The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-09-05

ton. make another trip until its en-
gines have -aen oveSaauled. Therefore,
we did not begin the journey on schedule
time but waited until other planes OF
other lines had departed and even until
a accommodating small plane had gone
half way over the route TO test the visi-
bility of one section of the storm 30
miles away. In the meantime other
planes continued to arrive from the four
points of the compass and discharge
their passengers. They would appear
out of the clouds. circle the field once
and come rolling up to the landing plat
form in front of the main station. The
usual questions directed at the porterS
as the strange plane began to discharge
its passengers where did she come
from" That's the express from I.au-
Same. Switzerland, she's 10 minutes
late. it's a four-hour cruise" Her pas
SengerS, consisting of four women and
two men, are transferring here and will
go on to London by the French plane
which leaves in 20 minutes" An inn
patient individual pushes into the wait
ing room and inquiries, When does the
next bus go 20 London? I've dinner
engagement there and must arrive by
6 p. m We'll. son, you better hop
aboard the British line. that red one,
she viii leave in five minutes" He did,
Where's that one going which Is load
ingy' she's going TO BRUSSELS and
will arrive in an hour and half"
] then inquired when we were likely
to start and was answered. 'There'll be
four British planes arrive here within
10 minutes and if their pilots report ia
vorably viii start you of in half an
hour There's an eight-paSSenger
machine due in six minutes and if her
pilot says .. *, you may be sure you'll
be off on time. Some of the other pilots
take a chance through Il cloud where
YOU can't see your hand before you, but
he never will. Instead, he VIII turn
around and come back and there's no
sense in your starting if YOU are not
sure to get through to London tonight
Our plane started at go and we
were at our destination the Croydon"
aerodrOme in the suburbs of London, at
$50. We carried IL passengers (seats
for ~, two pilots, and 1000 pounds of
baggage. trunks and hand luggage.
These Handley-Page machines are
equipped with upholstered wicker arm
chairs, fresh drinking water tanks, mir
rOrs. clock. AIarconi wireless telephone,
speed and altitude indicators, luggage
racks, and lavatory and toilet room.
Luncheon is also obtainable en- route,
including wine. Long glass windows
give each passenger a perfect view in
all directions as the chairs are along
both sides of a center aisle. Each pas
senger may open his window as much
draft in the cabin and no railroad car
ever has as little vibration. When flying
under low rain clouds at about 900 feet
altitude there was an occasional undula-
ton but when cruising at LOO and
1000 feet there was absolutely no move
ment other than straight ahead at the
rate of so TO 50 miles an hour. Some of
the passengers read books, others wrote
letters, but most of us watched the cities
and country below.
1t was all the most delightful surprise
l ever experienced. Not the slightest
sensation of insecurity or unsteadiness.
Our passenger roll consisted of five
males and seven females which ought to
prove the testimony. L would never
travel any other way if l had the choice
and could go on a British plane. a
friend i met in Paris after his arrival
from London via air, started the next
day BY aeroplane for Prague and Buda-
pest, trip of over II hours, with one
transfer. He told me the German traits
of character had even shown themselves
invading the freedom of the air, for
/ Germany requires every person who en-
/ tiers an acroplane which has route IN
| tie air over German soil to obtain a
/ passport wise before he starts. No aero
/ plane company dares defy the Germans
SO they collect $40 for Germany every
/ time they carry a passenger through
/ the air across any section of German
| territory even though no landing IS
made in Germany.
| | noticed this article in .today's LON
| don Times: "Paris-1he value of wire
4 less telephony in travel emergencies
/ was forcibly illustrated yesterday at the
/ air station of lie Bourget, near Paris.
/ Two travellers, a man and a woman,
| had engaged seats for Geneva At the
/ appointed hour they did not appear, and
the pilot started without them. He had
not been gone a quarter of an hour
| when motor car dashed up to the sta
/ ton with the laggards.
! THE station master rose to the Oeca-
sion. The pilot is more than 20 miles
away. he said, 1 will recall Kim He
at once sent out a wireless telephone
message to the pilot, who replied: All
right, ! shall be back again in 10 min
utes Within a quarter of an hour the
delighted travellers were picked up and
were speeding on their way to Geneva
via Lausanne. with the pilots promise
| that the lost times would be made up en-
route =