Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-08-27

WASHINGTON, D. c., August 23.-Can Amer
w lean airplanes be delivered in France on
w their own power? This is question which
is receiving serious consideration by tne var
department, by European aviation officials ana oy
aviators in general.
The shipment of large quantities of air
planes to France requires a tremendous amount
of tonnage which can i'll be spared at the present
time and which could be saved If the macn ntI
could be flown across the Atlantic. Most aviation
authorities are convinced that it can be done, ana
while the American aircraft board has refused TO
make public it's secret thoughts on the matter, IL
is consistently rumored that experimental
flight will be made some time in September.
Giovanni Caproni, inventor of the big Capronl
tripane declares that he will undertake to deliver
President Wilson's orders to General Pershlng IN
as hours by airplane. "A trip across the Allan
tic can be accomplished with the present-day ma
chimes during July, August and September and
probably October" says Caproni. For the rest
of the wear the weather would be unfavorable."
Caproni points to the prodigious development
in aeronautics since the war began, and declares
that nothing which the future may bring 1ortn
should surprise us Constant Improvements .; ar; Sle
being made in airplane motors. AT the Deglhhlne
of the war the largest bombing machine had only
100 horse power; today, the largest bombing ma
chine is 900 horse power. Now Capronl pre-
diets that 'airplanes carrying 100 men and equip
ment with engines equal in power to those IN
medium-sized steamship will be developed within
three years" .
Major General William S. Brancker of the
British Royal Air force, and considered one or
the foremost authorities on aviation also oeheVes
that flight the Atlantic is perfectly prac-
teal He points out that in 1914 the flight across
the British channel was thought an extremely
hazardous undertaking, whereas now, in 1918, all
British arplanes are being delivered in France by
that method. Only casualty has resulted IN
thousands of flights across the channel he de-
clares. 49, A..
flight should be attempted without thoroughly
reliable motor however. He advocates the use OF
the English motor, the Rolls-Royce, which mas
proved its power in other sustained flights. The
American Liberty motor, he says, is very enclent,
standing up under all the tests of European ava
tors and at it's present rate of development should
be able to make transatlantic flight by next
year =.
planes across the Atlantic many factors must be
considered 1t is not matter to be disposed Of
lightly as some enthusiastic but inexperienced
aviators seem to think, but one requiring elabor-
ate study Numerous pilots not only willing
but eager to make the attempt, but the govern
ment is 10th to authorize it until 1t feels sure OF
success Good pilots too valuable to lose now,
and if the flight proved a failure the news would
greatly encourage the German government which
is believed to be also planning a transatlantic
Unfortunately, the principal factor in such
flight is a thing 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, and any sudden and I'M
foreseen storm would prove highly disastrous.
For this reason route must be chosen which
lies through a fairly reliable weather area. Thus,
the route favored by most authorities is from New
foundand to the Azores (1,195 niles and from
the Azores to Portugal $3.50 miles,. From Portu-
gal 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 hazard
Gus on account of the dense fogs that occur along
this Ioute 1T various intervals For the same rea-
son, a direct route from Newfoundland to Ireland
would be impracticable.
So important is this weather Sactor that a sys-
tenn OF weather signals would have to be establish
ed along the route, and all those signals would
have to be favorable before airplane could set
forth.
The the-AZores route has one
conspicuous drawback, however. According to
thorities who have investigated the matter, many
difficulties would be encountered in establishing