The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-06-21
PACIFIC AWAITS
AIR MAGELLAN
TO RIVAL Indy
Transatlantic Flight Next
Goal for Aviation Leaders
of America.

| BIZ United Press
WASHINGTON, June 2l.-The
world awaits the aerial Magellan of
the Pacific!
Twepty-eight years after Colun-
bus found track across the At
lantic, Ferdinand Magellan sailed
out of the straits that now bear his
name and on November %, 1920,
entered the broad Pacific. He ar
rived at Samar island in the Philip
pines group on March Is, 1921.
Charles Lindbergh struck an air
trail across the Atlantic in May,
1927. Will it be a few weeks or
many years until his Pacific rival
traces an airway to the Orient.
The general expectation in avia-
ton quarters here is that the Pacific
Coast to- Honolulu section of the
trans-Pacific flight will be accom-
plished during the present summer.
Numerous possible routes for
trans-Pacific aviators have been
suggested, but that which thus far
has received most attention here
would be flight from San Fran
cisco to Manila by way of Honolulu
and Guam. The distances are quite
feasible with present types of ma
chimes. and with the exception Of
| the San Francisco Honolulu leg
could be shortened by landings at
intermediate points.
A possible route for trans-Pacific
fliers from the Pacific Coast to
Manila would be as follows: San
Francisco to Honolulu, 2091 nautical
miles; or Los Angeles to Honolulu,
1923 nautical miles.
The shortest navigation route
from Honolulu to Guam would be
1887 miles. but there are two inter-
mediate points where landing might
be made. The aviator might pro-
coed, for example, via the Midway
Islands, in which case distances
would be: Honolulu to Midway,
1149 nautical miles; Midway to
Guam, 1901 nautical miles.
No People at Wake
About halfway between Midway
Islands and Guam lies Wake Island,
also under the American flag. There
are no people on Wake Island, and
there is.said to be no fresh water
there, but the place might be sup
piled in advance.
The shortest navigation route
from Guam TO Manila. via San Ber-
nardino straits, is 1901 nautical
miles, an easy hop for a modern
plane.
The distances given indicate that
the first hop from the Pacific Coast
to Honolulu would be the longest Of
the trip, unless the aviator prof.
ected a nonstop jump from Homo
lulu to Guam.
In the Hawaiian Islands, where
general geographical conditions are
well-known, the northeast trade
winds prevail most of the year. Dur
ing the summer months they are
almost continuous and veer a little
to the north of the average direc-
ton.
Midway Has Cable
Midway Islands are described as a
circular atoll about six miles in dia-
meter, enclosing two isles. There is
a harbor at Midway, and water can
be had on one of the group known
as Sand Islands. Midway is the
site of cable-station on the cable
line between San Francisco. Homo
lulu, Guam and Manila. Gable IA
cilitieS here would, of course, enable
communications in both directions.
and thus minimize the hazards of
! the trip.
Upon arriving at Guam, the avia-
tor would find we.l-populated is
land, with numerous Americans and
foreigners as we'll as the native
population of about en- thousand
Both cable and radio stations are
established there.
Guam is Nice Place
Guam lies within the region of
the northeast monsoon while that
wind is blowing in/the China Sea;
while from June to October the
southwest monsoon exercises more
or less control over the prevailing
winds. In June and July the pre-
vaillng winds are southeast to
southwest; in August. September
and october from South to west.
/ Guan's temperature is highest in
August with average of 70 degrees.
The rainy season lasts from August
to November, and in those months
the strongest winds are experienced.
From Guam to Manila the haz-
ards of the flight would depend
chiefly on wind and weather. With
these favoring. distance would not
be a great obstacle.