Evening star., 1927-06-02

tic plane will be a multimotored ship.
How many motorS there should be
cannot now be said. In principle. one
should be able to allow for failure OF
one or two motors without running
the flight. On the development OF air
motors toward the ideal infallibility
depends the answer to how many mo.
tors would be best.
Let me explain. Suppose in all the
flying done in America last year 1t
should be found that the average mo-
tor failed one hour in ESQ. Say the
plane could keep going If one motor
faile6. Then calculate the number or
hours Of the fight, and you would
arrive at an idea about the number
OF motors. II the element of failure
is reduced. that would alter ones
theory about the necessary number of,
motors. Perhaps three will be, found
by study and experiment to be the
best number; perhaps four or more.
1t cannot be decided now.
Trimotor Plane i'm Europe.
On comparatively short flights made
In Europe, the trimotor plane appears
in actual use to come very close 10
reliab bility. When tens of thousands
of people are transported without mis-
of danger by motor failure have been
enormously reduced in comparison
with what they were only few short
years ago.
Now, 1t is quite apparent that as
things stand weather plays great
role, which is to say that storms on
the Atlantic still constitute a very
real peril and probably will continue
to be a factor to be dealt with in
future developments toward efficient
cross.ocean service. If pilots are go.
ing to stay OF their starting fields
until assured there Is good prospect
of perfect weather all the way across.
they would have to do too much wait.
ing, and then might run into surprises.
as / did In flying over the Atlantic.
It has occurred to me that the answer
to this problem lies perhaps in two
great floating hangers anchored in
the ocean as refugees. / believe such
floating establishments are quite
feasible.
Should transatlantic airships OF the
future--probably hydroavions-hear OF
a storm ahead, they could so into
these refugees ani wait for fairer
weather. 1t is practicable for them
to follow near enough the routes or
ocean liners to be in constant touch
by wireless with ships in either direc'
tion,- and thus be ke4't acquainted with
weather conditions ahead.
Hangar N Refuge.
If facing the danger Of a storm. they
would have a reasonable chance Of
reaching a floating hangar, which
could be arranged to give good de-
gree of comfort to passengers and
crews. There would be food, possibly
sleeping accommodations and fuel
supplies, and, Of course. a wireless
mast. Danger past. the air liner
could go on her way in safety.
All this is probably a long way off,
but here I am giving my conception
of what may come to pass. It's in the
cards that man will use the air route
over all oceans some Of these days.
A mistaken impression has arisen
that l believe the singlemotor plane
is the plane of the future. That is not
my belief, for, as have explained, I
used single, motor plane because of
peculiar conditions, and It stands to
reason that until there is such a thing
as an infallible motor the multiino-
tored plane, other considerations aside,
presents a smaller chance of failure
through motor trouble.
I take this occasion to answer an
oft-repeated question as to why I put