The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-05-24

and for many years actively identi-
fed with aeronautics, sets forth mere
with his ideas on the production OIL
airplanes and the handicap now Pc
ing imposed on the signal corps De-
cause of the present criticism and
investigation of their aviation pro-
gram.
The building of airplanes in Amer
lea was not a new competitive indus
try to meet English, French or Ger
man prices on a commodity for prof
it but the first order and final order
to American engineers was to create
a better engine and plane than any
thing existing and to build in larger
quantities than had ever been cream
ed Of Few people realize the g1gan~
tic tasks set before the American en-
gineers by the signal corps require
ments. The building of $4,000 Pull
man cars would have Deen child S
play as compared with the building
of 10000 airplanes. The building or
SO, 600 small-town electric light plants
would have likewise been child's play
as compared with the tasks put be-
fore the signal corps. The task OF
the engineers of the shipping board
is small by comparison as is the &C
tual task of production by the ship
ping board producing department.
To actually copy any one plane Of
fered by the Allies to the American
engineers would have meant disas-
ter to the signal corps program.
Every engine and every plane sub
mitted by the allies had inherent
weaknesses that had to be eliminated
Every ten days brought additional in
formation of new developments and
requests for new additions, subtrac-
lions or changes for the betterment OF
the planes. In a great many cases it
was possible with minor changes TO
greatly improve the American pro
duct. Other changes were so vital
that it was necessary to redes1gn TO
meet the conditions. There are only
two or three men in America capable
of designing and tailoring complete
airplane, and even these few Amer
lean engineers are not capable or
making successful designs of the diff
ferent types of machines wanted.
The aircraft board has been almost
entirely composed of civilians and
officers either entirely without avl-
alton experience of any kind, or with
veryAlimited knowledge of it, and
the information supplied by officers
of the allies was in a great many
cases confusing. 1t was necessary TO
shift rapidly from one type OF con-
strlction and from one apparently
most important design to varied types,
| and several designs. Very few peo-
pie connected with the aircraft pro-
gram, if they did realize the immen-
sity of the task placed before them
had the authority or the appropria-
lions to properly equip and fulfil the
program.
The present publicity and unfavor-
able comment on airplane work is
costing this government millions daily.
Much valuable working time is now
being wasted in comment and argu-
ments of newspaper articles on the
airplane program, the range of COM
ment running from the moulder to
the chief signal officer.
The tremendous work Of creation
land organization could only be proper
| ly Investigated and reported on to
the President by a committee of men
who have seen big manufacturers of
specialized and intricate mechanism.
The statement of one Senator that
airplanes Of a type such as used the
Liberty motor could be made at a
big profit for $4,000 each is certainly
ridiculous. Under present wage scales
and manufacturing conditions, liberty
motors cannot be built and installed
at this price, even if they were built
| in hundred thousand lots.
To add to the general trouble and
confusion of the signal corps, certain
officials in Washington and New York
wish to establish mail route be-
tween New York and Washington at
this time, when trained aviator cap
able of flying such a route cost the
| United States government at least
$4,000. The English government
has made estimates that the average
price per mile for airplane service
is S35. These costs, of course, must
take into consideration good and, bad
aviators, enormous breakage and
preparatory expenses. Some officials
high in authority who are able to
make strong recommendations are
suggesting and insisting on the mail
route by airplane between New York
i and Washington. Other enthusiast
tic officials have laid out and airplane
route from New York to San Fran
cisco. taking a map and, as in the
olden days, drawing a straight line
between New York and San Francis
CO and saying this shall be a route
to be traversed by our American av-
iators delivering mail, seeds and mai
order patent chairs along route. Wher
the Eastern-W Western route was laid
out by these enthusiastic officials, the
fact that the route covers almost the
center of Lake Erie and ran across
the southern end of Lake Michigan
1 where the lake is Is miles wide, di-
rectly over the city of Chicago, which
is thirty miles square, made no diff
ferance. 1t also traversed the Great
Western Desert, where there are nc
lgasolene stations, water supplies, foot
supplies, or any other supplies. Some
officials high in authority in govern
lment have recently made the state.
ment that all the machines SHOULD
be taken across the ocean in the air
If we did not have enough ships, VIII!
take the trouble to box them whe1
we could fill them up with gasolen'
and fly them over. Some other of
ficials have insisted that the machine
be delivered from the factory to tn
shipping point by air route. Sucl
statements can come only from PEG
pie who have no actual conception
> of the difficulties encountered in tn
;. handling of an airplane, in the shor
: life of plane and the absolute ne
, !cesssity of suitable landing fields
20 !, 4oG
/; les. Building and training 25, 900 avi
!. lnAn.-r and cnrndircr anrns-s, Ahn coo "