The New York herald., 1922-06-11
Lit. Reed Describes Condi-
tions Encountered in Re-
cent Competition.
HAD TO DODGE STORMS
Landed in Ozark Mountains,
445 Miles From His Start
ing Point.
By LIEUT.. wM. f. REED, JR..

BY LIEUT.. VIM. +. REED, JR..
U. s. N. X. F.
One of the contestants in the recent
elimination balloon race starting
from Mfl,cdukec.
The purpose of the national elimina-
ton balloon race at Milwaukee was to
enable the Aero Club of America to
select three teams to send to Switzer-
land for the international race for the
Gordon Bennett cup taken by the
Swiss from the Belgians in the fall of
1921; the Belgians took the cup from
the Americans in tEe race held at Bir-
mingham, Ala, in the fall of 1920.
In these events the meteorological
conditions have great deal to do with
the racing problem; aside from being
a skillful free balloon pilot one must
select attitudes for drifting with, the
winds that will constantly give him
good ground speed and carry him
away from the point Of departure. n
Racing pilots usually draw distance
circles every fifty miles away from
the place of departure using a large
chart, to enable them to quickly judge
their distance at any time during the
race and feel assured that they are
crossing to the outside of the circles.
AS rule the pilot brings forward the
line of his ground course hourly on
this chart, having obtained Ills ground
speed by ground speed reckoning in
struments and his direction by refer
ence to the compass
If he is not making distance from CEN
ter he is not worried If he is running
on or parallel with circle while search
ing up or down for another favorable
wind; but when the wind dies out or
changes SO as to bring his course inside
of circle or back toward the starting
| points he decides quickly whether he
will suffer temporary loss of distance
in the hope of eventually getting favor
able currents or come down with the
distance be has made.
Wide Range of Winds.
| On the afternoon of May 81 there was
perhaps the widest range of winds to
select from of any balloon race ever
| held in this country. The Weather Bu-
reau maps showed cyclonic disturbance
was moving northeastward from north
ern Michigan and cool wave with
clearing weather and northerly winds
had set in over the Dakotas. Nebraska,
Minnesota and Iowa.
Rains in Wisconsin ceased by noon
but there were still prospects for thun-
Huron. The balloons departed between
4 and 5 80 p. NJ. seventy-fifth meridian
time, when there were low stratus clouds
from the west. with surface vino north
northwest veering gradually to north
northeast when the last balloon left the
field
High aloft at perhaps 10000 to $4,000
feet. there was a southwest gale, but 1t
gave little assurance to the pilots of no
interference by thunderstorms over Lake
Huron, so that the majority preferred
the lower and safer routes. The real
racing winds proved to be in the high
Southwestern and the surface currents
from the northeast.
Inc navy was particularly interested
in the helium balloon it being the first
time a non-explosive gas had ever been
used in a free balloon. Helium has bout
80 per cent. the lift of hydrogen, but il
was agreed by some pilots to admit it
as a racing balloon IL sufficient air were
injected to reduce its lift to that equal
to the gas being taken, by the other
balloons, which gas had lift of Al
pounds per 1000 cubic feet; this how
ever. was ruled out on the rule that all
racing balloons must be filled with the
same gas. and Lieutenant Commander
Norfeet was permitted to demonstrate
what helium filed balloon would do
without actually entering the race. He
found that the only advantage was that
helium was non-exposive and that IL
was perfectly safe for the occupants OF
the basket to smoke or do cooking.
Data On the Racers.
landed near and the distances OF those
stations from Milwaukee are as fol-
lows (Thesc are not the official dis
tances given by the Aero Club OF Amer
lea but will be close to their figures)
Approx
distance.
Pilot. Landed near Miles
westover. Ou. s. Al Lake Johns. Quebec 300
Honeywell. Neosho. Mo. o.................. 5J0
Reed (U.s.N) Emlnence, Mo. ...,.... 445
Norfleet !U.sN); HANCOCK, Mo......... a2o
Van Ormond. Fayette. Mo............... $40
Razor. Fulton Mo-. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 365
Upson. Plainesvile Ohio. 355
Mcklbben. Aux~ Vase. Mo. .............. $50
he A \