New-York tribune., 1921-02-13
,ssellger Air
liners Promise
ho Link W World
T., Dirigibles, 800 Feet
IIoas. to Fly FROM London
f. america. Australia and
I ,fr;ca if Plans w ork Out
Led 90 Miles am Hour
La Will, 100 Aboard. En-
/ see,ed to Fly From Eng
and to California in 4Days
pr OTIS Peabody Swift

H.aNUpNs J W. We ~ "
T.. dscussiou here for linking up
- of the world by passenger air
on which giant dirigibles, fy-
20 miles above the surface at
niles an hour, Will join London
Il Varth America. Australia. India
c,nth Africa. If these plans are
u ont air liners 500 feet long,
s,s3 with berths. dining rooms.
IN room, libraries and obserya-
mgstforms, will speed from Eng
r. Sar Francisco IN four days,
SIM to discharge passengers and
sf New York and Chicago. Each
will carry loo passengers, and the
vill be only so per cent more than
b .vnt steamship rates. Ships capa-
n this service are now in com
ii ,.;on. and a trial passenger fight
h made to Egypt this month by a
:sish government airship to deter
K.. she feasibility of opening such
1ssnger routes.
sThs commercial ajrship already has
.Ted its success" said Sir Trevor
30. OF Vickers, Ltd. when asked
I.ther he thought the plan practical.
S+ssrs Ltd, is now building airships
ths British government, and Sir
&ryor is an expert on the lighter
ssn-air craft.
DAY Of Passenger Liner Here"
the success of the R-34 showed the
sssssbilisies of r transatlantic serv-
he continued. at is now only a
E,,s.ion Of building more and larger
Eiv and eQuipping suitable landing
In, sheds and mooring stations on
HI sides of the Atlantic. The air
<,ps are speedy, safe and reliable.
5ssy can carry large cargoes, have a
Re cruising range, and can ride out
Erost any weather.
"The day of the passenger air liner
! here, and If the task OF organizing
i routes is undertaken by big finan-
Ia interests it should be possible to
ssin regular passenger service over
|urope within six months with the
hips and bases already in existence.
he American service would require
dmewhat larger ships and landing sta
teas in North America. But it could
I in operation in less than three
ssrs. We need such a service, and
sieve that it will come"
The R-34 is the type of craft sug-
ssttd for the proposed service, but
se contemplated ships, although built
p the R-54 lines, would be much
l,ger and have a far greater cruising
adus. 1t is said that rigid could be
nit that would be HOO feet long,
lrying 1856 tons of freight or pas
myers and having a maximum range
IS, $50 miles. cruising radius.
Maitland Supports Project
Brigadier General K. NJ. Maitland,
no commanded the R@34 in the trans
iiantic fight, is believer in the plan
y world air routes.
Even the existing sirship of to-day
7 be regarded as reasonably safe
bie conveyance" he says, They
'eady have proved themselves capable
flying through practically any type
weather, and the larger airships of
future, fitted with more powerful
ichlnery, necessarily will be even
Ter Fogs do not prove q real men
{ 10 alrshlps, as with the present
ethods Of navigation it is not neces-
y TO see the ground in flying be-
zen bases. 1t is true that at present
e most violent forms of electric
orns are an undoubted danger to all
rms OF aircraft, but at the worst this
Hger appears to be less than the
lger Of rocky coasts and shadows to
seagoing ship.
'';AIrships of the type Of the R5s.
llsh Is now being built at Bedford
Ihe German LII, would be capable
aying from England to Egypt. a dis
ace Of 200 miles, without q stop in
. and one-half days. These ships
y ,aio CO carry about eighty passengers,
70 lOo pounds of baggage for each
ssehger, and about two tons of mail
:, mestsehandlse. ~. To put it another
=, nlteen tons would be available
passengers, mails or merchandise.
;eomlort in aerial travel is essential
~ IS 10 nave any extended future.
= !, advantage of speed is thrown awav
5.I, .Ls passenger is physically or ner-
,nis MY exhausted on landing. But
~ recommendations can be provided
aay and night travel.
Passengers Sleep SoundIy
proposed car has been desiyreS hv
4 ii'aaofe, aa, at Dalmuir, in which spe-
.,s. !, a.stention has been given to the
q a. a''ce OF giving each passenger a
~ ~ yiew The windows are so ar
issu So that passengers can see both
assIo ,n'i and vertically downward
= .au u. they wish to do so. The passen-
. SIT facing each other with q table
i r,ssa Ga them, rather like large Pull
10. = 'ar' II they wish, they can ar
ass Il, the chairs and tables for bridge.
Sspers are provided in the shape
. 'unAs un which fold down and allow
rasSehgers to sleep athwartship.
.aa sHperlence up TO date is that one
!, ,ps Hhcommonly soandly in an air.
p On the first night of our journey
! a-S4 10 America / went 20 bed at q
Nv i. : ~ night and slept soundly until
.ss ~, next morning.
.ae whole of the car will be heated
i yam generated from the engines.
az a.' VIII De admitted at the forward
!, tne car where it will be warmed
!, suiators. 1t will not be neces~
:, ! 70 restrict smoking any more than
,rnailway carriage, as the car will
s;ap1etely isolated from any posi-
eban bSS ot hre from gas or petrol. A
; 80 "a as well equipped as any rail-
q ,s'ssaurant car will be provided,
f,as 70 my experience that ones ap-
e ~ IN the air is extremely rood.
sa e Is struck by the absence of
/ II H. Or vibration in q large airship,
=, e absence of smoke or dirt is a
~ .siose asset. The complete absence of
ssssiess taess Is also an important con.
ton. ton. Another pleasure is that
ii eting at low attitudes, and !
,ssS Ssser forget my feelings as we
ii over Nova Scotia on our out
ssourney TO New York last wear
/ sse vi only 500 feet above the trees,
Ia could see every detail. We
m @e the trees each settler had cut
sta.lihg the previous winter, neat
SAsa SSas,a and looking exactly like liz
ulalss OF asparagus. We could
hs te ne got his waser, the extent
e,,t oSsing aecommoda tions and the
ia ,.n y land he had cultivated. We
ma i the nature of the soil. Las.
,ss s y; least, the glorious smell OF
! s.s .tssantlc pine forests spread be-
a as a refreshing tonic"