Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-05-05
POINTS OUT OBSTACLES
IN FLIGHT OVER OCEAN
Chief of Weather Bureau Say.
Compnsscs Will Prove Almost
UcclcSS.
WINDS MAY HALT PROGRESS
Aviator in Danger Of Striking Cur
rent Which Would Not Permit
Him to Move Although He BE.
licvc lie BE Advancing.

WASHINGTON. May 4-Elcmental
obstacles which must be overcome by
lessor Charles +. Marvin. chief OF the
Weather Bureau, in a discussion of
meteorological conditions along the
proposed routes Of the journey One
of the greatest dangers confronting
the trans Atlantic flyers, according 10
passes are known 10 lose much Of their
precision on airplancs. He points out
that ii would he quite possible for an
aviator. flying over the uniform sur
face Of the ocean, 10 turn his machine
unconsciousiy aud hy away from his
object.
Also, if his machine, making a hypo-
thctical speed of ninety miles AN hour.
should run into 4 head wind of ninety
miles an hour. he might stay indcf
niteiy in The same position over the
ocean. ON land Il flyer can tell whether
wind is aiding or rctardinS him. but
over the chanGclcSS sea. Professor
ships Within his vision he would have
little or nothing 10y which TO gauge
his progress The Weather bureau
chief believes compaSscs would be
lantic flights.
wireless Hig Factor.
lie says:
The oscillation OF the plane itself
arc the attraction Of the motor or
machine material for the needle and
the impracticability of making cor
rections while making flights at high
speeds
Under clear skies scxtant observa-
lions make possible the correct deter
weather the compass is the only guide,
unless the aviator can ny high enough
TO get above the clouds.
1t is believed necessary that trans
Atlantic a:rplancs. in the present stage
of development. should be in constant
touch with ships that could indicate
m wireless have made it possible to tell
the direction from which an air mes
sage is sent"
Another factor tho transatlantic
flyer mus; reckon with. says the pro-
lessor. is the defective influence of
nc a. earihs rotation upon airplane
the earth's surface are detected con
stantly TO the right.
Little Fear of storms.
The naval aviators have little to
fear from storms, chief Marvin de-
Atlantic are clear OF great atmospheric
n,s'ur ,n,1a it IS almost sure that
TO cast, without rncountcrinS a storm.
AS til" reason for that he adds.
IS the eastward drift of the atmos-
phcre. credited sometimes To the rcvo-
luton oil the earth. and regarded AS
responsible for the inNaria BILE tendency
OF storms in Northern ATTITUDES To
storm in this country is likely to APP
pear in Europe within Il few days
a fact that was nut to use during the
war by meteoroIogists with the Amer
lean evolutionary force"
Professor Marvin says il is proha bic
that the epochal flight Will be made
at AN altitude Of from OuQ to 1000
feet-much less than the average
maintained on long overland flights
lie sees Il reason Tor this in the belief
Of metcorologists that trans-conti-
mental airman. in order to derive the
greatest possible assistance from the
winds.
Surface Winds Stronger.
as strong as those on land. and the
Increase with altitude over the sea
Is much less than over the land.
Whatever the wind direction" the
Weather Bureau chief asserts. flying
at low levels above the sea would be
less dangerous than at similar icve!s
above the land because the air above
sea - less turbulent or 'bumpy.'"
Wind is the element OF paramount
Importance TO "a successful transact
lantic flight according To Professor
Marvin, In the latitude Of New
IoundIand and Iceland. II has been found
that the prevailing direction of the
wind Is from west to east Under
good VIII, conditions flyers may Gu;
three hours or more from the time
N"wiounGlaiid to ireland at airplane
speed in still air.
The same thing is said TO apply to
An ai-plain journey from Ncwtoun"-
land TO Portugal b. way Of the Azores
rus - the route Sc cctcd for tho naval