The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1923-05-19
READY TO FLY
AROUND WORLD
Army Air Service Has Tentative
Route Already Planned.
MONEY ALL THAT'S NEEDED


The army air service is ready t.
start an airplane on a flight arount
the world as soon as it can secure
enough money from congress to make
such d trip possible. Tentative plans
have already been figured out by gov
eminent authorities.
The first stop of the airplane wher
1t leaves Boiling field, near the ma
tional capital, will be at Detroit, &C
cording to the present scheme.
From Detroit the flight will be re-
sumed across the lower portion of
Canada to Alaska and the Aleutian
| islands. The exact landing places in
| these regions have not been deter
mined, but the shortest route will be
selected across the Bering sea, which
would bring the plane to Kamchatka,
and in a favorable position to fly over
| the Sea of Oshotab and into Vladi-
! vostok. OF course the attitude of the
| Bolsheviki would have to be consid-
cred and perhaps change made in
the plans of crossing Siberia.
From either Vladivostok or JAPAN
| the flight would be along the coast of
China to Singapore, thence across the
dia to Bombay. From this city the
route already laid out by British mill
tary a&rmen would be followed. This
route would take the Americans across
MesOpOtamia, up the Mediterranean
TO Marseilles and then to Paris and
London. From England to the United
States either the Azores course would
be selected or the Greenland Canada
route
British airmen have already made
flights across Mesopotamia and to In
Ola and Australia, and the trip across
the Atlantic has also been made by
several flyers so that the only portion
of the world route which has not yet
been tested is that across the Boring
sea and the coast OF China
Trip to Cover $4,000 Miles.
Experts estimate that the proposed
trip will cover about 10000 miles, and
that it will require four months travel
at the minimum. This latter estimate
Is based on the recent fight from San
Antonio to Porto Rico and return,
trip which covered 5000 miles and re-
Quired 4 month, although the actual
flying time was only 81 hours.
The opinion prevails that 4 speed
OF 100 miles per hour can be MAIN
tanned BY the flyers and that they win
average only about five hours actual
flying per day. On that basis it will |
require go days to make the trip with |
out making any stops AS a matter !
of fact 1t Is estimated that at least so |
or go stops will be made, which will (
average one day each.
It has developed that while the |
flight to Porto Rico was helpful in |
giving a line on the equipment neces
sary for a long journey by air and
was excellent training and expert
ence for the personnel. it was in no
sense preliminary to the round-the
world journey. In making the flight L
to Porto Rico time was not an e1e-
ment and the flyers were permitted +
to rest and relax in Porto Rico.
On the other hand those who are
discussing the proposed round-the-
world trip realize that many unavoid-
able delays may occur during the jour
1ey which will consume considerable
line.
Army flyers believe that the T-2, the
'emodeled thfck-wing monoplane in
which Lieutenants Kelly and Nc
Jready of the air service set new
world records for distance, Is suitable
or 4 flight around the world Ger
ain additional notifications may be
necessary to accomplish such long
light or it may be decided to con-
truct a larger plane along the lines
t the To
Ask Conoress for Money.
y
e carried out it will be necessary for
ongress to make q substantial ap-
ropriation for that purpose. It is
that 1t will cost from $780,
90 to 100000 to properly equip an
irplane to make the long journey and
, establish the necessary oil, gas and
epair stations along the route:
There are no funds now available
'r that purpose. Practically all of
lie money appropriated for the next
seal year will be needed to replace
st, obsolete and disabled planes, so
lat 1t will be necessary for congress
be more generous in It's appropria-
on for the army air service next
ar than during the last session.
In view of the renewed discussion
the probable Importance the air
ane will play In the next war, and
e recognition of that possibility by
her nations In the way Of increased
preparations for the air service,
my officials in charge of the air
rvice believe sufficient funds will
provided to carry out the proposed
pertinent and to make others of
ual Importance.
Army officials say that 1t il very
cessary to work out plans which
IL insure the safe Journey OF air
ines on long and sustained trips.
her nations, they claim, are making