San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-03-17
Will Return to Clover Field
If They Encounter
Bad Weather.
MAY RUN INTO RAIN
Fliers Due to Arrive in Sac.
ramento, Calf, Mon
day Afternoon.

CIoyerfield. Santa Monica, Cal.
March 17.-The Army flight around
the world started today at 8 30.
Maj +. l.. Martin was the first to
get away.
Lieut.. Leigh Wade, photographer of
the flight, was the second to leave. and
Lieut.. Lowell III. Smith, pilot of the
flight, was third.
The world cruisers circled around
Clover Field for altitude as a large
crowd waved farewell.
They flew in formation with Major
Martin to the front and Licutcnants
Smith and Wade parallel to the rear.
Major Martin received reports from
an army plane and DIR. Ford Carpen-
ter indicating that three layers of fog
over the Tehachapi Pass would make
the way to SaSsmento.
Colonel Hersey. weather forecaster
at Los Angeles. advised the filters that
forecasts of showers in the valleys
make flying conditions 'unfavorable.
Major Martin, from his plane, an
nounced that they would take chance
ON the clouds and return here if con-
ditions were unfavorable for flying in
the valley.
The three cruisers headed for Sacra-
mento. their first stop at 9:40 o'clock.
Lieut.. Col. William +. Gilmore,
air officer of the Ninth Corps Area.
led seventeen airplanes from Crissy
Field, San Francisco, as escort to the
world filters.
The three world cruisers and seven
teen accompanying army airplanes
from Crissy Field, San Francisco. are
due to land in Sacramento asout :
o'clock. it was announced by Lieut..
Coriss G. Mosely, commander OF
Clover Field.
Late last night Mai. Frederick l..
Martin of Chanute Field. Illinois,
commander of the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
flight. declared that from mechani-
cal standpoint. all conditions were IA
yorable for the globe-circling journey.
First Lieut.. Erik III. Nelson Of
DAYTON. Ohio, flight engineering Off
Ger. who flew the fourth plane, TO
San Diego yesterday for compass ad-
justment. is not expected back before
noon today.
Flight Not Race.
The flight starting today is not q
race around the world but is A
pioneering, exploration trip. careful
~ mapped out TO determine a prac-
teal airway around the world and
TO obtain scientific data on the CT
fecx of various climates on modern
aircraft. There will be no spectacu-
lar dashes, although many legs OF the
great journey will be replete with
thrills in the variety of climate ex-
perienced, from Arctic TO tropic varia-
tons.
During the four or more months of
the flight, the aviators will be out of
sight of land only four times. The
longest jump will be some seven hun
bred miles, and stations have been
established around the earth. with
experienced army fliers already there.
or in the most remote ones Ell route.
From these stations information
will be relayed back to earlier points
10 provide the filters with complete
Information on terrain and meteoro-
logy.
1t will be a journey with the sun,
SO arranged that the most desirable
may be met The Arctic region is
accessible only in the spring, there
fore it is best suited to go through
the Aleutian Islands aross the Pa
cific in April. This time will bring
the filters into the Far Eastern lit
toral in time to clear through Asia
before the summer typhoon season and
through the Greenland. Iceland. re
gion before the winter season starts.
To Change Gear at Seattle.
The flight will be up the Pacific
coast to Alaska with. an overnight
stop at Sacramento. Cal. tonight. an
other stop at Vancouver Barracks.
Washington. Tuesday, and a sojourn
Of several days ut Seattle. beginning
Wednesday. for the purpose of chang
ing landing gear for pontoons. Thence
the cruisers will fly over British Co
luinbia TO Alaska. across the AlcutiaH
Islands to the KurilcS. north of
Japan. down through Japan. across
Chosen to China. down the Chinese
,oast through French Indo-ChiHa.
Burma. India 10 Persia. over MeSo-
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