The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-07-29
Aviation Gathering Here With
in the Next Few Weeks.
Expect Fifty Machines VIII
Come for the Event.
CASH PRIZES TO Be OFFERED
Thousands for AviatOrS Who
Put on Cloud Display.
Government May Enter Contest
With Army Planes.

Living up to her reputation of being
first in everything. Kansas is going to
be the first state in the West and one
of the first in the whole nation to
stage an aviation field meet in which
aviators from all over the country will
take part. Plans for this big novel
event are being worked out by the To-
peka Aviation commission. and Rob-
erI Fullerton. chairman, stated today
that it is hoped to have all details
worked out and dates fixed in the
near future.
AS a result of the war there are
hundreds OF trained aviators in Kan
sas and something like fifty airplanes
in regular operation. One object of the
meet is to bring all of these aviators
together and another is to foster fly
ing and encourage air transportation
in this part Of the country.
The meet will really be a big sport
event-the newest sport event that is
known. Prizes amounting to several
thousand dollars will be offered and
every aviator who takes part will have
a chance to win one of the prizes. A
tour of the state will be made with
stops in a large number OF towns
and maps will be gotten out showing
the route the fleet of planes will take
and the legs into which the tour will
be divided.
Conduct Field Meet.
Real field meets will consist of con-
tests in which prizes will be given to
the flyers who show the greatest
skill in landing and taking off. There
also will be prizes for the flyers who
carry passengers and one of the prin-
cipal prizes will go to the aviator who
makes the greatest distance in COM
ing to the meet. There will be pas
senger carrying contests and endur-
ance flight contests. but present plans
are to eliminate stunt flying and to
confine the competition to straight
| flying in order to avoid accidents and
! incidents that would be harmful to
legitimate aviation enterprises
Government May Enter.
Special events are being arranged
for military flyers and it is believed
the United States government will be
/ willing to send some of its most expert
| flyers and latest types of machines to
such an event. There also will be
prizes offered for flyers who show the
greatest skill in making parachute
landing from machines sailing thru the
air at high speed
Fullerton said this afternoon that he
feels sure several thousand dollars can
be raised for such an event and that
| with prizes of sufficient size there will
4 be no trouble in getting flyers from
all over Kansas and surrounding states
| to participate.
Flyers in all parts of the country
; who are interested and who would like
to participate in the big meet are
| urged to write Robert Fullerton.
chairman of the Topeka aviation COM
mission. at the Chamber of Commerce.
Also, chambers Of commerce in towns
| that are interested in helping TO foster
aerial transportation are requested to
| write Fullerton and make known their
| desire to have a place on the route.
An effort will be made to give prece-
| dence to the towns that show the
| greatest interest when IL comes to
making "legs" and arranging for land
| ings and all-night stops.
The meet will cover a period OF at
least three days and it is hoped that
| every large town in Kansas can either
! be visited or flown over