Evening star., 1927-10-06
of the Associated Press.

| Correspondence of the Associated Press.
| ATLANTA.-In knowledge
| Of atmospheric conditions over the
| ocean may be put down as one of the
| principal causes of failure in many of
| the long distance flight attempts of
| recent months, believes Lieut.. Will
| liam V. Davis. jr., who navigated Art
| Goebel's Woolaroc. the prize winning
| monoplane in the Dole race from Cali
| fornia to Hawaii.
Conditions over the ocean are quite
| different from those found in land fly
| ing, he says, and demand quick and
| accurate action in control of the plane.
Ocean flyers thus far also have taken
| off without the important weather
| information which comes from high
altitude observations at sea, a guide
| long available to the land pilot.
Fog prevails much of the time
| and storms arise suddenly over the
ocean," Davis explains. 'It is not
| strange in the least that n pilot who
| is expert in flying over land might
| find himself helpless at sea because of
| unfamiliarity with ocean atmospheric
| conditions. The matter of a pilots
| judgment and ability in selecting the
| right altitude at which to fly under
prevailing conditions is most impor-
tant.
ITO me the other causes Of failure
| in these attempts were improper navi-
CATION; the ever present danger of ma
terial failure in the engine, such as
the breaking of an oil or gas line and
the use of land planes.
Benefits From Mistakes.
From these mistakes, however, will
come multiple engines in seaworthy
planes, experienced pilots and navi-
gators in sea flying, and complete and
accurate information on flying wealth
er over the ocean"
A low ceiling is one of the most
dangerous conditions confronting
pilot in land or ocean flying, Lieut..
Davis finds. Ceiling is the aviator's
term, generally speaking, for the
maximum height which prevailing at
mospheric conditions will permit his
plane to attain-the maximum alti-
tude of clear, flying air. Heavy clouds
and fog close down to cause a low
ceiling.
"My personal opinion IS that sew
eral of the missing flyers In the Dole
flight were lost trying to climb out of
fog" he says. THE Woolaroc flew
at 5000 feet over fog most OF the way,
in perfect flying weather, with the eX-
ception of few squalls.
"Flying in fog a pilot may easily
lose all sense of balance and direction.
The natural inclination is to climb
out of it. and before one realizes it
the plane may be lifted too sharply
and go into a spin. 1t takes nearly a
thousand feet to recover and if a
flyer is close to the sea, he has no
chance
THE pilot and the navigator are
entirely dependent upon instruments.
If the lights go out on the instrument
board, they are in a dangerous pre-
dicament."
Radio Beacon Important.
The radio beacon, he believes, is one
of the most important of recent de-
velopments. Extremely accurate. the
beacon indicates a true course never
exceeding 25 miles in width. If the
plane veers to the right or left. the
radio message changes its form and
the flyer is warned of the wrong d.
rection in which he is travelling.
But even with all my instruments
and with constant checking with the
stars and sun, and with confidence
in my long studyrof navigation, you
cannot imagine the feeling that came
over me far out at sea-" he relates.
''The great bank of fog and later the
open, objectless sea ana the nmitless
space into the heavens no definite
object anywhere-all create an ocean
of doubt.
Despite the fact was sure of my
instruments, thoughts that perhaps
they were wrong, that perhaps some.
thing was wrong with the radio bea-
cons direction, came up. I was sure
| had made no mistakes in my check
1ngs, yet strange doubt was there.
The strain continues until you are al.
most willing to believe the sun has
changed its position. But I stuck to
my instruments.
"Imagine what this strain means to