Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-08-26
Over Atlantic
Via Airplane
BY Frederic ]. Haskin

tors IN general
| The shipment Of large quantities of
aeroplanes to France requires n trenen-
dous amount Of tonnage, which can Ill he
spared at the present time, and which
could I've saved If the machines could be
flown across the Atlantic. Most aviation
authorities are convinced that 1T can he
done, and while the American Aircraft
Board has refused 10 make public ts
secret thoughts on the matter, it rs con-
| sistently r,Irnored that an experimental
| flight will be made some time IN Septem-
| ber.
Giovanni Caproni, inventor OF the big
Caproni triplane, declares that be VIII
undertake To deliver President Wilson 8
orders TO General Pershing IN 48hours by
acroplane "A trip across the Atlantic
can be accomplished with the present-day
machines during July, August and Sept
'ember, and probably October says
Caproni For the rest of the year the
weather would I've unfavorable,
Caproni points TO the prodigious dc
velopInent in aeronautics since the war
began. and declares that nothing which
the future may bring forth should surprise
us Constant improvements are beng
made in aeroplane motors At the be
! ginning of the war the largest bombing
machine had only 100 horsepower; today,
| the largest bombing machine IS 900
| horsepower Now Caproni predicts
that "aeroplanes carrying 100 men and
equipment, with engines equal m power 10
those in medium-sized steamship will
| be developed wit hin three years.
CHANNEL VS. OCEAN.
Major-General William 5 Brancker,
of the British Royal Air Force, and con-
L f. Es.-~s toe F.ra
| 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 ex-
tremcly hazardous undertaking, whereas
know. in 1918, all British 'aeroplanes are
being delivered in France by that method
| Only one casualty has resulted in thOus-
ands of flights across the channel, ne de-
clares
General Brancker docs not think that
the flight should be attempted without
thoroughly reliable motor, however. lie
advocates the use of the English motor,
the Rolls-Royce, which has proved It's
power in other sustained fights The
American Liberty Motor, ne says, IS
very efficient, standing up under all the
tests of European avIators, and AZ lts
present rate of development should be
abe 10 make transatlantic flight by
next year
In considering the proposition Of flying
acroplanes across the Atlantic, many fact
ors must be considered 1t il not matter
10 be disposed Of lightly, as some enthusl-
astlc. but inexperienced avIators seem tO
think. but one requiring elaborate study.
Numerous pilots are not only willing, but
eager 10 make the attempt, but the gov
prnment is 10th 10 authorize II until II
feels sure Of success Good pilots are too
valuable to lose now, and # the flight
nroyed a failure the news would greatly
encourage the German Government, which
Is believed to be also planning a trans-At-
lantic aerial act.
WEATHER THE BIG THING
Unfortunately. the principal factor IN
such flight Is a thing over which man has
never been able 10 exercise any control
the weather. Flights across the Atlantic
could be made only when the weather was
favorable. and anv sudden and unfore-
seen storm would prove highly dlsast-
rous.
For this reason. a route must he chosen
which lies through fairly reliable wealth
or area. Thus. the route favored by most
authorities is from Newfoundland 10 the
Azores Il 1875 niles and from the Azores
TO Portugal so miles. From Portugal
II would be but a short flight 70 France .
More direct routes have been suggested
| For example it would be much shorter TO
flN from New York 20 Ireland, VIA Green
land but much more hazardous on ac-
count of the dense fogs that occur along
this route at varlous intervals. For the
same reason, direct route from New
! foundland 70 Ireland would be lmpractlc-
able
80 important is this weather factor
that system OF weather signals would
| have TO he established along the route.
land all those signals would have TO be
favorable before an aeropane could set
! forth
The Newfloundland-to-the Azores route
has one conspicuous drawback, however.
According TO authorities who have IN
yestigated the matter. many difficulties
would be encountered in establishing an
aerodrome on the coast of the islands, and
good landing place Is one OF the prime
essentials in the business OF aviation. Its
psychological effect on the aviator alone
is bv no means negligible Imagine the
nervous strain involved in a tranS-At-
lantic flight, the long hours of vigil, the
discomfort of the pilot. who must guide
his machine for hours occupying one
position.
QUESTION OF LANDING.
The landing his destination-is al
WAYS in mind. for he knows that his en-
durance must last until then 4 bad
landing, with it's additional strain upon
the pilot, is, aviators say, depressing in
fuence which lasts throughout 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 proper site
could be found for the building of hangers
and other equipment 1t would not be
difficult for hydroaeroplanes to land IN
the water upon reaching the islands
Ii is doubtful II any of the hvdroaero-
planes now being built could keep up a
sustained flight OF nearly 1000 miles, but
with ships stationed at intervals say
about every 300 miles along the route 10
supply them with fuel, they could easily
make it, it is believed Small boats such
as trawlers and schooners could be used
for this purpose.
That the aeroplane in its present stage
OF development is capable Of long and
sustained flight has been proved by sev-
eral expeditions that have been made in
this war, most conspicuous of which was
the flight made by four British airmen in a
biplane equipped with two 30 horse
power engines from tlendon, not far from
London, to ConstantinOple- distance of
over 2 600 miles Descents were made at
Paris and PISA to obtain s.tDr,I1as of4o-