San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-04-20
I BALLOONS To
WEIGH OFF At.
4:30WEDNESDAY.
Pilots All Here and Are
Watching Weather Con-
ditions Over Country.
NAME ONE FOR CITY
viii Try to Head Toward
the Mouth of the St.
Lawrence River.
NAME ONE FOR CITY

With no concern except for the kind
of weather that will prevail in the vi
cinity of San Antonio and through
out the country next Wednesday, Off
Gals of the San Antonio Aeronautic
Association and pilots OF balloons en-
tered in what is officially known as
the National Elimination Balloon
Race. are optimistic over the pros
pectiye outcome of the race which will
start from Kelly Field at 4 80 p. m,
The national race. held each year
under the auspices of the National
Aeronautic Association and IN COM
pliance with the rules of The lnterna-
tional Aeronautic Federation, has for
its purpose the selection of three pilots
to represent the United States IN the
international races for the Gordon
Bennett cup. The race is for distance,
but records may be made for both alti-
tude and endurance.
Heretofore the national races have
started from st. Louis, Kansas City
aud other points in the Central West.
From that section of the country to
the farthest limits to which the course
might extend was distance of ap-
proximately 400 miles. No opportun-
ity was offered for breaking the
worlds record of 1S96.S6 miles, which
was made in Europe in 1914.
Seven Balloons to Start.
Air currents from San Antonio flow
in the general direction of the mouth
of the st. Lawrence river. BY, start
ing from this city pilots will have a
possible course almost 1000 miles long
err than they would have from cities
in the vicinity of st. Louis. Favor
able climatic conditions will practical
ly assure a new American record and
provide an excellent chance for a new
WORLDS record.
This advantage, coupled with the
fact that the weather in the South
west during the month of April is or
dinarily favorable for a race of this
nature, and that the presence of nat
ural gas would make initiation of the
balloons easy, made it possible fol
the San Antonio Aeronautic Associa
ton to gain the sanction of the ma
tional association for the 1924 race
Seven balloonists, some of whom
have participated in internationa
races, have entered the race this veal
and are now in San Antonio will
their balloons ready for the start.
Capt. II. z. Honeywell of Clayton
Mo-, will represent the Co-Opera
with a balloon of $4,000 cubic
feet capacity. Captain Honeywell is
recognized as one of the leading bal.
loonists of the world and has CON-
peted in several national and inter
national races. Capt. It. f. Boudinot
of Kelly Field will be aide to Cap
tain Honeywell.
Name Balloon "San Antonio.s
Three balloons are entered by the
United States army. They are of So
900 cubic feet capacity and will be
piloted by Maj. Norman w. Peek,
Capt. W. Hill and Lieut.. Ashley c,
Mckinley. Their aides will be Lieuts.
W. A. Gray, James F. Powell and
Lawrence A. Lawson. Lieut.. Max f.
Meyer is an alternate pilot.
The Aircraft Development Associa-
ton of Detroit has entered balloon
of $4,000 cubic feet capacity. 1t will
be piloted by Herbert B. Thaden, who
will be accompanied by s. A. U. Ras-
rSussen as aide. This balloon will
Year the name of Detroit in large let
tiers.
Il. A. FOurnler or san Antonio, with
Il. E. Wills as aide, will pilot bal
loon of $4,000 cubic feet capacity. His
balloon has been named "San An.
tonic" and will represent this city in
the race.
w. IT. Van -Orman OF Akron, Ohio
will pilot a balloon entered by the
Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
c. X. Walam will be his aide. Their
balloon will be called Goodyear III
and will be 1852 cubic feet capacity
Mr.. Van Orman was one of the en-
trants in the national race last year.
The balloons will be inflated witt
q mixture of natural gas and hydro
gen gas in such proportion that {
Eft Of approximately 43 pounds t.
1000 cubic feet of gas will be obtained
Natural gas used in San Antonio hal
a lift of slightly more than twenty
pounds to 1000 cubic feet and hydro