Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-10

clear realization Of the necessity of steps not
vet completely taken is shared by those off.
GERS of the naval service who also possess
knowledge of oversee flying conditions repre-
sentative of experience and not OF theory ana
who share in the general eagerness that devel-
opment shall be stimulated along the lines that
will increase the feasibility of regular and safe
long.distance flying over the water
The perils encountered by Col. Lindbergh
off Newfoundland emphasized for him and led
him to emphasize for others the necessity
either Of finding means to prevent the accumu'
lation of sleet on the wings and propeller OF
an airplane of laying course along Whlcn
seet will not be encountered, Comdr. Byrds
narrowing experience of cruising through the
night over a land where the people waited with
open arms to receive him, but where any land
ing promised disaster, has brought forcibly to
the attention of every reader of the newspapers
that vital Importance of finding means for the
successful combating of fog and for the making
of safe descents in fogbound areas.
All of the transatlantic pilots have been
marvelously successful in their navigation, YET
all of them have completed their undertakings
with a reinforced consciousness OF the need Tor
still better navigating devices and methods
which will make it possible to return to
course after wide divergence from it and which
will permit of steady continuance OF a journey
even under conditions when neither sea nor
sun Is visible The use Of radio affords great
maintenance of radio communication through
out transatlantic fight was pioneer venture
along a line which further development is
indispensable to any practical utilization OF
LONG. distance oversee travel by air.
Even with these problems of navigation
solved, however, there exists still the necessity
of still further increase in economy and efn-
cheney of aircraft. To the rigid airship the
transoceanic flight can now be the merest COM
monplace, and commercial service by airships
over distances of three or four thousand miles
is easy to foresee. but for the airplane such
flights must still strain against the limit of
possibility.
Virtually the whole useful load save pos
sbly few hundred pounds in very large
machine, must be devoted to fuel and 1nd1S-
pensable navigating equipment; and for the
return flight across the North Atlantic, from
Europe to America, the difficulty would be still
more acute, and the necessity of waiting upon
a reasonable assurance of exceptionally favor
able conditions still more pressing. Even with
the smallest of useful load and with conse-
quently serious sacrifice of economy, 1t would
be impossible to consider round trips directly
from the United States to Europe on anything
approaching a regular schedule with any exist
ing airplanes although, to be sure, the stretch
between Newfoundland and Ireland might be
regularly covered if the burden of passengers
or express were kept low
The progress made in the last eight years
promises still further progress for the future,
although it is hardly to be expected that it will
continue at rapid rate In so far that
progress continues, however, whether in the
development of the machine itself or in it's
auxiliary equipment, it will be largely the
perimental work done by the Government serv-
ices which is responsible The almost miracu-
lous reliability now attained by aircraft
gines, combined with that lightweight and low
fuel consumption, which alone has made trans
atlantic flying conceivable thing, has been in
considerable degree the result of efforts by
naval personnel, in cooperation with and sup
porting the aircraft industry Everything that
is of interest in planning an overseas CONNER
cial service is of interest to the Navy as WELL