Evening star., 1919-02-09
A|RSK|P
PASSENGERL|NE
Aeronautical Experts Plan
DirigibIe Service Between
New York and Chicago.
WILL INVEST $4,000, 600

An airship line from New York to
Chicago in the near future is pro-
posed by one of Americas prominent
aeronautical engineers, and the cor
poration with which this man is as
sociated has made public for the first
time complete plans for the con-
struction and operation of dirigibles
carrying a passenger list of at least
twenty-five, with a crew of ten.
Announcement of the line is made
through the Manufacturers Aircraft
Association, which is to hold its an
nual aeronautical exposition at Madi-
son Square Garden and the Goth Regi-
ment Armory. New York. March 1 to
10, in cooperation with the War and
Navy departments.
Remarkable Development Foreseen.
Engineers who have given much
study to aerial problems believe that
the next few years will witness a re-
markabIe development OF both the
balloon and the airplane. The lighter
than-afr craft while slower than the
airplane, has greater weight-carrying
ability at present and is not wholly
dependent on it's engines for sustain
ing power. But as against this the
airplane offers speed twice or even
three times as fast and a passenger
capacity which rivals all but the
largest dirigibles of the Zeppelin
type.
It is proposed to launch the New
York Chicago line on an original in
vestme1t Of $4,000, ,000> This amount
would be necessary to organize a
company with four airships and two
usx.t tos fr1o lz SrH a a.
the other at Chicago. The ships
would be the Zeppelin type. rigid
housing, andg multiple compartment
structure Helfum gas would be used.
thus removing the danger Of infiam-
inability that now exists with the
use of hydrogen
Cost of Initial Imitation.
Recent figures give cost of ten
cents per cubic foot. which would
amount to $4,000 for the initial in
fsatfon of a 100000 cubic foot capacity
ship. The loss due to leakage is said
TO be less than that of hydrogen
and there are at least two plants IN
this country built especially for the
production of this gas, which would
insure an adequate supply.
The fact that one of the large air
plane and motor manufacturers has
turned its attention to dirigibles as
VIGIL as neaVlcT-t0dH-dlF uyiuG iud-
chimes lends increased interest to the
recent successful fight of the Navy
dfrigib1e C-I from Reckaway to Key
West and to the report of the British
air ministry, Lord Weir and the Brit
ish parliamentary committee on civil
aerial transport. The English author
tiles. while urging the development
of the airplane as the quickest means
of transportation, believe that the day
is not distant when both balloons and
planes will literally an the air. each
type going about the business to
which 1t is best suited:
Estimate Of Trip "Fare."
The cost for the New York Chicago
balloon trip Is not excessive. The dis
tance is about 500 miles. The cost
per mile, roughly speaking" says an
announcement Of the project, would
approach IS cents per passenger.
There is no doubt that, after the
line is run for some time, it would be
possible to cut down the rate consid-
erably" At SIS cents a mile. the
one-way fare to Chicago would be
$500 This is about the ratio arrived
at by the English engineers in COM
putting the cost. per mile, of dirigible
flight. whether over land or sea.