Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-21
COURTNEY FLIGHT
HALTED FEW DAYS
Vibration of instruments and
Faulty Radio Cause Delay
in Starting.
By Gable to The Star and the North Ameri.
can Newspaper Alliance.

BY Cable to The star and the North AmRri.
can Newspaper Alliance.
CALSHOT NAVAL FLYING BASE.
England. July 21.-After making a
test flight for 1 hour and Is minutes
over this station late yesterday eve
ming, Capt Frank T. Courtney de-
termined to further postpone his
westward flight across the Atlantic
for few days.
The reason for the delay is that the
radio apparatus installed in the Dor
nier-Napier Whale flying boat, in
which the captain intends to make the
first westward flight across the sea,
did not work satisfactorily.
"There is nothing seriously the mat
ter with the apparatus" Capt. Court
ney said after making his landing,
but 1 am not quite satisfied with it.
cannot afford to take any chances
with our equipment. 1t is not worth it.
Not Really Ready.
"The fact is we are not really ready
to go. 1 am anxious, if possible, to
take advantage of the extremely IA
vorable weather. 1 thought that with
a little luck we might have gone in
satisfactory way without further ad.
iustments. Now we will take time
and clean up all of our tests properly"
Can't. Courtney hoped off on his
test flight at o'clock yesterday eve.
ming and cruised about over the
base here. A number of his friends
who had assembled to see him off
were still waiting patiently after the
aviator landed expecting to see him
rise again to be on his great flight.
On descending Capt. Courtney left
the Whale in the water and went
ashore. Attendants at the flying base
pulled the flying boat ashore. and
the machine had narrow escape
from being stranded as the tide ran
out with great rapidity.
Had 1t not been for the failure OF
the wireless apparatus to- function
properly Capt. Courtney had intended
to have the Whale moored to buoy
off the flying station last night. load.
ed with petrol and stores and ready
for the take.off.
Islanders Are Disappointed.
Although Capt. Courtney took the
delay philosophically. he and his COM
panions were most anxious to make
the start. They were more than
ready to take advantage of the
extraordinarily favorable winds which
had been reported as a result of the
observations directed by the air min
istry. The captain had awaited the
reports with some anxiety for days,
and it was when he received the last
OF the reports yesterday that he de-
termined to make his tests in the air.
A message received from Balentia,
Ireland, where the Whale is to make
its first stop. increased the disappoint.
ment of the aviator and his crew.
For days great crowds of men, women
and bare-legged children have been
awaiting the coming Of the aeronaues.
hor days they have been scanning
the sky and talking of nothing but
the coming of the visitors from the
clouds to their lonely island.
Although there is no telephone but
one belonging to the radio station on
the island. every person on the island
had heard of the postponement of the
flight within few minutes after re.
ceipt of the news.
The coming of the Courtney plane
Is the most exciting thing that has
ever happened on the island. One Of
the inhabitants of the island voiced
the dreams and ambitions Of his
neighbors when he said:
I'VE feel very lonely here placed
on the edge Of the world. To the east
we have only a sparsely settled coun.
try for miles, and on our west is the
ocean. Courtney's flight may mean
the beginning of commercial aviation
to America. Although the day when
such thing becomes real NAV be a
long way off, we are very optimistic,
tor we believe that Courtney is going
20 give US a new neighbour"
Experts Find vibration.
While Courtney was plotting his
Whale in the air for rs minutes yes
terday. he was accompanied by two
Marconi experts. They discovered a.
great deal of vibration in some of the
instruments. This vibration was
sufficient to seriously interfere with
the operation of the wireless ap.
paratus.
1t was noted that the test was made
under rather adverse conditions When
the plane went down the slipway a
mist was falling and the air was cold.
The visibility was low. But the Whale
rose in the soggy air like q bird, the
drone Of the engines showing that
they were in perfect order.
But after the Whale was beached,
there was an anxious consultation
WIN the hdECOIl1 experts. IL was tnen
stated that a new generator and
propeller would have to be fitted and
that some Of the machinery made far
too much noise. This noise will have
to be toned down. Despite all this,
though, the experts picked up mes
sages from lie Bourget and Cherbourg
in proof that 1.-THE wheels were going
round"
Mrs. Courtney Agitated.
Mrs. Courtney arrived at the field
yesterday morning looking a little bit
anxious. believing that her husband
was about to begin his epic flight.
But though her face wore a strained
look she smiled little when she met
her husband. The same smile appear.
ed to be little less troubled when
she learned of her. husbands initial
disappointment.
While the mechanic started the nec-
sssary tinkering with the Whale Capt.
Courtney strolled around the big fly.
ng machine smoking a cigarette.
II am not worried at ALL" he said.
Wen get through all right"
tCopyright. 1927. in all countries but
treat Britain by North American Newspaper
Alliance; In Great Britain by Westminster
iazette.)
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