New-York tribune., 1919-05-17


making an average speed of ninety miles
an hour Despite this aviation officials
here expressed the opinion that this
would drop down to the sixty miles an
hour average set according to the
plans, when the planes approached the
end of the journey.
For the first six hours the seaplanes
Will consume an average of 110 gallons
of gasolene an hour. At the end of that
time the weight Of their fuel will have
been decreased by 1910 pounds, or, in
other words, will then be total of
24,39o pounds.
Weight Constantly Reduced
With this reduced weight the COM
mander of each plane will be able to
shut down one of the four Liberty mo-
tors and hold it in reserve, ready to
take the place of any other motor that
might give trouble. The shutting down
OF this engine will not in any way in
terfere with the speed of the planes, so
the reduced weight will not require so
much engine power to send it forward
through the air At the end of twelve
| hours a second engine can be shut
| down and two motors held in reserve
| without reducing the forward speed.
| In addition to the destroyers that
are stretched across the ocean, the
planes will be guided to their
destination tomorrow by one Of
the most remarkable islands in the
world. This is the island of Plea, in
the Azores, which rises sheer from
the water to a height of 1000 feet.
1t will be visible to the navigators of
the seaplanes for distance of over
500 miles, and will first come into
| sight shortly after they emerge from
the darkness of their night flying
New Instruments Used
Throughout the voyage the seaplanes
will be navigated by a combination of
| are being used for the first time in
the history of navigation. All of these
combined are expected to keep the
planes to their true course and re-
duce the loss of time and distance
caused by driftage due to side winds
One of these Instruments is the drift
indicator devised by Lieutenant Com
mander R. E. Byrd This instrument
fitted to the bow of each of the sea-
planes tells Immediately if the ship is
drifting to either side from it's. course
AS an aid to its use through the night
hours of the fight the aviators will
drop smoke bombs to, the sea below
them. in order to get direct observa-
ton. ,e3
Another instrument Is the turn in
dicator, which is designed on the
principle of the gyroscope. This i'm
mediately detects any deviation from
the course while the machine is turn
ing and enables the navigator or pilot
to check the deviation in its incip-
iency.
Do Not Need to See Sun
Added to these is the aerial sex
tant, also devised by Commander Byrd.
which enables the navigator to take a
sun observation irrespective of clear
| horizon. This is done by means of a
bubble arrangement attached to the
sextant.
The most important navigational aid
while the planes are approaching the
|
| finder. This wonderful instrument
| functions irrespective of any weather
conditions. No atmospheric conditions
influences it, or hinders its operation.
Above all, it has the remarkable virtue
Of becoming more accurate in its op-
Grafton as the ship approaches coast.
This instrument will give true posi-
sion with less than per cent error.
Throughout the flight the crews will
be unable to speak to each other nor
mally on account of the terrific roar
of the engines. In order to overcome
this difficulty an ingenious system of
accommodating telephones has
been devised.
Wonderful Telephone System
In the flying helmet of each man
a telephone receiver has been fixed
so that 1T naturally is his ear. Fast
ened to his chest Is harness that
holds specially designed telephone
transmitter before his mouth. ANY
time he wishes to talk to any other
members Of the crew he pushes a plug
Into the socket fastened before his
station. These telephones are SO de-
signed that they completely exclude
all engine noise
The commander sitting In the navi-
eating cockpit has two sockets before
him. One Is for the intercommuni-
eating phone, and the other for the
wireless telephone with which he will
be able to talk direct to the command
ers of the other two NO ships through
out the flight. The telephone can be
used while the radio operator Is COM
municating by wireless telegraph with
the patrol vessels below the seaplanes