The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-08-26
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
INFORM ALTON
Blu RE AU
FREDERIC J. HASK1N. Director.
Washington, .. G.
TRANSATLANTIC FLIGHT.
Washington. .. C.

American a6rOplane6 De uellYerSol Ia
France on their own power? This Is
question which is now receiving
serious consideration by the war de-
partment, by European aviation Off
Gals and by ayiators in general.
The shipment of large quantities OF
aeroplanes to France requires tre-
mendous amount of tonnage which
can i'll be spared at the present time,
and which could be saved If the ma
chimes could be flown across the At
lantic. Most aviation authorities are
convinced that it can be done, and
while the American aircraft board has
refused to make public it's secret
thoughts on the matter, it is consist
emily rumored that an experimental
flight will be made some time in Sep
TENDER.
big Caproni triplane, declares that he
will undertake to deliver President
WilEon's orders to General Pershing in
forty-eight hours by aeroplane. "A
trip across the Atlantic can be accom-
p1ished with the present-day ma
TENDER. and probably October" says
Caproni. For the rest of the year
the weather would be unfavorable."
Caproni points to the prodigious de-
war began, and declares that nothing
which the future may bring forth
should surprise US. Constant improve
ments are being made in aeroplane
motors. At the beginning of the war
the largest bombing machine had only
100 horsepower: today; the largest
bombing machine is 1000 horsepower.
Now Caproni predicts that "aero-
planes carrying 100 men and equip
ment, with engines equal in power to
those in a medium-sized steamship
will be developed within three years"
Major General William S. Brancker,
Of the British Royal Air Force, and
considered one of the foremost author
tiles on aviation, also believes that a
flight across the Atlantic is perfectly
practical. He points out that in 1914
the flight across the British channel
was thought an extremely hazardous
undertaking, whereas now in 1918,
all British aeroplanes are being de-
livered in France by >that method,
Only one casualty has resulted in
thousands of flights across the cham
| mel, he declares.
General Braneker does not think that
the flight should be attempted with
| out a thoroughly reliable motor, how
ever: He advocates the use of the
English motor. the Rolls Royce. which
has proved its power in other sus-
| tanned flights. The American liberty
motor, he says is very efficient, stand
| ing up under all the tests of European
aVlators, and at its present rate of
| development should be able to make
a transatlantic flight by next year.
In considering the proposition of
| Tying aeroplanes across the Atlantic,
many factors must be considered. 1t
| is not a matter to be disposed of
| nightly, as some enthusiastic but mex
| perienced aviators seem to think, but
| one requiring elaborate study. Numer-
| GUS pilots are not only willing, but
eager to make the attempt, but the
government is 10th to authorize it un-
| I'll 1t feels sure of success Good
pilots are too valuable to lose now,
and II the flight proved a failure the
| news would greatly encourage the
| German government, which is believed
10 be also planning a transatlantic
aerial act.
! Unfortunately the principal factor
in such flight is a thing over which
man has never been able to exercise
any control-the weather. Flights
across the Atlantic could be made
only when the weather was favorable,
ana any sudden and unforeseen storm
would prove highly disastrous.
For this reason a route must be
CHOSEN which lies thru fairly reliable
| weather area. Thus, the route favor
| ed by most authorities is from New
foundland to the Azores (1.1s5 miles)
ana from the Azores to Portugal ESQ
miles,. From Portugal it would be
| but short flight to France. More
| direct routes have been suggested. For
example it would be much shorter to
fly from New York to Ireland via
| Greenland, but much more hazardous
on account of the dense fogs that oc-
| cur along this route at various inter
| walls. For the same reason, a direct
route, from Newfoundland to Ireland
would be impracticable.
| So important is this weather factor
that system of weather signals would
have to be established along the
route, and all those signals would have
to be favorable before an aeroplane
could set forth.
| The Newfoundland to-the Azores
route has one conspicuous drawback,
however. According to authorities
who have investigated the matter,
many difficulties would be encounter
ed in establishing an aerodrome on
the coast of the islands, and good
landing place is one of the prime es-
sentials in the business of aviation. Its
psychological effect on the aviator
alone is by no means negligible. I'm
agine the nervous strain involved IN
a transatlantic flight, the long hours
of vigil, the discomfort of the pilot
who must guide his machine for hours
i occupying one position. The landing
his destinations always In mind,
for-he knows that his endurance must
last until then. A bad landing. with
its additional strain npon the pilot, IS,
aviators say, a depressing influence
which lasts thruout the voyage. Since
the route to the Azores is favorable
in other respects it has been suggested
that hydroaeroplanes could be used
for the initial flights-until proper
site could be found for the building OF
hangers and other equipment. 1t
would not be difficult for hydroaero-
planes to land in the water upon
reaching the islands.
1t is doubtful if any of the hydro
:. aeroplanes now being built could keep
up a sustained flight of nearly 1000
miles, but with ships stationed at in
tervals-say about every 800 miles
along the route to supply them with
fuel. they could easily make it, it is
believed Small boats such as traw-
lers and schooners could be used for
this purpose.
That the aeroplane IN its present
stage of development is capable of a