Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-02
Aviation Has Issued Its Challenge Fog Deadest of Foes

The final problem listed Is the per-
lection of communication systems
between the airplane and the ground
The radio telephone and telegraph have
already reached high state of develop
ment and merely needs adjustments 10
the particular conditions encountered in
/ Ilylng. obviously. Tor fog flying there is
/ especially urgent need for the pilot to
| DE i'll constant communication with
those at the airportS and airways over
which he is travelling
| Several weeks ago the writer was re-
turning to Long Island by air in the
early evening after q day in Boston
i When We reached the end of Long
Island fog started to close in Should
we take chance and so through or
/ turn back? There is hardly landing
/ field on the direct line between Long
Island and Boston Darkness would
soon set in. and a night in a hayfield
after an emergency landing Was not 4
/ pleasant prospect.
| With radio phone at hand we should
/ not have needed a moment for decision.
/ a call to Mitchell Field. the airport Of
cur destination could have advised us
I OF fog conditions. at least over the field,
So that we would know whether a land
J I. a
/ Il was. we wens thrSieh and to our
good fortune found Mitchell Field clear
| There was no real hazard because at the
moment OF danger from too thick a fog
| We should have turned back or landed.
! me Gay must come when turning back
| will be unnecessary.
| These are the most important prob
| lens with which, at the outset. we will
De concerned in our full-tiight flying
laboratory. On the airway selected al
/ OF the devices that have been perfected
or may be perfected by the research
| organizations mentioned at the outset. or
I oy other organizations or individuals
VIII be tested ard reported upon. The
/ results of these tests can be made the
| basis tor further study and experiment
| leading, let us hope. 10 the final Solu-
| ton Of the problem
| Possibly the flying experiments. be-
| cause of their very nature. will occa-
| StonalIy be OF hazardous character
| However. they will he carried on step
| by step In such way rs to eliminate
/ every possible risk of life. The devices
| VIII be tested at first In fair weather
and again will be tested in dual-con-
f. troll atrplane, with one pilot covered
| over and flying blind" and second
! pilot in the open to take control IN
| case of need before any final tests
/ through fog are attempted. In addition
| special airplanes with low landing speed
! and especially designed for safety in q
| crash will be used In the experiments
Fog Is an enemy IA all FERNS OF trans
! portation, Ships at sea, trains and even
motor cars ON occasion are stopped BY
i fog. On a recent tEanSocsanic crossing
my companion WAS retired admiral Of
| the United States Navy The fog houi
blew all night, The next mornine the
admiral conflded IN me, Il didn't Sleep
a wink III there's one thing that my
training won't let me sleep through on
Shipboard. It's fog When thick fOg
reaches a port, shipping is held no. az
we all know from constant reports IN
the daily press. We do not, however,
often hear OF the not uncommon occur
renee Of trains delayed by fog. Signals
can't be run through and in fog they
| can't be seen, Almost every one living
In toggy district probably has expert
enced the sensation of being stopped BY
fog In motor ear
Perhaps the problem Of fog is more
important TO flying than 70 other means
OF transportation. Whatever II may be.
aviation, tust eorr@iNns ~ It's maturing
strength, inSnired with las enthusiasm
Of youth, untlammt'ad br tradition. has
issued challenge to hgat los 10
finish.