Evening star., 1924-11-23
May Commercialize Dirigibles
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

commercial aviation has developed to
an astonishing degree. There is a
network of air lines between the cap
ftals OF Europe. The London and
Paris route maintains frequent serv-
ice on regular schedule.
1t has long been said that fashion
able London women buy their gowns
In Paris and fashionable Paris men
buy their clothes and haberdashery
from the world famous Bond street
shops of London. The air traffic show
this to be largely true. A surprising
proportion Of the London-Paris air
traffic is in gowns going from Paris
to London and mems effects going in
the opposite direction. The cost of
operating air lines Is SO high that
only freight which bears a high value
In relation to its weight can be ship
ped to advantage. There is a great
amount of such freight and 1t Is near
ly always desired by purchasers in a
hurry.
It is pointed out by the proponents
Of COMMERCIAL aviation that the rich
bankers wife in a Middle Western
town would not balk at pavins a a
good. round sum to get a dress from
q Fifth avenue shop In a few hours.
Jewelry, money, valuable papers have
values so high in relation to their
weight that 1t would pay to transport
| them by air
Europe Uses Airplanea.
The European lines so far have
| been operated exclusively by heavier
! than air machines. that is, airplanes.
England, however, is building TIVE
| mammoth dirigibles to enter the In
| dian and the Australian trade and
Spain Is building one to trade across
| the Atlantic with South American
countries. This is regarded as a spe-
ctally practical enterprise as the
shortest distance across the Atlantic
Is from Monrovia, in Liberia, not far
south of Spain on the African coast
| to Pernan1buco, In Brazil.
The Navy Department has been in
formed that the two new British diri-
gibles will be twice as large as the
great ZR-3. That airship has a gas
capacity of 100000 cubic feet. The
British ships will each have a ca
pacity Of 100000 cubic feet. The ex-
perts in aeronautics, 1t appears, have
discovered that the larger gas capac-
ity up to a reasonable point. the low
er the cost OF carrying freight. A ship
twice as big as the zR-3 will have q
| lifting power, and, therefore. a carry
ing capacity of q good deal more
than twice as great. This seems to
forecast that airships will get bigger
| and bigger.
The Navy Department shortly will
begin a series of flights with the two
dirigibles for the purpose of deter
| mining costs of operation. The ma
terial gained from these experiments
| will be made available to commercial
| interests intending to enter the busi-
| ness. The data are expected to form
q basis on which rates for carrying
passengers and goods may be wisely
| calculated.
| Cost Of DirisibIe F1isht..
The cost Of operating dirigibles Is
| great. The initial cost Of the ships
is high. of course. There must be
maintained an expensive organization
to keep them running. Hangers
| mooring masts and fuel supply sta
tions are necessary. Presumably either
the Federal Government or local
| governments would be willing to
establish lighthouses for night travel
but even these might have to be pro-
vided by the operating companies
| More aid from Congress is expected
| in the future than has been vouch.
safed In the past, however. The record
breaking trips of the two American
dirigibles, the round-the-worl flight
the dawn-to-dusk transcontjnental
flight and other outstanding aeronau-
tical achievements have centered at.
! tention on the science as 1t never
has been before. The time may not
be far distant when travel BIZ air VIII
be not uncommon.