Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1921-02-03
BALLOON|NC IS
SAFEST SPORT
Control of Both Speed and Direc-
ton Is Possible.
IS NOT AN AIMLESS PASTIME


Pilot Is Complete Master Of His Craft
In All but FouIest Weather-cham-
pion Clears Up Many of the Ideas
That the General Public Believes
Are Characteristic Of This Sport
Science and Pure Human Guessing
Are Delightfully."- Blended.
The safest and most sublime sport
In the world, one where science and
pure human guessing are delightfully."-
blended, according to Roy Epson, is
not astronomy; no, nor fishing. It's
balloon racing, and he ought to know,
for he Is the present international
race title holder among all who go
sky yachting. In the course OF re-
cent interview he made 1t q point to
clear up many Of the ideas that the
general public firmly believe are the
characteristics of this sport, writes
Henry Chaplin in the New York Post
1t Is not the aimless pastime one i'm
AGNES when he sees the great yellow
globes drifting through the clouds. The
pilot has exceptional control of his
craft in all but the foulest weather.
and can deftly work out his course
either for speed or direction, as the
race demands. OF course weather Is
his enemy at all times, but 1t is the
weather that Is also his best friend,
and his success as q ballOonist de-
ponds on Just how much of friend
he can make Of the weather. There
Is where science comes in.
The sport Of air cruising lies in out
guessing your opponents as to air cur
rents, storm centers and the vagaries
Of the winds. No matter how care
fully pilot chooses his balloon and APP
fit 1t with instruments of the great
est precision, once he clears the ground
in big race the game begins" says
Epson. From then on the race is
to the weatherwise. You have launched
into a new world and must meet con-
ditions that no amount of foresight
In the aeronautical laboratories can
1ully prepare you IOr.
Nearest Sport to Big Yachting.
"As far as l know" he continued
racing In the world, and has the ad-
vantage Of being comparatively mex
pensive. Where Thomas Upton
spends a million on the Shamrock,
this balloon of mine is as nearly per-
feet as can be gotten, and only cost
In the neighborhood Of $4,000.
Its really greater sailing game
than yachting, because we can change
the plane Of drift by climbing or COM
Ing low and find our weather condi-
lions almost readymade for our pur-
pose. Also, we usually go faster than
the big yachts, and whatever the
winds there Is no motion in the bas-
ket except when we get Immediately
between different strata Of air moving
in different directions"
This motionless flight Of the big
globe. Epson explained is just what
makes It so safe A well-built balloon
once free Of the earth Is so absolutely
at ease in the air that the terrible
strain and stress that one would mag
inc to exist from the winds are COM
pletely absent. He describes the
flight as the quietest and most sub
lime sensation on EARTH so to speak.
Everything is measured and bal
anced to nicely when the balloon
takes off the ground. There Is even
a cup for measuring out the sand bal
last that is expended, though often the
bags are heaved overheard as fast as
they can be handled. AS long as the
ground Is In sight constant process
of orientation is carried on by means
of sighting shots on prominent objects,
drifting tests with paper or toy bal
looms and by triangulation with deli
cate measuring instrument.
When the clouds shut In the pilot
has to guess little more, but his aid
is in charge Of collecting all the data
and the pilot scratches his head and
figures out whether a few hundred
feet up or down will not bring help
full change in speed or direction.
In the Great international Race.
It was just this careful guessing
that won last years international
race from st. Louis, when Upson land
ed miles ahead Of the others, deep in
the Canadian back lands Speed.
rather than direction, was the thing
the pilots were after.
Epson took direction. apparently,
far out of his best course, but by so
doing got two hours ahead of storm
center that caused most of his COM
petitors to come aground. This storm
carried him across Georgian bay and
then a wild thunderstorm broke loose.
In the flashes Of lightning he could
Just make out some barns a few miles
off. He decided to come down, and
the next thing he knew had bumped
off barn roof into a cowpen. 1t was
the only habitation for miles around,
and he had dropped into the center Of
1t in the pitch Of night.
He won the race and proved once
oooin thaf In balloon "a cling ar least