Evening star., 1924-05-25
BY LIEUT.. Il. j. BROWN, Jr., U. .. A..
Chairman, World Flight Committee.

Js
Chairman, World Flight Committee.
After the successful completion of
the air voyage across the Pacific
Ocean, for the first time in history, on
May Il. 1924, thus adding another
aeronautical achievement TO the rec
ords of the United States Army air
service, the three Army airplanes
were delayed at kashiwabara Bay.
Paramushiru Island in the kurile Is
I lands of Japan. until May 20. On this
date the f1iers left Paramnshiru and
after seven hours and eleven minutes
flying through low fog, with very low
visibility for the greater part or the
distance, arrived at Hitokappu Bay.
They were delayed here until May %.
duo to bad weather and to unfavor-
able weather reports from Japa n
proper.
Longest Flying Day.
On this date the fiiers put in moIe
flying time than they have accumu-'
lated on any one day since the start
of the exhibition. They left Hitok-
kapu Bay at 5:33 and landed at Mi
nato, after flying over and under fog,
five hours and ten minutes later
Trouble on airplane No. =, caused by a
Snort in the battery, required them TO
remain at Minato until 1:l5 In the
afternoon. They took off this time,
and four hours and twenty minutes
later arrived at KaSumigaura naval
air station, near Toxic. This station
is actually fifty miles northwest of
Toxic. but Is the nearest Seaplane
base to the capital of Japan. The to-
tai flying time for this day was nine
hours and thirty minutes.
Must Cross Yellow Sea.
Although the flight had been al
lowed about a week to recondition at
this place, where extra motors. new
pontoons and the various small &C
cessories to overhaul the airpianes
have been concentrated, Indications
are that they will leave here within
three or four days, and since they
have only two more scheduled stops
in Japan. at kushimoto. near Osaka.
and at Kagoshima, on the southern
end of Kyushu. 1t is anticipated that
the long water flight over the Yellow
Sea will be accomplished some time
this week. Four United States naval
destroyers will patrol these waters
during the passage of the flight. to
report their progress by radio and 10
act as convoy for the airplanes and
landing.
shows Increased Speed.
The completion of 1,3S0 miles,
through the second division of the
route, which lies entirely in the ia
panese empire. in two days, is an in
dication OF the increase in speed the
flyers can make, now that they are
back in civilization.
The stops and mileage in japan, are
as follows:
Kashiwabara, Kuriles, Japan,
To Bettobu, kuriles, Japan, $40
miles.
To Minato. Honshu. Japan. AIS miles.
To kasumigaura. Japan. 395 miles.
To Kushimoto, Japan, $50 miles.
To kagoshima. Japan, $50 miles.
Total miles In Japan, 2,12o. of
which 1880 miles has been completed.
Each Hop 500 Miles.
The average length of the flights
between each stop is now less than
500 miles, and questions have recently
not longer. The fact that a nonstop
transcontinental flight was made last
year of more than $500 miles, would
lead one to believe that . series of
called) would greatly simplify the
flight round the world. 1t must be
remembered. however, that several
attempts were made before this nom
stop transcontinental flight was sue.
cessful. The strain on the personnel
for successive flights of this nature
Is too great. Furthermore, the Lib
erty engines being used on the world
flight, although they are the most re-
liable aeronautical engines In the world,
may not be counted upon every time to
withstand a continuous strain such as
long flights of this nature would
impose.
DfmcuIt to Get Reports.
Another important consideration is
| the fact that il is practically fmpos-
proposed route round the world to
| obtain accurate meteorological re-
ports and weather forecasts FOL
greater distances than 500 miles, due
to the rapidly changing atmospheric
| conditions, as well as a lack of proper
| communication facilities between
many of the more remote stops In
| uninhabited areas of the globe.
To start long fight of more than
1000 miles without knowing weather
| conditions and route at the other enc
of the flight might result in the ar
planes having to go back the wholt
distance that had been covered, Whicr
| would not be necessary II interme-
diate landings were possible as they
are in the present plans.
In addition the flight must take
| considerable personal equipment and
supplies in the airplanes. and the
weight or this material necessarily y
| cuts down the weight of the fuel that
| could be carried. For the foregoing
| reasons, the hops for the round-the.
| world flight average a little less than
| 500 miles, although the airplanes to
| be used are capable of non-stoI
flights of more than 1900 miles as
| seaplanes and more than 1900 miles
when used as land planes.
Night Increases Hazards.
Longer flights than planned. aside
from the foregoing considerations
| are impracticable, as 1t would require
night flying over unknown and unin-
| habited areas, thus greatly increasing
| the hazards which are being en-
countered by the expedition. A flight
from 400 to 500 miles, requiring six to
seven hours, can be accomplished In
daylight and several hours will still
| remain for servicing airplanes and
| placing them in condition for a s1mi-
| lar flight on the next day.
| When the flyers reach India ant
| substitute wheels for pontoons, 1t IL
expected that they will make mucf
| longer flights and thus bring UP theil
| average, which has been lowered BY
\ the bad weather in the North Pacific
Survey North Atlantic Route.
The arrival of the flyers in Japar
was the signal for the departure Of
g.