Evening star., 1928-12-16
AIR TRANSPORTATION LINKING AMERICAN CONTINENTS
MADE EASY BY TRANSOCEANIC HOPS LINDBERGH SAYS
ENGINEERS PRODUCING SPECIAL EQUIPMENT FOR PLANES
ASIA Africa, Europe and
Australia Aerial ConneC-
ton Is Forecast.
ROUTES ARE DISCUSSED
Regular Atlantic Flights Are
Called 5 or 10 Years
Away by Aviator.
BY COL. CHARLES A. LINDBERGH.

BY COL. CHARLES A. LINDBEkGH.
lTRANSOCEANIC flight is the third
and final step in the develop
ment of air transport. The in
auguration and organization of
continental air lines is now well
under way, and 1t is time to consider
the establishment of still greater sys-
TENS which will connect North with
South America in the Western Hemls-
phere, and Europe with Asia, Africa ana
Australia in the Eastern.
Transoceanlc fight is the third and
final step in the development of air
transport. The Inauguration and or
ganization of continental air. lines is
now we'll under way, and it is time TO
consider the establishment OF still
greater systems which will connect
North with South America in the west
ern Hemisphere, and Europe with Asia,
Africa and Australia in the Eastern.
This second stage will require the
manufacture of new types OF planes
and equipment. In some instances the
routes followed will lie over large bod
les of water and will necessitate the use
pass over inpenetrable iungles or above
the high timber of the Northland, often
in tropical heat or in sub-zero tempera-
lures. At times suitable landing fields
will not be available and lake or har-
Dor will have to be used, possibly by
the same plane which serves an inland
city.
In parts of the world it will be nec-
esSary to pass from sea level and a
tropical climate to attitudes of 10000
or $4,000 feet, over snoW-covered
mountain ranges and down again to
some high plateau city.
t1v iV1 hn~'
tween Mexico City and Tampico, for
example, is over mountains 5000 and
10000 feet high. It is possible In fair
weather to find passes, but Mexico City
itself is on a plateau more than 1000
feet above the sea; and when norther
is over the Gulf of Mexico the clouds
often pile up against the mountain
range, forming dense fog, while on
the west side the weather may be clear
Under these conditions the pilots fire.
ouently fly above the clouds during a
major part of their trip
Special Equipment Needed.
Special equipment is required to meet
this situation. A possible forced land
ing in fog-covered mountains must be
prevented by the use of more than one
engine. Since the safety of a multi
motored plane depends upon its ability
to flv with one engine stopped, and due
to the high altitude the planes must
maintain in crossing the mountains,
there must be large reserve of horse
power available for emergency use. On
account of the temperature changes,
the cabin must be both well ventilated
and easily heated. Also, the engine and
oil tank installation must be designed
for operation under extreme conditions.
Saltwater corrosion must be guarded
against, and the heat of tropical sun
presents new problems in aircraft main
tenance.
With every advance in aviation new
problems are presented. The Wright
brothers completed their epoch-making
fight at Kitty Hawk only to be con-
fronted by the problem of turning their
scientific achievement to commercial
use For years planes were constructed
at costs which prohibited their use in
commerce, and when our engineers
finally did succeed in placing a product
en- the market which was both struc-
turally safe and capable of economical
operation it was found that in order
to compete with highly developed
ground transportation aircraft would
have to operate at night as well as day.
Then came the development of lighting
equipment and the night routes of the
air mail.
Now we are confronted with the
necessity of operating through fog and
sleet and being able to land by instru-
ment without seeing the ground.
Obstacles to progress are being met
and overcome in rapid succession by
our engineers and flying personnel A
plane is hardly designed and placed on
the commercial market before 1t is made
obSolescent by new discoveries and i'm
provements. The life and dependability
of motors is constantly increased, and
experiments now being carried on with
new types indicate the possibilities of
future development. Thousands of
miles of organized airways are being
added to those now existing and prac-
tically every city in the country has
or is constructing an airport.
Dependable commercial flying schools
and colleges are beginning to rise above
the poorly organized training schools
which sprang into existence with in
creasing public interest in aviation, and
are building up the standards and ira
ditions for our future pilots and flying
personnel.
Men have dreamed of fivinr for rem