Douglas daily dispatch., 1927-06-30


observations and greetings-an accom-
plishment in itself new to oceanic avia-
ton.
That others may fly in safety later
on, Byrd and his three companions
faced the dangers of uncharted winds
to wrest the secrets of the clements
out of the regions were storms are
breWed
The purpose of the flight, over an
! air trail already blazed by two planes
primarily interested in speed and dis
tance was the study Of atmospheric
conditions over the ocean at different
attitudes.
1t was planned to attempt TO formu
late some broad general rules by which
aviators may be able to subjugate the
winds to condition of servitude and
to make allies out of storms which at
present are the airnan's principal enc
mics.
Less than eight hours after the take
off Commander Byrd himself Indicated
that the purpose of the flight was
already being achieved. A message
from the America picked up at Halifax
concluded 1--WE think we are getting
some scientific data
\ He did not say what this data was
or of what practical use he believed
it could be put to, but from the hope
full tone Of the message it was guessed
that Byrd, modest and conservative
man, had made important discoveries
which might be expected to have direct
effect on flying of the future.
The America flew during the day
through weather which was fitting
subject for scientific experimentation
There were large patches of fog to be
passed through, in places the wind was
unfavorable, and in other ways oppor-
tunity was offered to study conditions
at present ininaical to flying.
The science of communication
reached new heights during the day as
Byrd kept in almost constant colnmu
nication with ship and shore by radio.
Not only did he write his own progress
report and deliver it back to his start
ing point as he wrote, but he sent mes
sages to friends and congratulations to
fellow aviators.
In a message picked up at Halifax
Byrd sent his best wishes to the army
aviators who today completed the nom
stop flight to Hawaii and conveyed a
greeting to Bloyd Bennett, the original
pilot of the America, who is recovering
in hospital from injuries suffered in
4 test flight when the plane was first
built.
The messages telling of the Aneri-
cas- position and condition began COM
ing in to Roosevelt field almost imlne-
diately after the takeoff and were
still being received at frequent inter
walls eight hours later as the plane left
the Nova Scotia coast and headed out
across the ocean,
The first message was received at 6
i o'clock in the morning, 36 minutes
after the takeoff. It merely reported
Everything going fine" and was
4 signed by George Neville, radio engl-
/ Ineer of the party. While Neville was
sending out information by radio, Byrd
was in his cabin porting over charts in
his capacity as navigator and studying
innumerable instruments which he ex-
pected to reveal to him hitherto un-
Known facts about the elements.
4 EThe other members of the party, Bert
Acosta, pilot, and Bernt Balchen. relle1
man, did not sign any OF the messages
nor were they mentioned in nny one OF
them, except under the general heading
of "we," but this was taken to indi-
cate that all was well with them.
After the first message another came
! from Rhode Island at GAL, a third
from above Massachusetts at 7:22, and
so through the day as the great three
notored plane winged along its way
The reports from the plane itself were
amplified by those from watchers on
shore and ships at sea and altogether
constituted what was believed 10 be
new record in radio communication
achievement.
Even the fact that slight trouble was
being experienced on board the mono
plane became instantly known by
means of radio from the plane. AT
8:41 Byrd reported that compass
trouble was being occasioned by the
extra gas tanks. Again when gas was
to be pumped the radio was stllled to
avoid possibility OF spark 1gnltlng
the fuel, but before the pumping was
begun Byrd informed radio stations
what was in progress so that there
might be no alarm occasioned by the
ensuing silence.
The America is the first trans
Atlantic plane from which it has been
possible to conduct communication
tests as both Charles Lindbcrgh and
Clarence Chamberlin forebore carry
ing radio sets.
The flight got under way this morn
ing with a suddenness in striking con-
trast with the many delays which, held
up start during the month and half
the plane had been waiting at Roose-
velt field.
At midnight last night there was an
nouncement that continuing had Wea-
ther made takeoff impossible for
today. And barely an hour later a
counter announcement was made that
the hop would be taken at dawn.
/ James H Kimball, of the weather
bureau, revealed today that the abrupt
change was occasioned by discovery of
an error of OILS of an inch in a ships
barometer off Cape Race. The baro-
meter indicated low pressure area
which led the weather man to advise