San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-03-30
! SEVEN ENTRIES
IN NATIONAL
. BALLOON RACE
Absence Of Navy Regret
ted as They Liven Up
Matters.
TEST AIR CURRENTS
Captain Honeywell Expects
to Break the Worlds
Record.
TEST AIR CURRENTS


been entered in the National Elimir
alton Balloon race at the close Q
entries Saturday afternoon, official
of the San Antonio Aeronautic As
ISOLATION are confident that the rae
that starts from Kelly Field, Apr
% will prove the best ever held i
this country.
The one cause for regret, the OF
ficials state. is the fact that the nav,
has found it impossible to be repre-
sented in the national race this year
In the races of other years the arm,
and navy have each been represente,
by three balloons, and the competition
and craftsmanship of the event hav
been greatly enhanced by the pres
ence of the navy representatives.
In spite of the absence of the navy
pilots, the quality of the race is ex
pected TO be above that of all former
races. The start of the race from
San Antonio makes it possible for the
entrants TO break the worlds record
and still land in the United States
BY continuing the flight into Canada,
they may possibly add several hun
dred miles to the present record.
May Enter Race Yet.
Word has been received by che
Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
that two of the army balloons will
be shipped direct to that store from
the Goodyear factory. They will be
turned over 10 the Air Service Off
GERS on their arrival.
Entrance into the balloon race may
yet be gained, under the rules cover
ing the race, by securing the written
consent Of all entrants and the ap-
proval of the race committee. Race
officials express the opinion that
there would be no difficulty in gain
ing the consent of the pilots in case
other balloonists desire to participate
in the race.
Members Of the San Antonio
Aeronautic Association are especially
anxious for a successful termination
OF the national race because thew ex-
pect to apply for the next interna-
tional race held in this country. II
new worlds record is set from here.
chances of securing the next inter.
national event held in America will
be extremely good.
The International Balloon Race for
the Gordon Bennett Balloon Trophy
is the Oldest aeronautical classic in
the world. The trophy was presented
by James Gordon Bennett to be con-
tested for annually by free balloons
In q contest for distance. The dis
lance credited to the pilots is that
measured on the arc of q great circle
from the point of departure to the
point of landing without reference to
the course taken by the balloon.
Raced From Birmingham,
The first international race was
held in France in 1906 and was won
by I. Z. Lahm of the United States.
The next year the race was started
from st. Louis and resulted in a vic
tory for /. Erbsloh of Germany. In
accordance with the rule that the in
ternational race start from the coun-
try of which the winner of the prev
lous race was native, Berlin Sc
cured the start of the race in 1903.
Colonel Setback of Switzerland was the
winner.
In 1909 the international race
started from Zurich, Switzerland, and
was won by E. Mix of the United
States. st. Louis was again awarded
the start in this country for the race
of 1910, and A. r. Hawley Of this
country was the winner.
The 1911 start was made from
Kansas City, and the race was won
by Gericke of Germany. A French
man, A. Bienaime. won the 1912
race, which started from Stuttgart.
The 1913 race started from Paris and
was won by Ralph Epson Of the
United States.
Birmingham. Ala, secured the
start of the 1920 race, which was
the first held after the close of the
World War. Lieutenant Demuyter
was the winner. The race in 1921
started from Brussels and was won by
Captain Paul Armbruster of Switzer-
land. Lieutenant Demuyter became
the first two-time winner in the in
ternatlonal race by winning again
in 1922. This race started from
Geneva. The race this year starts
from Brussels in June.
35,425 Feet Up Is Record
The National Elimination Balloon
Race is held in this country each
year for the purpose Of choosing three
contestants to represent the United
States in the international race. AL.
ready the National Aeronautic AS
sociation has entered three balloons
in the international event for 1924.
The pilots of these balloons will be
the three who cover the greatest dis
lance in the San Antonio race.
Records for duration, although not
the element in determining the win
ner in the balloon race for distance,
are also taken cognizance of. II the
time a contestant remains in the air
exceeds the present worlds record for
duration, new record will be Off
cially recognized. The present record
for duration was made in 1913 by
III. kaulen, who started from Ger
many in a flight Of 81 hours dura-
ton.
The same thing is true about alti-
fude records. The present worlds
record is 5,425 feet and was made
in 1901 by Surfing and Berson. who
also started from Germany. If any
contestants in the national race ex-
coed this altitude, they will be credit
ed with a new record.
Distance Record 1895 Miles.
The worlds record for distance is
1865 miles and was made by Ber-
liner in 1914. He, too, got his start
from Germany. None of the records
were made during an international
race.
The American record Of approx
mately 100 miles was made by Haw-
ley during the international race that
started from st. Louis in 1910.
IL a map of the United States and
Eastern Canada is taken and an arc
drawn upon II with San Antonio as
the center and tee worlds record for
distance as a radius, the are will pass
Just east Of Quebec and Augusta,