Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-06-14

The Virny- bomber should reach ire
land at some point on the western
coast about o'clock tomorrow RI. 1,.;nuar a..e.-
Cantain Alcock.s He said that the
weight Of his fuel load would reduce
the speed Of his plane to 70 miles an
hour during the early hours and ne
estimated that the average speed our
ing the Night across would be 80 mlLes
an hour. He expected that each OF ms
sumo gasoline at the rate OF 1913 GAL
Ions an hour.
An Imaginary Trip. Told. =,
.ret IFS take a flight from St. John'A
ateerinR the airplane along the short
est route for Galway Bay, and start
ing soYnatiIne In the X -,
Before leaving the ground, the
drift Indicator is set to the required
course and an approximate compass
course is worked out which Will al
low for the drift caused by the pre-
vailing wind After rising into the air
and gaining sufficient height. the air
nlane ii set on the compass course,
and this course Is then corrected un-
til the desired course set on the ind1-
Gator is made good. The time Of pass
ing over the coast is noted and the
The direction and speed of the, wind
at the height of. the airplane are cal
culated and the drift indicator care
fully watched so as to detect any al
teration and to make the necessary
corrections.
"During the first hour the height Of
the sun above the horizon is measured
by means Of the sextant. the exact
time of the observation being noted.
The special chart is then brought into
use, and. If there has been no error
in the allowance for wind. 1t shows
exactly what point has been reached
on the desired track to Galway Bay.
This is then checked up with the po-
sition which should have been reach
ed according to the measured ground
speed, and in the short distance trav-
ersed during the first hour. there
should be no appreciable discrepancy.
Many Calls Received.
1.-THE navigator now has time to
busy himself with settling down for
the journey after the hurried prepara-
tions at the start, and to pay a little
attention to the many calls coming
over the wireless By this time he Il
apparatus, but signals continue to
come in bearing messages Of cheer
and perhaps some humorous sugges-
tions as to conduct en- route to which
unhappily, the appropriate replies
cannot be sent.
Another hour passes, and 1t IL
time for another observation. This il
taken in the same way as the first, and
as the hours slowly pass, SO the dis.
) tance increases. and the data obtained
from the observations piles up and
gives one an increased faith in the
instruments devised by man.
might comesson, and the stars be-
gin to peep out. This is the best time
for the navigator, for there are many
stars and observation on two or three
Of them give him more accurate po.
sttion than he can obtain from the
single observation afforded by the
sun. It is too dark to see the surface
Of the ocean. and the drift indicator
cannot be used unless fares are
!, thrown out, but frequent observation
obviate the use of these.
Accurate Course Held.
'An accurate course is held unit
taken as accurately as possible as i
rises above the horizon, giving tn.
first AK for the day. Favorable wind'
have increased the speed and lant
should be sighted within three hours
Will 1t be the point for which tn,
navigator is aiming? Now comes TIL,
great test Of his accuracy and that o
the instruments employed. y
. Both pilot and navigator are ol
the alert. although tired. after SO man!
hours Of strain and anxiety. Tw,
hours awav. We should soon he il
wireless touch with the land stations
from which messages have been re
ceived almost continuously since tn
departure.
AT last an answer is received &C
knowledging &C. O. and we give tn
position In which we think We are
There is at once feeling OF safety
x svsn though the ocean is still below