The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-02-13
B|RDMEN DISCOVER
OCEANS OF AIR ARE
PRETTY WHIMSICAL
Ozone Specialist Asserts That
Aviation Has Much to Learn
Before Aerial Travel Sees
Full Development

Washington, February 12-The ocean
of air, which followers of aviation be-
lieve some day will be filled with great
air liners plying their way from city to
city on regular schedules. must be stud
led from a meteorological standpoint
and the whims and fancies of the ele-
ments must be reduced to easily under
stood data before the dream Of world
wide commercial aviation can become a
reality. according to c. Leroy Meisin-
ger. government meteorologist here.
Mr.. Messenger, in a paper discussing
the effect of air conditions on commer-
cial aviation, says that meteorology is
the mainstay of aviation, regardless or
the confidence a pilot may have in his
motor and in his plane. The ocean o.
air" he says, constantly is changing ana
does not contain steadfast currents such
as the gulf stream and the Japan cur
rent which are found in oceans of water.
He points out that even the prevailing
belief that far above are strong westerly
winds which never change sometimes is
shocked by facts revealed through scien-
tific study of aerial conditions.
Because of the constantly changing
condition of the aerial routes through
which the air liners of the future would
travel Mr.. Meisinger declares that before
big commercial aviation companies can
operate on a large scale, great masses
of data on air conditions at all times of
the year, In all places and under ALI
circumstances must be gathered. He sug-
gests placing consulting meteorologists
on the staffs of all aviation companies,
these men to study the air as it af-
fects aviation and to decide daily what
altitude and what route a plane should
take from one city to another.
RAPID CHANGES
Air conditions are so changeable, MIR.
Meisingcr says, that a planet raveling
A.o& thz txrTr AS<fs. zsrrfaf
have to take different route almos.
every day In order to make the trip
with the least danger. Also, a plane
flying from New York to Chicago might
find a certain route the best, while one
travelling from Chicago to New York
ON the same day might find entirely
different route more favorable.
Some of the things which airplane dis
patchers or traffic managers, on aerial
commercial lines will have to consider,
he says, are the speed and direction OF
the wind in the area to be traversed,
the frequency of low clouds and fog,
the frequency and intensity Of thunder
storms, the vertical temperature distri-
button the normal values of precipita-
ton at flying fields and the effect or
atmospheric pressure on aerial inStru-
ments, particularly the altimeter.
The changing conditions in the air
make 1t impossible to gather the nee
%SSary lnIormaDlon IN single pain
finding flight over the area, he con-
tinues, but by gathering data in nu-
merous flights at all times of the year
and under all circumstances, a system
of averages could be devised which
would aid greatly in dispatching planes
over aerial routes.
Mr.. Messenger discusses the vari-
GUS meteorological factors in aviation
IN the following manner:
wind. lit iS uRCpzSary n rntv,vx,or
cia1 aviation to take advantage of any
conditions which will aid in economy
of time or fuel or will be conducive TO