Pueblo chieftain., 1922-01-04

Chicago. Jan. s.-Civilian flying In
the United States Increased 20 per
cent in 1921 over tho preceding year,
according to review compiled by the
the department OF commerce at Wash
ington. Twelve hundred aircraft
Were operated by civilians during the
last year. flying a total OF more than
$500. 900 miles and carrying, approx
mately eI5,cc0 passengers. The figures
are based on authenticated reports TO
the aeronautical chamber OF commerce
from all sections of the country.
In the Last twelve months the avia-
tion has outgrown romance and is now
recognized as a practical art" says the
review. The year was crowded with
important events, and government,
state. municipal officials ana transpor-
tation experts are agreed that civilian
aeronautics must be developed for
peaceful transport and as "A reserve
arm of the national defense.
The L. s. air mail service in 1921
made such n record for efficiency on
the transcontinental route that It is
recognized as a model for civilian acr-
ial transport the world over. Letters
have been delivered in New York two
days after casual mailing on the Pa
cific coast. Tho service has an aver
age of ss.s2 per cent efficiency. that
IL, tcUlpl.ltu t1lls Oi stlt1uieu tiihe
since IL was started in 1918. Tho air
mail has during the last year complet-
cd its wireless communica ton system
the southern stations now having ra-
dio plants. three operated by tho navy
department and the others by the air
mail service. Last February, con-
| tinuous flight, with night flying, was
made between San Francisco and New
| York. Mail leaving the coast at 4.50
y. m. Feb. %. was delivered in New
York at 4:50 y. m. Feb. %.
Governors of States and heads Of
federal bureaus, have started cam
paigns for the acquisition Of municipal
| landing fields. Ordinances regulating
aerial traffic have been passed and
| enforced in scores OF municipalities.
| The American Bar Associa tfon, Aero
\ club of America, Aeronautical Cham
ber OF Commerce of America, Manu-
I facturors Aircraft Association and the
/ National Aircraft Underwriters asso-
! citation, the Society of AutomotiNe En-
( gineers and the NATIONAL Advisory
/ committee for Aeronautics have recog-
. nized tho necessity for n national ser-
| ial code. Their views have found cx-
preston in the Wadsworth- Hicks bill
now before congress providing for "A
bureau of oAvil aviation, In the depart
! ment of commerce.
Among the worlds records made
| during the year in America were those
of 1t. j. a. Macready of the Army Air
Service. who in September reached an
altitude of more than $1,000 feet above
/ Dayton. Ohio. parachute drops OF from
! 1000 to e5,0o0 feet madc by 1t. a. q.
| Hamilton and Sergt. Encil Chambers,
| of the Army Aid Service. the closed
| course speed record made by Bert
Acosta at the Pulitzer Race in Omaha
| in November when he covered tri-
angular course of $50 miles at a speed
Of 1868 miles an hour. Four passen-
| gers were carried to an altitude of 49,
500 feet over Port Washington, H. l.. in
| August.
| There were many other spectacular
| performances during the year. The
| first American National Aifway was
| opened by tho Army Air Service be.
tween Boiling Field, Washington. d
| c. and Dayton, Ohio. The navy de-
| partment released four million dollars
| worth of flying boat equipment for the
| civilian market.
Aviation units are being organized
| in the National Guard in many OF the
| states OF the union. Many improve
| mcnts were made in airplnne design
and In the internal combustion engine