The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1919-06-09
Tells OF FLIGHT
ACROSS ANDES
Chilean Altman Writes Story of
Great South American
Air Feat.
SET HIMSELF DIFFICULT Task
There Are Mountain Chains HIGHER
Than Andes, but None So Hard to
Cross by FIying-Latin Amer
lea Encourages Avlators. .-s


Washington.-Latin America rapidly
is producing notable aviators. Every
encouragement to flying is given by
numerous private clubs that look upon
aviation as sport and as the solution
of difficult problems of the transporta-
ton of mail, passengers and merchan-
disc. Frequently only a few miles of
airline separate two important towns
between which communication except
by wire is matter of days, If not
weeks. This is due to mountainous
topography, lack Of railways and the
rough and winding character of the
few roads and trails. These handicaps
seem only to stimulate the young
South American to greater feats in the
air and the governments to overcome
them by establishing regular service
as matter of business. Together
these forces are working a develop
ment of aviation in South America.
Flight Across Andes. -~sss,,
the particulars of the recent flight
across the Andes of Lieut.. Dagoberto
Godoy Of Chile, have come to the Pan
American Union for publication in It's
next bulletin. As the ocean adventure
Will be the greatest straightaway flight
ever attempted, so was the accom-
plishment of the young Chilean army
officer the breaking of the worlds rec
ord for height in crossing mountain
ranges. There are higher mountain
chains than the Andes, but none. il is
held, so difficult to cross by flying. To
pass over the highest peaks has long
been the ambition of Chilean and
Argentinan aviatOrs. The daring en-
gineer, George Newberry of Argentina,
was the first to be killed at the foot
of one of them In an attempt to accom-
plish the feat. Another Argentinian
engineer, Senior Mascias, also was
killed. Lieutenant Zani next got with
in a few miles of the divide and was
forced to come to earth. Fiueros the
popular Chilean flyer, failed in turn.
Bradley and Zuloaga, two areonauts
of Argentina. year ago crossed the
Andes in balloon and Luis G. Can
delaria crossed the southern ridge at
height of 1000 meters from Zapala to
Ounce still later in an airplane.
Godoy's flight was made from San
tiagO to Mendoza, distance of 30
in one hour and twenty
feet. He used monoplane with ITO
LIE Rhone motor No ac-
count of his victorious achievement
can excel the description he gives of
1t himself in a contribution to the
Bulletin, in which he says:
"At last I was to get bird's-eye
view of the peaks upon which / had so
lften gazed from the track of my air.
lone. The Bristol mounted into space
or time. l had not vet looked down.
ward. / had to watch my atimeter,
ny compass the regular throbS of the
Ill engine and the revolutions of the
motor. l had to change the carburiZa-.
ion continually and regulate the lie.
ahone; and then, when my altimeter-
lad passed the 1900 feet, l looked
downward.
In Unknown World.
81 was In an unknown world. The
range stood out wonderfully
lear; everywhere were canyons, i'm
nense black-mouthed valleys, gentle
oothllls and icy slopes. At the left
,upungato rose near me to my own
eight, or perhaps higher, like an enOr--
1ous skyscraper, a magnificent yet
raceful tower rearing itself toward
eaven. On one side 1t had a long,
radual, almost horizontal slope, like
aim of the hand, white and frozen.
ut hospitable, inviting me to alight
nd linger. But the impression was
Getting. The Bristol told me T was
ding 100 or 100 kilometers an hour,
ence the scenery altered rapidly. A
oment later I crossed the frontier.
" country was behind me before me
" the sister nation and triumph-ny
light but longed-for victory.
"At that moment the motor missed
I'D nearly stopped. l guessed what
as the matter. The automatic engine
as not working and the gasoline
,uIdn't reach the carburetor.
Orked an instant and the engine and
tary started up again before the
ange had affected the apparatus. I
ID to land. So 1 lessened the supply
gas slightly and began to descend
)wIy. The needle, which had reached
maximum of 1890 feet, gradually
wered Then the battle began,
lich lasted perhaps three or four
nutes. The plane seemed to be
azy. That morning there had been
ndstorm on the Argentinian side.
rhaps that was the result of the
clone. Then-calm again. And there
the distance among the PARKWAY
)thills, insignificant when contrasted
tn the huge bulks l had Just left,
sc the outline of the Mendoza, be-
nd the great plain, covered by
avy veil of Clouds