Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-11
AIR TROPHY WINNER
.FETED AT BANQUET.
Naval Flyer Paid Tribute by
NotabIeS-Lindbergh
Joins in Praise.

Lieut.. Arthur Gavin, L. s. n, un-
assuming test pilot of the naval air
craft factory at Philadelphia and win
ner of the Herbert Schiff Memoir i'll
Trophy for 1927 for having flown S65
hours without an accident, was ten
dercd dinner at the Mayfower Hotel
last night by the trophy committee,
which was attended by virtually every
naval aviator in Washington.
Tribute to Gavin and to the donor
Of the trophy. William Schiff of New
York, was given by several speakers,
the foremost Of which was Edward r..
Warner. Assistant Secretary of the
Navy for Aeronautics, who declal ed
all he could say was that 500 hours
were a lot of hours"
Mr. Warner declared that the OPP
portunitY for accidents had stood
upon GaVin's threshold many times,
but found the doors barred by his
skill, resourcefulness and ability.
Fechrt Lands Pilot.
Brig. Gen. James +. Fechet, who
in few days will become the new
chief of the Army Air Corps. lauded
the pilot on behalf of the Army flyers
for what he characterized : q most
marvellous performance"
There have been many trophies
offered for spectacular flights" Gen.
t'echet declared but ! know of no
trophy where the Woodworking, eX'
perienced aviator gets more chance to
reflect credit upon his service and him
self than the Schiff trophy
Speaking of the enormous flying
time compiled by Lieut.. Gavin dur
ing the past year. Gen. Fechet said:
II would want 10 years to do it in.
used to think 100 hours per year
was pretty fair, and - was not TO be
sneezed at. but one could always get
by on so"
Because of its encoura cement for
more extensive and safer flying, the
Army air official considered the trophy
as the most valuable in aeronautics.
Moffett Speaks.
Rear Admiral William A. MOffett,
chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics,
congratulated the pilot and explained
that although every one in aviation
keeps in mind the safety necessities
very little is said about 1t. and fof
that reason he felt the memorial
trophy was accomplishing much to-
ward the advancement of all aviation.
=
famous Looming amphibian. spoke on
behalf of the aeronaut.cal industry.
and extended it's congratulate tons to
the pilot The industry, he said, deeply
appreciates the efforts Of Mr.. Schff in
donating the trophy and the Govern
ment in encouraging its pilots to com
pete for il annually. for through theSe
efforts the welfare of flying is adj
Vanced.
MIR Looming declared that the
Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce,
Of which he is member, In a lew
DAVIS will publish statistics tending
to show that more people were
kicked TO death by mules in the past
wear than were killed by airplanes.
Mr. Schiff i'm a brief address, de-
clared the flying record of Lieut.
Gavin had fulfilled some OF his roma :
est hopes. and Lieut. Gavin closed
the evenings addresses with an
equally brief speech in which ne de-
clared this is the greatest day OF
my life"
Lieut.. Walter II. Bryan. a New
York attorney. avia tor colleague OF
Lieut. Herbert Schf, who was killed
| i'm line Of duty, with Lieuts. Allen
=. Flagg and f. w. Nelson of the
Bureau of AeronauticS. arranged the
tribute for Lieut.. Gavin.
The trophy was presented to tn
pilot early yesterday afternoon by
President Coolidge at the White
House. Lieut.. Gavin's flying time ex
ceeds the two previous records made
by winners Of the trophy in the pas
| two years by 2S2 and &c hours, re
| spectively.
Just before the dinner Col Charles
A. Lindbergh and f. Trubee Dawson
! Assistant Secretary of War for Aero
nautics. called at the MayfioWer an'
! extended their congratulations tc
| Lieut.. Gavin, at the same time eX
pressing their regret in being unable
to attend the dinner Col. Lindbergi
went from the Mayf1ower direct to the
Gridiron Club dinner, at which he was
an honored guest.