The Washington times., 1928-01-25

| from RodertgO; a selection by
took-off from our next stop at Sid
ney, Nebraska, the motcr had lost
number Of revolutions
We flew to Lincoln from Sidney
and after taking The 4llor- remain
| ing time into consideration, we de-
cided to abandon the race and start
transforming.
We overhauled the engine at Lin.
| coin and worked over towards st.
Louis, where we arrived about the
end Of October.
His Decision
At st. Louis we decided to tie up
for the winter and / began instruct-
ing students for the Robertson Air
craft Corporation on OX-5 Stand
ards. The corporation had been
awarded the air mail contract, but
| actual operation was not to start
until the next spring go during the
winter months / spent my time in
structing and test flying In their
| commercial service.
For the first time in my flying
career / was to be in one place
longer than a few a.onl1ts so in
November, 1925, / en.isted in the
One Hundred and Tenth Obserya-
ton Squadron of the Thirty-fifth
Division Missouri NaLiona; Guard,
and was commissioned first lieu-
tenant soon afterwards.
The squadron was stationed on
Lambert Field. Every Sunday was
spent in flying. We had A number
Of in. training planes and one
7. Wa, which was the commanding
officers personal ship.
The organization was composed
mainly of pilots, who had flown dur.
ing the war, but after the ArInis-
tice had gone back to civilian life.
Their only method OF keeping IN
training was by flying National
Guard planes in the spare moments
and attending camp two weeks each
year.
Two nights and one day each
week were devoted to military
service by these officers and the
enlisted men under them. Their
pay was small and most of them
lost more from neglect Of their
business than they received for
their military services. The re-
Enumeration was hardly considered.
However, they joined the Guard
for two reasons: First, because
of the opportunity 1t offered to
keep in flying training; and sec
ond. because they considered 1t
patriotic duty to keep fit for Inn
mediate service in case Of national
emergency.
Appropriations were not large
and often insufficient but al
though at times 1t required part
of the squadron's pay checks, the
ships were kept in the air.
For the Youth
The National Guard squadrons
offer an excellent opportunity for
young men to get a start in avia-
ton. instruction Is given each
week, covering practically every
branch of military aeronautics, and
practical flying experience is OBJ
tanned both in the air and on the
ground under actual operating con-
ditions.
Each year a few members of
the squadron are sent to the
army schools at San Antonio for
flying training, and upon return
ing these men take their places
in the commissioned personnel of
the organization.
The inauguration Of our air mail
service was to take place on April
Is, and as spring drew near we
were kept busy making prelimi-
nary preparations. The De Havi.
lands were to be completed and
tested: ground organization built
up; the terminal airports decided
upon, and facilities for taking on
and discharging the mail arranged
for, in addition to the untold de-
tail arrangements which go to
make up the organization Of
successful airline.
Contract air mail routes are To-
Gated by the Post Office Depart
ment and are so arranged that
the mail service can be improved
by use of air transportation over
other means of communication.
The route is opened for bids and
the contract awarded to the lowest
bidder who Is responsible and in
a position successfully to carry on
operations.
The contractor can bid any
amount up to SO per pound of mail
and is paid by the pound for the
actual amount carried over his
route.
On Schedule
Our route, between st. Louis and
Chicago was operated on a schedule
which saved one business day over
train service to New York. A letter
mailed in st. Louis before $3.50 p. m.
was rushed to Lambert Field by
fast mail truck, transferred to the
plane which was waiting with engine
turning over, landed on the Air Mail
field at haywood, ILL.,. at 7:15, trans
ferred to one of the Chicago-New
York overnight planes, retransferred
at Cleveland. Ohio, and. was in the
postoffice in New York in time for
the first morning delivery.
An answer could be mailed at
New York in the evening and be
delivered in st. Louis before noon
on the following day. II sent
through the ordinary mail it would
not arrive until one day later.
The advantages of air transpor-
tation are most apparent over long
distances. The air mail flies from
New York to San Francisco in So
hours, whereas a train requires
nearly four days to make the same
trip.
The United States, through the
efforts of the Postoffice and the
Department of Commerce, is being
covered with network of air mail
routes, and it's only a matter of
the public using this service before
nearly every city in the country
will be served by airlines.