The sun., 1919-05-12
WEATHER HOLDS
NAVY PLANES AT.
TREPASSEY BAY.
Conditions at Sea Cause De-
lay in Plans for Flight
to Azores.
ENGINES WORK WEI
Trail to Halifax Was Perfectly
Patrolled by Destroyers,
Aviators Report.

TREPAssEr. N. r, May 11.-Reports
OF the weather in midocean received
here tonight are very unfavorable
for aerial flights, and that fact, to-
gether with the necessity for over
hauling the planes and being sure that
everything is in good working order
probably will prevent the American
seaplanes the NC-1 and the NC-3,
from hopping Off" tomorrow on the
Azores leg Of their voyage across the
ocean. Mechanics were busy to-day
overhauling the machines and going
over every inch OF them. 1t is prob
able that test flights will be made to-
morrow. and il there is the least hint
Of favorable weather 1t is expected
that the planes will start for the
Azores with little or no warning.
In speaking Of his voyage to-day
t-Commander Bellinger, who
commanded the NC-1. the first Of the
American planes to land here on the
flight from Rockaway and Halifax.
said that the plane did everything
that could have been desired.
The engines were faultless." he said
responding to every demand made upon
them. Wireless communication was
maintained throughout the voyage with
both the land stations and the ships,
and We never were out OF sight of the
cruisers and destroyers stationed along
the route. The navigation of the plane,
ru ant
ana chart the navigating officer prefer
ring to rely solely on his own means
The guidon on the Nova Scotia coast
was sighted. and a course laid for St
Pierre, which was made accurately We
sighted the island as we had anticipated.
Near the coast the velocity of the wind
increased so that we had to speed up
the engines, and near the headlands Of
Trepassey the wind was squally and
variable, which called for careful hand
ling Of the planes"
All Of the officers of the two planes
which have reached here expressed their
satisfaction with the result of the long
coastal flight. for although they were
driven out of their course four times by
shifting winds such as are expected in
midocean, they were enabled by their
navigating apparatus to correct all err
rors in their course.
naval on1cers here have issued n
warning 10 the public against false
starts as It is intended that the planes
Will start with exceptionally heavy loads
of fuel. and they may be compelled to
return II the burdens prove excessive.
1t is probable that the ships will fly the
fist part of the Azores trip at night,
hoping to leave the fog area when they
get 400 miles out. Five men will COM
pose the crew OF each plane. and they
expect to make a speed of about sixty
miles an hour. On the flight from
Rockaway and Halifax the planes car
ried $4,000 pounds each. but 1t is ex-
pected that this will be increased to
$4,000 pounds when the actual flight
across the ocean is begun.
The question of whether the NC-4
hops off with the NC-1 and the NC-3
depends upon the time she reaches here
from Chatham, Mass. where she is still
waiting favorable weather TO continue
her flight TO Halifax. Favorable weather
will cause the two other planes to start
without her. Several minor repairs
have to be made on the planes here. The
elevator of the NC-1 was injured when
she bumped into a motor boat in the
harbor. and there Is a leak in the grav-
ity tank of the NC-S. but these repairs
are not expected to take long.