The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-01-09
BIG INCREASEIN
CIVILIAN FLYING
Aeronautics Must Be Developed For
Peaceful Transport And Reserve
Arm OF Defense.

icent in 1921 over the preceding year,
according 10 a review compiled by the
/, Aeronautical Chamber OF Commerce
/ for the Department OF Commerce at
| Washington Twelve hundred aircraft
J We're operated by civilians during the
/ last year, flying total OF more than
$500, 600 miles and carrying approx
mately 275.o00 passengers. The figures
are based on authenticated reports to
the Aeronautieal Chamber OF Com
naerce from ali sections of the country
In the last twelve months the avia-
ton has outgrown romance and is now
crowded with important events, and
government. state, municipal officials
and transportation experts are agreed
I that civilian aeronautics must be de-
veioped for peaceful transport and a
reserve arm of the national defense.
THE U. S. Air Mail Service in 1921
made such a record for efficiency on
the trsnseontinental route that it is
recognized as a model for civilian aerial
transport the world over Letters have
been delivered In New York two days
after casual mailing on the Pacific
Coast. The service has an average Of
$3.50 per cent efficiency, that is. COM
pleted trips on scheduled time since it
was started in 1913 The Air Mail has
! during the last year completed its
wireless communication system, the
fourteen stations now having radio
plants. three operated by the Navy De-
partment and the others by the Air
Mail Service. Last February, a con-
tinuous flight, with night flying, was
4 made between San Francisco and New
York. Mail leaving the coast at $3.50
p. m, February 22, was delivered in
New York at 4:59 p. M, February 90
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 Association, Aero
/ Club OF America, Aeronautical Cham
Der OF Commerce OF America, Manufac-
turers Aircraft Association and the
National Aircraft Underwriters Asso-
ciation the Society of Automotive En-
gineers and the national advisory COM
mittee for aeronautics have recognized
the necessity for a national aerial
code. Their views have found express
sion in the Wadsworth- Hicks bin now
before Congress providing FOR bureau
Iof civil aviation, in the Department OF
/ Commerce.
| Among the worlds records made
during the year in America We're those
of Lit. J. A. Maeready, OF the army air
service, who in September reached an
altitude of more than 81, 500 feet above
Dayton, Ohio, parachute drops of fror
20, 900 to $4,000 feet made by 1t. A. c.
Hamilton and Sergt. Encn Chambers
OF the army air service, the clos
| course speed record made by A.
Acosta. at the Pulitzer Race in Omaha.
in November, when he covered tri-
angular coure of $50 miles at a speed
/ of 1853 miles an hour. -Four passen-
gers were carried to an altitude of
1850 feet over Port Washington. L. L,
| in August
There were many other spectacular
| performances during the year The
| first American National Airway was
opened by the army air service between
Boiling Field, Washington, D. c.. and
! Dayton, Ohio. The Navy Department
released $4,000 600 dollars worth OF fly
ing 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
ments were made In airplane design
and and in the internal combustion en-
CINE. Motors were made more reliable,
more economical as far as fuel con-
sumption is concerned, and more eff
| Client.
THE aerial torpedo was produced
The 4.S0o pound aerial bomb was also
made and tested successfully, the arm
ored monoplane carrying 30 machine
guns was produced as was the torpedo
carrying plane and the navy triplane
scout The geared propeller and null
tiple drive system was tested success
fully at East Greenwich, r. T. 1t per-
mits the Harvesting OF three motors to
one propeller. Perhaps dozen differ
ent types Of small sport machines were
produced in this country in 1921.
.-The United States Navy completed
It's giant dirigible hangar at Lakehurst.
n. J. The Navy blirnp CT was filled
with non-inflammabIe heium gas and
flown over Washington, D. c., to DEM
onstrate its practicability. 1t. Ross
Kirkpatrick made an American endure
ance flight record OF is hours and 6
minutes at Mitchell Field, l.. o. The
| Navy launched a seaplane from its
first catapult at League Island Navy
| Yard, Philadelphia, preparatory to
equipping surface craft with fighting
and scout planes.
sForty-one army airplanes operating
on the Aerial Forest Patrol IN the Ma
tional Forests on the Pacific slope
made $50 patrols the last season, dis
covered 832 fires and daily provided
protection to 7,230.459 square miles OF
valuable timber lands. Marine Corps
planes used in revenue service located
many stills on the Eastern coast and
one occasion, last Sept. 2, located an
entire rnoonshine village. The Bureau
Of Aeronautics was organized by the
Navy Department thereby coordinat-
ing the various divisions OF Naval
AVIATION The first air brigade was or
ganized by the army air service at
Langley Field. Va. Filters patrol the
entire Mexican border daily. The air