Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-05-21
PILOT OF NC-3 RELATES i
STORY OF FIRST FLIGHT
commander Richardson Gives Detailed Account of III
rated Seaplanes Trip From Rockaway Beach
to Halifax, in Transatlantic Journey
NJ COMMANDER e. RICHARDsoN.
rflOt OF NC-3.

f,nlnS WAS IN readiness about . O'clock
way Beach TO Halifax NC-I and SC-3
'hch hai trial spins ~ assure that
eNcr%tainS WAS .. *.
W 10 ABOUT $3.50 n NJ the weather
l'ports were uncertain. but as further
Ports came IN conditions appeared
20 improve. and Commander Towers.
~ cohnh"nd Of the first regular sea
P'dpf division to be commissioned in
'he United states Navy. gave his de-
tlSlon to start
me Grnws then got their baggage
md other gear together. made tneir
'"r."eils ana got on board
- was NC-3, while NC-l was on lie
marine railway. Everything being in
,""!mHss' inc motors were started and
"N '"s'Hes gwen q snort warming up
SC-j First Under Way.
Nt-3 was under way frs, al 1o.o7
,, ~. ana TAXED out into Juinaica Bav
nntii Nc-h and Nc-l were under way
IN he order named We then Iammed
llo;,5 j. n Hc"a was in III the T :.,re4,rs q.
, ,VwoMSu by and !. and headed NEST
was evident that j and / could not
t"hG th,ir propcr positions
me- meS swung around 10 head cast
- thc Ikock"way air station at 1920
M We we're making sixty knots
, ma ,Hiimp' Ne, a. II 4 NJ we were
straishtaway course and MT i, up 20
-tEcnt$ knots at lI:l5.
,Do1, ten mies on Nc :S VA St5' we'll I' ine
AT an altitude Of 500 tect
olninander Towers then directed us
~ "9rh more inshorc TO me northward
rico 70 use The "Dungy" but found 1t
too stun - - oclock We had Mon
aux Point abcam rho mainland nenr
;,ErW london Was just visible ANA Block
ls!hnd MAS dead ahead
Gets Excellent View.
he altered Dur ypI,Go ,...
ihr southward OF Block Island Light
gd a!eh ,o We PASSED a. an altitude OF :.
Stand seemed very clear ana beau
lllu!-iiA Toy houses, Christmas trees
'na roads We could see the surf
pEtahinS on the ROCKY shore Wc aIsoI
noticed several steamers. whose smokc
save indications OF tho direction OF
TX w,"d q, tns surface OF the water
ahead when VIC again changed our
'onrse aud headed up Vineyard sound.
pa@ Menenasha blight ana NC-i made
ZION.
pas3ins Woods Hole at p NJ. a,
~. altitude OF $500 feet we got scvcrni
nnmps rom ;urbulcnt air. We were
men making about siXiy knots and
hylns VITA wings a! q rather sharp
angie 10 the Wind.
y maze was developing ahead as we
*mG IN sight or Buzzards Bay TO the !
h9fth"est VIC continued eastward. !
Ialslns over Monomoy about 1888 |
CLOCK aud getting 4 few bumps I
NH!.r crossing Hantuchct Shoals.
Losra sight OF Mainland. -
y, 5000 feet Massachusetts Bay
Cod ana Pollock Rip LirntsOip was (
'.aiolc 10 the southwark. It was hay /
Tread but Visibility vas good. W.
eluut . =. VI. u was now up 70 the
navigator TO make good. .gpurI altitude !
W-s $500 feet.
1,
r,re!Ncd ~ INC division commander /
10 IN. effect ,hat NC-i WAS having !
W3i9. trouble ana was proceeding on
three engines. About the same time (
u"rlH"ard. making SMOKE. We soon ,
joss s.snt OF NC-i well TO the north /
$40 further from her until the next
Aboui ;h.z time / Eel, the need Of
some food and went AFT 10 se; some
aiiliculty about TINS for Lieutenant Me-
Cuilcch and had been tnkins half
apdg tricks al The wheel" found I
me reserve eng neeT Lieutenant /
Moore, on watch AZ their stations.
noting the OIL pressure and the oil !
and water temperatures. tho gasoline /
supply and also keeping an eye on
the engines and proDelers. Lieu
tenant. Commander L3vcade- Was busy
with the radio and !! did not disturb
consuits With byrd.
Then went forward and consulted
With the division commander, also
L.euienant- Commander Byrd who was
busy with the navigation devices which |
have been his pets since he was as
signed TO assist in the preparations /
for the Hight. All methods We're work ,
ing we'll and | was shown on. posi- /
j!on on The chart.
shortly after returned 20 my sta
ton, we passed trail o: smoke 10 .
the leeward OF the second destroyer
which was not itself visible IN the ,
We sighted No. destroyer dead ahead .
At about 4 z. NJ. we passed almost I,
directly ever 10; 3.
the open sea and at about 200 feet,
We ran into sharp wind sQuall, re-
curing sharp maneuvcring 10 keep our
course i,., and to keep properly, trimmed.
Sable on our port hand. From here on
the weather was clear. Al THIS t:me
NC-l was following astern. bu; a, Il
much higher altitude.
Subjected to Squalls.
From the time we passed Cape Sable
until We headed into Halifax we were
subjected To sharp SQUALLS.
which made II necessary for both pilots
TO work in conjunction on the con
trois and to he on the Job every see.
ond for the remaining three hours or
the run.
Although the disturbances were
powerful. NC-3 responded to her con-
trolls very satisfactorily and to a high
d.crce showed Inherent stability am
good balance. but. like a we'll behaved
ship, she cannot be mad, to suit All
seas and these were wrong. so we had
TO fight TO correct the difference
i.oDgitudinally and t'irectionaII, the
balance WAS especially good. but Tie
lateral balance was seriousl, arfectnd
by the side winds getting hold OF one
wing ahead OF the otaer. The com
passes work very We'll when the plane
IS level. but when nccled their action
is sluggish
The inclinometers work well. but ar.
u little sluggish. rhc turh indicator
is quite sensitive. and By it's use, cX-
:ept in strong gusts. it is possible
o keep from turning. and this mater
ally improves the compass reading.
Learns Actions of Gusts.
The atmosphere vas clear but the
ky was cloudy. Every promontory con-
rbuted squalls and sharp gusts. In
short while we learned the action Of
hose gusts on our plane and com,d an
icipate them and greatly reduce the