Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-12-28
First American Conrtab
Enclosed Body How FastA Wi

lHiHk Oh the deTOpIaQG as an In
w strument OF war something be-
longing to the Army or Navy along
with artillery. torpedoes and trench
mortars
But the flying machine has taken on a
wider field Of usefulness than it's military
service. In this country the Post Office
Department has done little toward using
aeroplanes in fast mail service, but these
have been Army machines
The first real specially constructed CON-
mercial aeroplanes have been built abroad
and put into commission for the London.
to-Pars service. This IS now a regularly
established passenger and baggage service
between these two great European capitals.
Tho distance between London and Paris
Is about go miles and the passenger planes
cover 1t in about hours. And similar
service in America will soon be in
augurated.
In this commercial service between
London and Paris the familiar military ma
chines are not used. A special design
Of aeroplane has been constructed with all
The luxuries of Pullman car. There is
fine saloon fitted with carpets and fifteen
windows.
chairs. with receptaclcs at their elbows for
maps, books and papers. A handsome clock
and ornate mirrors give tone of elegance
to the interior, which is lighted by cleo.
tricity.
In addition TO wireless telegraph there
is n wireless telephone equipment con-
Meeting with land stations There are also
spacious luggage room and pilots cockpit.
The machine is designed to carry about
5000 pounds when fully loaded. Two
engines of $50 horsepower propel the
aeroplane.
The London-toParis service is now In
Its fourth month. with increasing patron
age, both passenger and freight.
The HandleyPage Transportation Com
pany operates the daily service between
London and Paris. leaving the Hounslow
Airdrome at noon and arriving in Paris at
8 p. m. These machines carry ten pas.
sengers on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sat
urdays On Mondays, Wednesdays and
Fridays smaller machines are used. which
carry only four passengers. There is no
service on Sunday.
A ticket for the trip, which costs ID
pounds and 5 shlings, or at present ex-
change, about $50, entities the holder to take
along so pounds Of baggage. Any excess
OF this amount is charged fog
The landing in Paris is made at LIE
Bourget Airdrome, whence passengers are
carried in motor buses to Paris. In Lon
don motor bus service is maintained be.
tween Cooks Tours, Pail Mall Office, Plea.
dilly Hotel and the IIounslow Field This
transportation is included in the cost Of
the ticket.
England's passenger air express service
from London to Paris has been in opera
tion since August %, OF this year. and since
then the machines have flown a total of
$4,000 miles.
Although Great Britain has been the
pioneer in establishing regular scheduled
passenger service OF the air. surrounding
the traveller with every comfort of
paatial parlor car, the United States.
however, is making rapid strides toward
the inauguration OF similar air routes for
the transportation OF passenges
Already the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor
Corporation has one plane in operation
which is designed for passenger carrying
and this machine is somewhat similar to
those which are being used OH the London
to.Paris route.
The luxurious air limousine which the
Curtiss company has built, photographs of
which appear on this page, is called The
Eagle and numerous trial flights have
been made with great success. It seats
eight persons in all, or seven passengers
besides the pilot. This is one more pas.
senger than even the largest automobiles
seat 1t is seldom that n private auto
mobile. unless especially designed, is con.