The sun., 1919-05-11
.CURTISS PREDICTS
QUICK AZORES TRIP
Aircraft Designer Outlines
Conditions for 1900 Mile
Leg in Ocean Flight.
RIVAL ROUTES COMPARED
Navy Planes Due to Have Good
Sailing-Wind, Loads and
Speed Are Elements.

BY flying a curvlng route a consider
able distance longer than the straight
line distance OF 1900 nautical miles
from Newfoundland TO the Azores the
NC planes will gain nine hours from
favorable winds, according to caicuia-
tion made public yesterday by Glenn II.
Curtiss, joint designer with naval officers
OF the big seapianes. Mr.. Curtiss's fig
ures are based upon average weather
conditions in May over the Atlantic.
In the opinion OF Mr.. Curtiss the navy
has chosen not only the airplanes best
adapted for the transatlantic venture.
but also the best possible route. He
says:
There has been a difference Of opin-
Ion as to whether the Newfoundland
ireland or the Observation-Disclosures
, Portugal route is the better. Tho for
mer is more direct. As one who has
been interested In transatlantic flight
since 1914. however. can see five dis
tinct advantages TO the southern course.
They may be listed as follows:
81. 1t requires maximum flight
without landing OF almost seven hundred
miles less than does 1.-The northern route
The distance to Flores, the hrst Azores
island. is only 1900 nautical miles, as
against 1880 to the Sciliy Islands, the
nearest point Off the Irish coast.
"2. II avoids the dangerous fog belt
which lies to the east and northeast Of
Newfoundland.
20 1t is attended by more favorable
weather genera1ly-warmer, clearer and
freer from atmospheric disturbances.
-. It is in the path of steamer traffic
and hence offers greater element Of
safety in case Il Is necessary to make
a descent in midocean.
"b. 1t Is in the path OF winds which
under normal circumstances will in
crease by 40 per cent. tho speed Of the
airplanes.
THE NC planes could doubtless have
gone by the northern route. It 10
shorter than the southern. II the trans
atlantic voyage wer eto be admitted a
hazard, better indeed to get II over with
in the quickest possible time, like q cold
shower. But the navy. I believe, wishes
TO prove that for the right type OF plane
tho Atlantic trip 10 not hazard. The
present flight Is to be the demonstration
of how others like It can be made reg
ularly."
Atm ospheric Conditions Studied.
Observations have shown. Mr.. Curtiss
SaSs' wat WiHu anu OtncF atmospheric
elements are in the main constant in
any part of the-ocean during a given
month. Between Trepassey Bay and
Flores In the Azores the winds generally
blow from the northwest, that Is, d.
rectly on the tails Of the seaplanes, thus
adding wind speed to engine speed. The
winds do not. of course, blow in one
straight line from starting point to des-
ttnation. but by comparatively slight
changes of course the greatest advan-
tage may be taken OF the winds, Just as
sailing ship sometimes lengthens her
course to gain speed.
The flying boats. he predicts, will be
blown away from tho fog belt once they
are through small zone Of cross winds
Just on Cape Race. In this connection
II Will be recalled that Commander John
ii. Towers expressed the opinion before
leaving Rockaway that the most critical
period In the entire flight of s.sab
h,<nical miles will be the first two nv
thu zee hours after leaving Trepassey Bay.
During this period the engines, not thor.