The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-03-22
AIR TOURNAMENT
BEGINS SATURDAY
Flying Events At BeIleair viii Attract
Many Visitors.

BELLEAIR, Fla, March 21.-Parti-
cipation by the army and navy air SER
vices, the Aero Club of America, and
the aircraft industry in the National
Southern Air tournament, to be held
here March &C. 81 and %, has arrous-
ed intense interest among the BUSH
ness men Of Florida who realize the
commercial possibilities in aircraft.
Some day they hope to see the thou
sands of visitors who now spend their
winters in Florida travel by aeroplane
rather than in Pullmans. Those in
charge Of the tournament have ar
ranged a number of interesting events
in which aviators from the U. S. A.
aviation base at Carlstrom field, Ar
cadia, will take part.
Major Ralph Royce. U. S. A. COM
manding officer at Carlstrom field and
Lieutenant A. p. Snody, U. S. army, Of
the naval air station at Pensacola will
be in charge of the events. The most
important feature of the tournament Is
the southern air derby to be featured
over a 20-mile course for a distance
of 100 miles. Another feature will be
the military ball which is being ar
ranged for by Earle e. Carley, vice.
president of the Belleview, at Belleair
Heights. This will be brilliant func-
ton attended by officers Of the army
and navy air service and prominent
folk, who are spending their winter va
cation in the south. The various air
events will be attended by many Palm
Beach, Miami, and other east coast va
cationists. Governor Cary A. Hardee.
and his staff have been asked to be
present. Lieutenant Il. NJ. Haights, an
ace, with five huns to his credit, and
Lieutenant Samuel Eaton, Jr., who
flew a junker from New York to San
Francisco, are entered in the Southern
Air Derby. Lieutenant Victor II.
Strahm, u. S. A. formerly a major
overseas with the famous 91st army
observation squadron, and Captain G.
w. Ford. u. S. A., who served with the
French air force and later with the
Americans only to be captured and
made prisoner by the Germans dur
ing the last month of war, are also en-
tered.
Two twin-motor seaplanes are to
be sent to Belleair from the naval air
station at Pensacola, also the giant
aeromarine cruiser, HS-2, and two
entered in a fifty-mile seaplane race,
the entire course in full view of the
spectators. Representatives of various
civic organizations in Florida have
been asked to attend the tournament.
Mayor Frank Booth, of Clearwater,
has been named chairman Of the re-
ception committee which is made up
of the governors of the board of trade
of Clearwater.
The committee in charge of arrange
ments have announced the following
program:
March 20.
Morning-Inspection of aeroplanes
and other exhibits.
Practice flights over race course.
Arrival of navy seaplanes from Pen
sacola.
Arrival OF aeromarine cruiser from
Havana.
p. m.-1OO-mile Southern Air Der
by over a 2O-mile triangular course. !
Five laps.
The course will be from the golf |
links at the Belleview hotel to Indian |
Rocks. to the crossing of the Tampa |
bay canal and the Desota Pinenas
road, to the Belleview. The turning |
point at the Belleview win be the flag
staff.
The pilots and planes they will fly
are as follows:
Major A. H. Gilkeson, u. S. A, De-
Haviland.
Captain c. W. Ford, U. S. A, De-
EIaviland.
Lieutenant ]. G. Williams, u. s. A.,
DeHaviland.
Lieutenant Victor d. H. Strahm, U.
5. A.. DeHaviland.
Lieutenant Fred Z. Woodward, U. S.
A., DeHaviland.
Lieutenant J. D. Corkille. U. S. A,