Arizona republican., 1922-06-25


of uncertainty are quite different in
the two cases and it is interesting 10
draw some comparisons between
them.
The two chief obstacles to sat
isfactory completion of a road TRIP
in former days were road condltlons
and the mechanical unreliability Oh
the car. The aerial tourist OF today
has to face unknown weather condl-
tions in the line of flight and the
possibility of a forced landing on an
unprepared field to replenish his fuel
supply or make some trivial ADJUST
ment.
What then will be the steps nee
essary to place aerial touring on a
par with road touring? The answer
| is that this evolution will take place
| by ACCOMPLISHMENTS paralleling those
| which led to the rapid growth of the
automobile industry and the conse-
/ quent extensive rise of the motor car
| for touring purposes.
| 1t is an established fact that once
| a mechanism has been developed be-
yond the experimental stage, its
commercial development is carried
| out along certain well defined lines
| and this will apply as we'll to the
airpane, as it has to the automoolie,
/ radiophone. photograph etc.
In the case of the airplane, how
ever, we have a somewhat distorted
perspective of it's growth, due to the
| tremendous impetus given to its de-
veIopment during the world war.
| What we are inclined to lose sight
| OF is that the war plane was more or
| less Of specialized. development, IN
which not the slightest attention was
paid to commercial or civic require
ments.
The urgency of the situation de-
| nlanded that all other considerations
give wav to speed maneuverability,
high ceiling and similar performance
requirements, practically none OF
which is of the least Importance
| compared with the basic needs OF
commercial aviation.
| We are only now beginning to ap-
preciate that the enormous growth
| of aviation during the war represent
| ed what might be termed a false
! start toward the era of aerial trans
| portation and that in many instances
| it will be necessary to retrace our
steps and find the correct path to
our goal.
Not that would belittle the value
! of the results attained by the enor-
I
nut forward during the war in the
| development of the airplane, for
| fully believe that in the four years
/ from 1914 to 1918 there was crowded
! at least ten years of ordinary deyel-
| opment.
A few examples will indicate the
| wide difference between the require
ments of a fighting and a touring
| airplane.
4 Starting with the engine, great
i power combined with the minimum
| of weight were sought for battle
/ planes; .smoothness and low fuel con
sumption were not considered prlze
essentials. A high degree of reliabil-
i ity was demanded. it is true. but this
had to be sacrificed to a certain ex-
tent to obtain extreme lightness
Cost was no object and ease oi
maintenance was placed low in the
order of Importance.
Now, the touring airplane OF th'
future will undoubtedly have an en-.
CINE with practically the opposite
4 characteristics. In the first place
the passengers comfort. and yislor
will be carefully studied and the oper
cock pit and cramped quarters of the
war plane will be a thing of tn
past. Ordinary street clothes will b'
worn by the aerial tourist so tina
adequate protection from the wine
and rain must be provided. Second
ly, the plane will be far less flinlsy II
construction than the flying ciga
boxes with which we are familiar.
All these developments are wei
under way. Engines are now beins
built to have many times the endur-
ance Of the wartime engine. All
metal planes are being built ant
flown.
The development. however, Is be
ing carried on under serious handi
caps due to lack of support othe
than that furnished by the govern
ment in developing new types Q
army and navy equipment.
The early development of the auto
mobile was assisted by strong popu'
lar support which rendered possibl,
the marketing of machines whicl
were by no means perfect. Sucl
support is largely lacking in the cas-
of the airplane, mainly because peo
pie who can afford airplanes woult
be unable to derive full benefit from
them largely because of the lack o
flying facilities throughout the coun
try. :,
Another contributing handicap u
the lack of financial support base
on the relatively poor earning poWe
of present day commercial alrplanes
But, in spite of these handicaps
aviation is steadily progressing an'
every effort is being made to max
planes more durable and less cost.
to produce and operate.
For example, the Packard Moto