American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1919-03-28

ne HiIilbi thh ~
follow the shortest distance between two points
through the air with mail and fast express matter
than a train can run without stations and switches
at each end of the route.
AT these air route stations must be landing
fields, hangers for the machines, gasoline suppnea'
spare parts, charts, maps, weather forecast sig
nails, engine mechanics, receivers for the quick
transfer and delivery Of mail, express matter or
whatever ii is. What types of landing feldsf Ana
where shall they be located-outside city limits or
in city parks cleared of buildings and trees FOR the
purpose?
Another point: Special charts will have to be
prepared for the pilot TO follow. For instance
crossing the Atlantic, going east, the airplnne
would, ! am told by engineers, have TO FOLLOW east
a little by south. Similar charts would have to be
drawn to guide the pilot during prevailing trace
or seasonal winds. The Chinook winds of the
Rockies, for instance, would add from 20 to 90
miles an hour to a pilots speed coming east and
impede his flight to the same extent going west.
The deserts. the Mojave, Arizona, Mexico, Utah,
have their dust storms from March to June. Which
way do they blow? Montague, | think 1t Is, says
the brown fogs of the Atlantic can be surmounted
at from 10000 to $4,000 feet, but while the airplane
will take the flyer above the dust, will 1t take him
above tho hurricane that creates the dust?
The meteorological bureau of Washington and
the chamber Of commerce of San Diego have done
most up to the present time in charting mir cur.
rents for aerial flights. 1t is an entirely new
WOIlit uHu II II u puNNihb Oh' w.
airplane may drift from its course, just as ships
drift in ocean currents without the compass giving
an inkling Of 1t, and here again the army ana navy
could, an they would, n tale unfold.
But 1t is In the region of the mountains that the
lighthouses with powerful lenses are most needed
for aerial routes. This air region is an entirely
unknown world, and 1t is dangerous as reefs on
Labrador for a landing place. Cases are on rec
ord In which fighters In the war interlocked wings
and came down and stuck in a treetop without
so much as a scratch on the skin of either pilot.
But quite as dangerous as treet0ps and ROCKS
coming up to meet you through the floor of YOU
car are the gusty air pockets above all mountains
II is not known yet whether the air above noun
talns Is as gusty at night when the sun Is no
creating upcurrents; but If by day the sun creates
Niagaras Of air, and If by night you may run int
a blizzard of snow, say, above Pixies Peak, Their
is a lot to do in charting air roads above the ROCK
les before we get that section of our TRANSFORM
mental air route ns safe as flight above the 0cear
Still, as late as 1880, the fur traders OF the mouf
tains secuted the possibility Of even wagons eve
crossing the Great Divide. Today, trains, motor
and wagons cross all sections of the Divide wit
less thought and danger than pedestrians eros
Fifth avenue. New York and by 1880. 1t Is a sal
wager with your son that ~alrplanes will do tn
game.
But this is not all there is to charting the al
not by a long, long shot. How about direction vi
Dalsf
HubCd q " W h0a0 ~~Ns
Each machine must always be given Its ow
space. or twice its own space, to pass or me
another machine, but how about direction signal
Do YOU pass to the right or left What are u
penaIties and who pays them, IL you don't tai
the correct side and a collision resultsf Who n
the right Of way, the coming-in machine or q
going outf What rate of speed Is to be allow
for certain levels. and who Is to police the air al
regulate the traffic?
Did YOU ever think what a gorgeous streak
adventure an air robber. a Captain Kidd OF the =
route. could have II he made Off with a plane 20
for eleven tons cargo and 1877 miles speedf Y
might catch him on a peak of the Rockies, or
might have cached his loot In the moon. You m
smile. but are any Of these possibilities more
ItkaIv than were the actual achievements OF
, airplane in the war;
The apprehension Of the airplane In Industry
ING clancy because its engine may go dead or
: controls 90 out Of whack does not alarm the Q
man. Dual engines, dual controls and two pill
wiII minimize that risk; but there is a very d
ntte apprehension In the airman's mind. He kno
= the airplane Is going to leap into industry as sd
tacularly as the motOrcar, all right.
n He wants the air charted and the rules OF
a established before the argosles OF count
winged fleets are I'm the air. He wants all
mants OF danger and confusion and antngonism
moved before the argosies of mail and express
giving freight 20 up In the air.