Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-05-07
Balloon Races Are
Of Scientific Value

The editorial on Ia lloon races in
your last Sundays issue brings up
certain questions In which l believe
your readers should be interested.
The facts brought out in Your edi
torial are correct, but the opinions
and differences seem rather mislead-
ing. You say that these balloon
races are OF doubtful value. yet i'm
mediately go on to give the WAYS
in which they are of value
You say that they demonstrate bat
little beyond the skill and judgment
of the pilots. Let us suppose, for
argument, that balloon racing LA
no value al ali except as sport.
Still 1t might be weil worth while
If # brought out the skill and JId2
ment OF the pilots. Rsilocn rae
inS can be regarded. if VOu like. rs
a pure sport, but why apologize for
IL any more than for any other hne
sport? In this respect 81 is not even
necessary to find direct practice !
uses for IL, yet, az q matter or tact.
there il no sport in the world that
has such practical value. II is n
part the very limita lions in las CON
troll that give free ba Noon -
greatest value for training purpose ;.
fected by winds and weather cOnd,-
lions, even though it may have
means Of locomotion within itself.
In free ha llOOn this particular
factor OF wind and weather becomes
the controlling one. The weathor
factor can thus be accurately stud
led by itself and experience gained
that can be applied to the opera
ton OF any kind oil aircraft.
Storms similar to thar which de-
stroyed the Shenandoah can be safe
ly negotiated in free balloon, ana
under such conditions That they Will
speed and engine power OF the air
craft itself.
As far as safety ~ concerned YOU
seem to infer that ba iloon racing is
very dangerous. As :act. fl is
quite the opposite. In the wloi- Ms.
tory OF the big interna tiOnal ~ cee,
which have usually been held ever
comparatively dangerous COUNTRY,
there has been only one in which
any fatalities occurred. Compare
this, II YOU Will. with any similar
series OF automobile or airpiane
races But even allowing that some
risk will occs sionallY be taken iv
the contestants. Is it not much bet
be sacrificed In the pursuit Of
meteorological experience than that
we should have any more Shcnan-
doah disasters and countless air
plane accidents. due to insufficient
knowledge OF meteorJ'ogi:al c"ndi
tons"
1t il true that because OF limita-
tons OF the huma mind when faced
with the infinite combinations of ma.
ture. prearra nged plans are not Al
ways fulfilled. Currents MAY be
sought which do not exist. and cur.
rents NAV be followed which do not
ultimately lead to the desired la nding
place. but these are the things which
give balloon racing its principal
charm. They are the things which
show better than anything else that
We are still very far from knowing all
there Is to be known about the
weather.
The extent to which science does
win races. however. may readily be ap
preciated from the fact that the "a me
man. Ward Y. Van Orman. has been
the winner of the American national
race three times in succession. the
rea son being very clearly that he ha
used the best combination OF scien
tffic knowledge. practical skill and
sound judgment.
Coming to YOUR last para gra phi no
one that ] know OF makes any claim
that free ballooning is much help in
the construction OF other types OF air
craft. but its contribution to the train
ing OF individuals in aerostatics, naVi-
CATION and. more particula rly. in me-
teorolosy is OF the very first impOr.
lance.
One other question that might be
brought up in this connection is
why must balloons be raced tn get
training value The Navy has made
it policy for the past two wears not
TO enter the races. but merely TO use
free balloons for necessary routine
training purposes. To nv mind this
is mistake. for anything worth do
| ing Is worth putting ocCa sionallv into
competitive form. Balloon racing EN-.
ploNs the same principle as ordina ry
ballooning, but in some form that
valuable compa risons can be made be
tween different plans of operation. 1t
is also the form that brings out most
readily the hest that there is in
man: for. define ii az YOU will, il is
usually the competitive spirit that
wins in any line of human endeavor.
TO realize the truth of these state.
ments, | think YOU need only make q
single flight in free balloon. and
YOU may consider that you have an
invitation to 60 up the next time that
YOU are in Detroit
Detroit. Mich. RALPH n. UPSON.