The Bingham County news. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1918-1930, 1923-06-08
READY TO FLY
AROUND WORLD
Army Air Service Has Tentative
Route Already Planned.
MONEY ALL THAT'S NEEDED

The army afr service is ready e
start an airplane on a flight around
the world as soon as 1t can secure
enough money from congress to make
such trip possible. Tentative plans
have already been figured out by gov.
| eminent authorities.
The first stop of the airplane when
1t leaves Boiling field. near the ma
tlOnal 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 Oshotak and into Vladi-
vostok. OF course the attitude Of the
Bolsheviki would have to be consid-
cred and perhaps a 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
Bay Of Bengal and the Dokhan OF In
dia to Bombay. From this city the
route already laid out by British mill
tary airmen 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
dia 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 10000 Miles.
Experts estimate that the proposed
trip will cover about 10000 miles, and
that 1t will require four months travel
at the minimum. This latter estimate
is based on the recent flight from San
Antonio to Porto Rico and return,
trip which covered 5000 miles and re
quired a month, although the actual
flying time was only 81 hours.
The opinion prevails that speed
of 100 miles per hour can be main
tanned by the flyers and that they will
average only about five hours actual
flying per day. On that basis 1t will
require 90 days to make the trip with
out making any stops. AS matter /
Of fact it is estimated that at least so
Or 60 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 long journey by air and |
vas excellent training and expert
,nce for the personnel, 1t was In no
sense preliminary to the round-the- |
world journey. In making the flight |
% Porto Rico time was not an ele- !
nent and the flyers were permitted |
o rest and relax in Porto Rico.
On the other hand, those who. are i,
discussing the proposed round-the-
world trip realize that many unavoid- :
lble delays may occur during the jour
ley which will consume considerable
ime.
Army flyers believe that the To, the
emodeled thick-wing monoplane in
which Lieutenants Kelly and Nc
ready Of the air service set new
world records for distance, is suitable
or a flight around the world. Ger
ain additional notifications may be
ecessary to accomplish such long
light or 1t may be decided to con-
truct larger plane along the lines
f the To.
Ask Congress for Money. '
However, before the experiment can
e carried out it will be necessary for y
ongress to make a substantial ap-
ropriation for that purpose. 1t 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. c
There are no funds now available c
)r that purpose. Practically all Of +
lie money appropriated for the next r
seal year will be needed to replace \
'st, obsolete and disabled planes, so q
lat 1t will be necessary for congress Z
, be more generous in its appropria- n
on for the army afr service next e
Ear than during the last session. IN
In view Of the renewed discussion A
the probable importance the. air n
ane will play in the next war, and v
re recoepition OF that possibility by III
her nations " the way Of increased
for the air service, In
my officials In charge of the. air v
,rvjce believe sufficient funds will
. provided TO carry ont the proposed e
.periment and to make others Of 1,
lnal importance.
Army officials say that 1t is very a
.cessary to work out plans which A
Ill insure the safe journey Of air
anes on long and sustained trips D