The sun., 1919-05-04
Day of the Indi-
vidually Owned
Airplane to Come
Within a Year or
So, Army Experts
Say

TO peace neeuS HoW BOlHs 10 IOiIOW
somewhat the line of the first automo-
bIles, and are we soon to hear that Mr..
Jones has bought a new airplane in
stead Of new touring car?
Before answering these questions
the airplane experts here call atten-
ton to recent news items like the fol-
lowing: Bonar Law flies from London
to Paris to deliyer a message to Lloyd
George; King Albert flies back to
Brussels from the Peace Conference:
Benedict Crowell flies from Washing
ton to Now York to keep an engage
ment: Senator So-and-So returns to
Washington via airplane.
In discussing the matter in detail,
the experts take for example an Amer
lean woman living near Philadelphia
who has $4,000 to invest in pleasure
and convenience and who decides she
would like to buy an airplane for her
own private use. Would 1t be practi-
ca, for her to do so in the near future ?
Not This Year.
The answer from experts in Major
Gen. Menoher's office is yes-and no.
according to what is meant by near
future" If this is taken to mean next
week or next month, the answer is
mo" If it means next year or the
year after, the answer is yes" pro-
vided that present plans for the devel-
opment Of aviation for civilian pur-
poses do not go entirely astray. In
the opinion of Uncle Sans most COM
petent air experts. the day of the in
dividually owned private airplane is
closer at hand than Is generally real
lied. Thanks to the initiative of pro-
gressive Americans, the air service is
not going to be smothered and wrecked
no matter what individual officers OF
the General STAFF had planned to do
The reactionary instinct that sought
IN regard the air service as merely u
subordinate by-product of the military
establishment apparently has been
of popular indignation and 1t is safe
now to say that progress will go on.
But it is explained that so many ex-
aggerated reports have been circulated
from time to time about aviation that
officers like Major-Gen. Charles T.
Menoher, in charge Of the air service,
are careful not to make predictions
which are unlikely to be fulfilled.
They do not want the posters to adver-
tise very fat circus lady and have
her turn out not so fat after all. There
fore in indicating the peace time flu
ture of aviation and the prospects Of
the individually owned airplane they
desire to avoid unreasonable prophe-
cieS.
What II Costs.
First, they point out that the woman
investing her $4,000 in an airplane
must realize what she has to procure
to make her venture practical. Tt is
assumed that by chance she has a
ready made landing field. which means
200 acres Of level ground. Her expen-
dlture would then be about as follows:
$4,000 airplane, built for safety and
comfort, with trimmings. &C, accord
ing TO order: $1,000 steel hangar: $4,-
900 pilots salary; $4,000 mechanic's
salary; $1,000 mechanics assistants
salary: $4,000 extra motor; $4,000 re-
pair shop; $1,000 spares. Total, $34.-
500.
This would be for a three scatter,
slow landing. single engine plane. The
price Of the Martin twin engine alone
would be upward Of $4,000. and there
would be a considerable increase in
price all along the line.
The great advantage of the twin en-
CINE plane, equipped with two Liberty
motors is that safety Is increased be-
cause the plane can fly with either en-
gine. Therefore both engines must go
foul at the same time to necessitate a
forced landing.
It's Safe Enough.
But the element of safety is not
back civilian flying. There Is a De
Havildnd plane in the Smithsonian
Institution here in which Howard Rine-
hart has flown $4,000 miles-three
times around the world-without being
LET down once. With a good pilot and
good mechanics and a machine espe-
c!Aly built for slow landing and
safety, the danger Is greatly mini
Mzed, it is explained, and the per-
centage Of accidents even in the mill
Wfy service, where safety Is relatively
niSrNgarded, has been remarkably
small
BESIDES, new factor in flying has
Just been perfected, which fills a long
'eit need. 1t is the so-called reversible
propeller plan. which makes it pos
Mo'e TO check speed upon landing.
heretofore one Of the most ticklish
parts Of flying has been landing. The
i'pt shuts of the engine and gets
us three points, wheels and tailskid
Town but the momentum carries the
p'"H" right along. And he never
seems 20 20 so fast as when he's aim
.hP Tor tree or obstacle ahead.
Ha'0"r than take chances, aviators
sometimes prefer to fly the plane into
Il stan and let it pancake" down,
meaning that it hits the ground fiat
IKE pancake. With the reversible
prope!l'", the pilot waits until his
points get the ground and then puts
'h me reverse. This checks the mo-
'''tNm and gives him a short run
i'H hH easy landing.
Lightly Mile Speed Best.
=, ne best machine for safety at any,