The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1918-01-25
MAFCREkTE GREAT
FLYING BASE HERE
Favorable Conditions For AVA
ton Found BY CLARK Expect
3 cd 10 Have Important Result

a
Oahu win within, Eve. years develop
into one Of the greatest aviation bases
Of the American army and Of the navy,
also, I'm the opinion OF local army off.
GERS as exprestod . yesterday. Their
opinion II based upon the reports made
BY Major Harold H.. Clark, u. 8. A., OF
THE three flights he has made over the
island during the present week in his
seaplane. ....' -
The upper air Of Oahu is unusually
favorable for flying, Major Clark re,
ports. The major was extremely en-
thnsiastic upon returning to terra
firma, saying that he found no adverse
aerial conditions In the higher levels
to warrant the criticisms that have in
the past been made BY other aviatprs
who have flown here. r. ZIP (
The United States IS now well into
the work Of Developing great aerial
army to aid IN the work OF crushing
the Hun. Thousands of young men
have shown eagerness to join the avi-
alton forces Of the army, and as many
of them are being trained aa can be
accommodated. As the service develops,
more and more Of them will be enlisted,
for IL Ii the declared purpose Of the
Nation to send 81 6usands of fliefs To
the battle grounds of Europe-to send
90 many Of them. In fact, as 70 drive
the enemy from the air and blind the
armies Of the Hun,
Hawaii Ideal - -
One difficulty that has bee. en-
eountered is to, find suitable locations
Tor aviation training grounds. Partieu-
larly in the winter Is this true, for cold
and stormy weather greatly hampers
pnskilled ayiators. W &
But Hawaii has been found by Major
Clark to be ideal for flying, and If that
LIS true ut this time of the year, it GER
tafnly Is true all the. year, round. Army
|. officers said yesterday that they be-
Elieved that, II the army authorities at
Washington follow up closely the per
formances of Major Clark and his sea
plane, Oahu win within five years at
the most be one of the greatest army
and navy aviation bases Of tie country
Mars Had Trouble D" ." g.
The Experiences of Bud Mars, an
lperobatic aeroplane performer, who was
the first ever to fly III the Islands sew
eral years ago, were such as to cause
him TO regard 0ahti as .unfavorable to
easy flying Mars, however, flew as a
COMMERCIAL proposition and had per
force to look 10 box office receipts, and
for that reason selected Moanalua
polo field for the starting and finishing
Of his flights, a field which Is located
in the bottom Of gulcR through which
the air currents fairly boiled and made
flying an act of unusual nerve. Mars
did not reach any great height, and
when Mason few in from Schofeh to
Kapiolani Park, early one morning,
using light monoplane, the air be.
low as we'll as above was unusually
calm. Mars machine was also o
clumsy eontrivance,
\ Major Clark discovered that the only
real air currents are those encount
cred on the lower air levels, the ma
chine passing out of these on reach
ing 4 level, With the mountain ridges.
Up above this last level the "Aying
grounds" are reported to be exception
maneuver. He also reached the con
clusioH; that everything here, at least
9uring hi. two days flights, was more
ihfOThDio tuhH NJ 0hH hHtOnlO WneTe
extensive flying instruction is being
given not only TO Americans, but Brit
ishersJ sent SOUTH from Canada to es-
cape the bhgzards and cold.
Many Advantages
TIE advantage which Oahu possesses
over Saif Antonio and almost any other
aviation station upon the mainland is
the all-yearsfound 'equable weather,
summary Throughout, lacking cold be
low, 1t" and with exceptional water
stretches for seaplane work. The pro
posed aero ~baseSis also in an unusual,
ly favorable location for work permit
ting work to be conducted far inshore
during weather that roughens the sea
outside and rendering hydroplane work
impracticable ont there,
It's known that Oahu is to be grad
ually developed into vast offense and
defense station, but IT, is believed that
eventually the station will also be des
ignated for training as we'll as for ac-
tive service. u
Major Clark did not fly yesterday
but 1t is possible he may ascend again
this forenoon, providing the weather
temainS as pleasant and sunny as it
has been most NJ The weak