penetrate into Mexico. the hlgheI ~ N,
altitude they must climb. We NM"
that air machines are worklns ~
markably i'm the European war put ~
attitudes in which they operate are a. a.
ways slightly above sea leNeL 49,
have no record of European opeId ~
where the airplanes have been opera
ing at such a height, save for spec.G.
ular and not practical purposes. + an,
nIaues sent I'D in the Alpine noun lalu9
have never returned. The tan peSted
and the deep canyons cause uneHpeo,Jiu
eddics and air currents when we
ators are unable 20 contend WILL.
Tho effect the different altituueS
have on the airplane was uemonst l,sI,er
IN El Paso a few years ago, o.
Chas. Hamilton came here from Siie ,rbe
cffic coast to fly for The Herald ~
plane that he had used with success
ali along the coast failed him COM
pleteIy here until he added more can
vas to his wings His engine aISO
had to be readjusted for the higher al
titude. .be
manner in which altitude aftects .
gasoline engine Automobiles solns
from lei Paso to Cloudcroft or even
over San Augustin pass near CoAs
ranch have to readjust their carpeuIIr.-
tiers to make the trip SucceSslu iis.
The greater difference in attitudes ~ ~
the high mountains Of Mexico aIleett
the engines Of the airplanes a 49, -
deal more than the small difference ps
tween FL Paso and the mountains
nearby.