Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-30
SCIENCE ATTEMPTS
TO CONQUER FOGS
Experiments Will Be Carried
On by Planes in the
Air.

10 LABORATORY In the air. IN Spe-
cially equipped flying laboratory the
Nations leading aeronautical engineers
and scientists will carry the fight
against aviations greatest enemy into
the lair of the enemy, fighting fog or
its own battle-ground.
The flying laboratory is to be put
into service on q 50-mile section of fog.
ridden airway, probably at some point
along the Atlantic coastal route, and two
planes are to be assigned to the use oil
the fog fighters by the Daniel Gug-
genheim Fund for the Promotion OF
Aeronautics, which is fostering the ex-
periments.
Lieut.. James H. 'Doolittle will direct
the operations of the unique flight lab
oratory, having been assigned to this
important duty by the Army Air Corps
which has ordered him stationed al
Mitchell Field, Long Island, N. Y, fol
this purpose.
Lindbergh Aids in Work.
The Guggenheim Fund expects to have
the laboratory IN full operation before
cold weather sets in. Col. Charles A
Lindbergh, special adviser for the fund
is making a study of available locations
for the work. The 50-mile stretch is to
be selected on one of the main Always
of the country on which operations are
most seriously impeded by fogs and
which is suitable because of its accessi-
bility to research laboratories interested
in aviation, such as the Army and
Navy, industrial organizations and uni
versitieS
The use of two planes is planned
so that scientists all over the country
may be kept in close touch with tie fog
experiment area and may easily and
quickly transfer their teSA from their
planned by Harry F. Gugge1,heim. pres
ident of the fund. One plane will be
used for transport purposes, to maintain
rapid communication between the
ground and air laboratories, and the
other will be slow and stable flying
laboratory. the first of its kind, to be
used in the actual "fog combat" work
Combining an extensive experience as
an air pilot with an engineering and
scientific training. Lieut.. Doolittle full
fills the two principal requirements
which the fund had in mind as essen
tial to the successful direction of the
experiments in fog flying, Mr.. Guggen-
helm stated. Lieut.. Doolttle studied at
both the University of California and
the Massachusetts, institute of Technol-
ogy. His experience in aviation dates
from before the World War and his
aeronautical achievements have placed
him in the front rank of the Nations
pilots. With other exploits. his mas
terly flying won the international
Schneider Cup race in 1925. He has
been in the Army Air Corps for a
period of II years.
To Have Many Devices.
Lieut.. Doolittle is to have at his dis
posal all the devices that have been per.
fected or may be perfected by the re-
search organization engaged in the
study of the still baffling problem of fog
flying, together with the benefit of the
experience and observation of scientists
in Europe as reported by representa-
tives Of the fund in foreign countries
Under his direction. Mr.. Guggenheim
said, the fund is confident that avla-
ton will make material advances toward
the goal of making the airplane safe
even under extraordinary conditions.
In announcing the assignment OF
Lieut.. Doolittle to the Guggenheim lab
oratory. Secretary of War Davis wrote
to Mr.. Guggenheim: II trust that COM
plete success will attend your efforts
to solve one of the most difficult re-
manning problems concerning the safety
of aviation"
In a general explanation Of the adj
vances so far made by science in the
battle against fog, Mr.. Guggenheinl
discussed recent refinements In air
navigation instruments which make
possible the location of aircraft with
respect to the ground, regardless OF
conditions of visibility.
I'm the laboratories, for example,
says Mr.. Guggenheim, "it is now pos.
sible to pick up an instrument from a
desk and have it register the height
above the desk, foot by foot, as YOU
change its position. And it is possible
in laboratories to dissipate fog by sew.
eral methods. But how to apply these
laboratory successes to the open air in g
speeding plane and economically is q
different problem. Most of the research
workers on fog penetration have not
had what they call a place to hang ouI
hats which is an actual airplane avail
able to test their ideas on real out
uOOl lug III q place WIl6Tc dIt
having the most fog trouble"
The proposed flying laboratory, hi
explained, is designed to meet more
than half way some of the risks in
volved in making tests of hitherto un.
tried inventions. For example, it will
be possible to use two pilots, one housed
where he can see no daylight and the
other outside, at dual set of controls
On clear day the pilot inside car
make the experiment of handling his
plane solely by instruments under con-
ditions binder than the worst fog, while
the outside pilot is assurance Of safety
Disperse Fog.
1.-THE device which aviators would like
most" said Mr.. Guggenheim, namely
one to produce fog dispersal-at least
enough to make small hole over a
landing field, is possibly the most diff
cult, despite the laboratory successes
For one thing. outdoors the fog usually
is travelling at to 20 miles an hour
In the laboratories fog has been dis
persed by heat by electrified particles
of sand and other substances in the
air and by absorption.
Zone of the most fascinating of the
immediate improvements is the posi-
bility Of making altimeters which will
disclose the exact height above the
ground, and even the presence of noun.
tains. Present altimeters are based or
barometric pressure and give elevation
above sea level. There are three other
kinds of altimeters in the developine
stages. One uses the electrical capacity
of the plane, or an object in it. as com.
pared with the electrical capacity of the
earth Another depends on radio waves
A third is sonic. like the depth finder.
used at sea, which send sound wave
Radio already has supplied direction