Evening star., 1923-10-23
Practical Use of Aircraft
Now Believed to Be at Hand

The record Of the last three weeks
in aviation circles has convinced the
majority of editors that not alone the
mail service, but passenger and
freight traffic must prove material
factors in the conquest of the air
during the coming year. When Ad-
niral Moffett, commander of the naval
air service some time ago announced
that the ZR-3, now under construc-
ton in Germany, eventually will
make two-day trips between London
and New York, carrying mail, he was
thought to be dealing in hopes rather
than in facts. The performances of
he Shenandoah. a much smaller
lirigible. however. coupled with tie
our miles-a- minute rate of. speed
achieved at the st. Louis air contests,
has caused many editors who for
merly were skeptical TO reconsider
and agree that the next twelve months
should see many of the aviation plans
now on paper transformed into
actualities.
One important development was
the maximum speed" has been
achieved so far as heavier than-ai
machines are concerned, and that,
while the 500 miles hour airplane
is feasible. friction would burn 1t up
in the air. This leads to the belief
hat hereafter manufacturers, govern
ment agencies and pilots generally
will devote more time to safety plans
and practical work than to spectacu-
lar flights. Yet. as the New York
were built many young men would
be found to fly it" while other
editors seem convinced that Curtiss
is somewhat of an alarmist.
r
The Wichita Eagle feels that the
Army and Navy cost too much, so
far as their aviation experiments are
concerned. although they do bring
some good to civilian and commercial
aviation. but only indirectly. The
Post Office Department, with the same
money, could do at least thousand
times as much good through the air
mail" Another skeptic this time so
far as the iighter-than-air type is
concerned Is the Waterbury Repub-
lican, which insists that "if there is
ever to be any profitable object II
aviation the dirigible must be ap-
proximately as durable and efficient
as the transatlantic liner" In his
connection the Canton News points
out that the flights of the ZR-1 are
mot a criterion by which to Judge
the performance of an even larger
craft in transoceanic voyage. Cen
orally speaking, weather conditions
at sea are much more feared
than conditions on the land. In an
emergency a dirigible could come to
the ground and its passengers and
crew be saved. There is nothing 10
become pessimistic about In all this:
AS time goes on we may be assOred
that a way will be found for making
possible adventures in the air that
are now impossible"
The Springfield Union is convinced
that with the increased element of
safety resulting from the use of
tions of speed and the cost of the
service would be the factors most
likely to determine the patronage "t
any aerial passenger line. Whether
or not 1T could be made to pay 49,
of course, problematical. The tn3ti-
tuition of the TRANSATLANTIC aerial
mail service. however, may lead the
way to the fulfllment of the predic-
tions of rapid passenger service be-
tween America and Europe. While
giving Admiral Moffett great credit
for what has been accomplished Dy
the Navy and for the success of the
ZR-1, the Springfield Republican feels
announcement of a regular mall
service has not been preceded by that
amount of experiment and practice
which has usually been essential be-
fore any new means of transportation
or COMMUNICATION has been made
practically available" In this con-
nection, holsever. the Mobile Register
feels aviation is first of all a mill
tary undertaking. Europe Is crlss-
crossed with air routes, wtilea COM