The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-30

explanation Of the tremendous impor-
lance of a favorable wind.
1t should be remembered that when
an aeroplane leaves the earth II enters
a new medium Speed Is not calculated
according to the measurements from
point to point of the solid ground.
Your ship may be flying sixty miles
an hour against the wind and be sim
ply standing still so far as point to
point progress is concerned--or evoy
going backward.
Take contrary condition, when wind
favors flight. That's what makes the
wonderful speed records from point to
point. In the fight from Washington
to New York, in which 1 was fortu-
nate enough to establish a point to
point speed record. my average prog
ress over the ground was at the rate
OF two and three qua tiers miles a
minute. Yet my speed register showed
nothing like that. ! had n stiff half
gale at my back practically I'LL of the
way. The prevalent winds at most
seasons of the year favor a flight from
America to Europe. Observation de-
termined long ago that the surface
winds move, most of the time, from
west to east across the Atlantic. I
have found in most of my experience
that n steady surface wind means a
wind in the same direction higher up.
and the higher you go the stronger
1T is
The only way to determine the IA
vorable time for the beginning of the
Transatlantic flight is to have the
big plane ready to start and then have
a number Of exploring planes report
ing on the direction and strength of
the currents at various attitudes.
That's the plan which we shall follow.
The advice OF meterological experts
must be had Thus. believe, 1t will
be quite possible to start on the cross
ocean flight with n reasonable assur-
ance that the wind will help.
Clouds as a Factor.
Next in importanCe-the clouds.
The flight must he begun when the
clouds are high and cloud vapor is not
drifting in great volumes. OfRourse
the weather men can find ont pretty
well about that. Only by radio COM
munication with ships will it be pos
sible for the fiier to know that his
position is. 1t will he necessary for
several reasons for the plane to fly at
an altitude of about 10000 feet. With
heavy cloud layers below that the sur
face OF the ocean would not be visible
and a radio from ship, giving latitude
and longitude would be practically
useless.
Considering the number of ships now
usual in the steamship lane, the pilot
would have very good chance, If he
lost his motor power entirely, to glide
down from 10000 feet, to a spot near
enough to one OF these ships for the
rescue OF himself and his crew.
One thing must be absolutely sure
the plane must not fly through rain.
To encounter rain for any consider
able length of time would be fatal.
The ends of the propeller blades OF the
Liberty motor, or of almost any other
motor, move at the rate of ten mics
a minute. They az covered with
metal or canvas, but neither is a suf-
fcient protection against rain for
more than a minute or two. Rain
drops cut into the canvas and metal
and the wood underneath like pellets of
metal. +. They quickly mick" the pro-
peller and cause vibration which ruins
the engine in no time at all
The voyage must be made when the
moon Is at her full. In my judgment,
It Will be advisable to start at about
4 o'clock OF moonlit night, That will