Evening star., 1925-07-26

the latest record attained by the
French pilot Callizo is 1856 feet.
When Orville Wright remained In
flight for few minutes over one hour
it was hailed as q remarkable perform
ance, but now the record exceeds 81
hours. An Army airplane has carried
useful load of over tons to an
altitude Of l mile.
These are only the most important
performance records. Out of "a recog-
nized world records for airplanes and
seaplanes, American pilots hold 46;
French, 25, and Italian, s.
There is one discordant note in the
aircraft situation of this country. 1t
is the complaint of airplane manufac-
turers regarding their precarious eX-
istence, due to scarcity of construc-
ton orders. Previous to our declara-
ton of war against Germany in 1917,
there were less than half-dozen man.
ufacturers of airplanes in the United
States, each with a very small fac
tory. The demands for war purposes
caused enormous expansion of these
original factories and the establish
all of these manufacturers have re-
duced their plants somewhat since
the war, the aggregate is far greater
than the industry requires.
Engineering research and develop
ment of improved types of airplanes
has continued with most creditable
results, but at a very great cost, and
without the quantity production to
warrant the aggregate of factory
facilities being maintained. Following
the popular custom, the aircraft man
ufacturers blame their difficulties on
the Government and its methods,
while economic conditions continue to
embarrass and terminate the exist
ence of some of these firms.
The commercial employment of air
planes for carrying passengers over
regular airways has been developed
extensively in Europe, through gen.
erous subsidies granted by several
governments. In the United States,
the long standing sentiment against
Government subsidies does not permit
of similar development, although our
wide eXpanse of territory is more
favorable to air transport than in
any European country except Russia.
The resulting prosperity of aircraft
manufacturers in Europe, particularly
in France, adds materially to the dis
couragement of American manufac-
turers of airplanes. The outstanding
achievement of air transportation in
the United States is the air mail now
SuSCSoSLulIy OpcIdtlLS at night
**+
THE dirigible balloon type of air
craft, more conveniently desig-
mated as airship, has had far more
gradual development than the air
plane. Nearly 150' years ago the first
balloon ascended by applying the nat
ural phenomenon that hot airis lighter
in weight than colder air. Soon there
after chemists discovered the value
of the element hydrogen. 1t was tried
for balloon ascensions and found to
be much more effective than the
heated air. Since then hydrogen has
continued in use for initiating balloons
and airships to the present time.
No particular inspiration was re
quired to think of adding motive pow
er to a balloon so that it might be
steered in any desired direction. That
was first accomplished in very crude
way by manually operated cars or
paddles. The next experiment uti-
lized a small steam engine (Giffard,
1852, although recognized as very
dangerous with fire so near the hy-
drogen gas bag, besides the prohibi-
tive weight.
Forty years ago Capts. Renard and
Krebs of the French army eliminated
the fire hazard by providing an cleo
trio motor propulsion, using batteries,
but the weight carried was too great