San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-03-16
All. CURRENTS
MAY HELP To
I BREAK RECORD
May Secure Gordon Ben.
l,% nett Cup Races ..
~ Here. s3s.
NO CITY ENTRY YET
Expect Westerlies to Carry
Balloons Long
Distance.
no CITY ENTRY YET

An effort will be made to secure for
San Antonio the Gordon-Bennett
Worlds Balloon Race, according to
Col. c. c. Culver, who stated that
conditions surrounding the National
Race scheduled to start from this city
on April % are so encouraging from
climatic and atmospheric standpoints
that there is a current belief among
balloonists that not only the American,
but the worlds record will be broken
in the 1924 flight. In case these rec
ords are smashed by pilots in the San
Antonio event, this city will be in line
for the Gordon-Bennett Race, which
Is the largest balloon race in the
world.
The greatest interest in the nation
al race Of April % is the fact that the
American and the worlds records may
be broken Colonel Culver stated. "a
very careful survey of the situation re-
seals the fact that air currents 70
northeast from San Antonio, on a
direct line from this city to the juno
tion OF the Ohio and the Mississippi
rivers. From this point, the currents
80 directly toward the mouth of the
st. Lawrence, which is the objective in
the race.
q. S. Record 1850 Miles.
This atmospheric condition gives
q continuous field from this city 10
the goal. with a minimum amount of
danger over distance of 24oO miles.
The American record was made in
1910 by August Post and a Mr.. Haw-
ley, establishing the distance as 1850
miles. From San Antonio, it would
only be necessary to 90 $50 miles
north of st. Louis or Memphis. in
order to break the present American
. Colonel Culver further explained
that the worlds record was established
by Berliner in 1914, with 1896 miles
as the distance. To equal this record
1t would only be necessary for a bal
loon leaving San Antonio to travel as
far northeast as Syracuse, New York.
or Toronto, Canada. Landings for
several hundred miles beyond these
points are safe, Colonel Culver stated.
and air currents according to usual
conditions are still favorable, SO that
1T would not be difficult to break the
worlds record in free ballooning dur
ing the national race of April %.
Air Currents Here Favorable,
IF air currents move as they usual
ly do, it will be an easy matter for
pilots from San Antonio to smash
previous records in free ballooning.r
Colonel Culver said. "In case this
happens, San Antonio will be in line
for the worlds race, which is the
largest event to be staged in ballooning
anywhere in the western world. The
event has never been brought from
Europe, as European pilots usually
capture the record, but the city whose
race breaks past records is entitled to
the event"
The Weather Bureau is already in
yestgatlng. atmospheric conditions.
delying into past records Of wind velo-
cities, air currents and so forth, in
order to establish some sort of survey
of conditions that will govern the bal
looms after they leave Kelly Field.
according TO Colonel Culver.
. No definite word has been received
from Washington in regard to the
naval balloon requested by Colonel
Culver for San Antonio's entry in the
race, but Colonel Culver is still conf
dent that the Department of the Navy
VIII supply the needed ship. Had the
army's available supply for the race
not been exhausted by its own entries.
a San Antonio balloon could have been
secured from this source, but through
Colonel Culver's efforts this city still
hopes to enter its balloon in the ma.
tional event.