Evening star., 1928-03-31
Two New Air Records,

Two major aviation records fell yes
terday before the onslaught of deter
mined flyers, and as a result the United
States is again the proud holder of the
world endurance mark and italy has
Sun further boosted the coveted speed
few with Ruth Elder on the ncar-tragic
Atlantic flight last year. and Eddie
Stinson. pioneer airman, landed yes
tcrday afternoon on the beach at Jack
Sonville. Fla, after being in the air
continuously for fifty-three hours and
one-haf, bettering by more than an
hour the record held by Germany, In
Italy. Mai Mario De Bernard crack
racinS pilot Of the Schneider team
hurtled his trim seaplane over a meas
uved course at the astonishing rate of
three hundred and eighteen miles an
hour breaking his own worlds speed
mark for all type of aircraft by approNi-
mately twenty-one miles an hour. Dur
IN. ;,.t rails Mai De Bernardo az
tanned a maximum pace of better than
three hundred and fifty miles All hour
with the wind but his average speed
is used for the new record,
While the endurance fight is one OF
the four outstanding marks sought by
airmen the world over, the speed tests
are oy far the more sensational and
dangerous. Endurance flying, as well
as other events in which stamina is the
leading factor. lack the thrills which
are furnished by speed. Haldeman and
Sunson clrcled lazily over Florida,
jockeyine their plane to conserve gas
and probably bored with the whole pro-
ceeding until new world mark was
reached. Mai. De Bernard on the
other hand, needed the utmost concen-
tration. nerves of steel and the vision
Of an eagle to keep his tiny craft on
the course as he sped along at breath
taking rate. One slight misCalculation
while he was going at a speed of nearly
six miles a minute would have meant
disaster to him and his ship. Skill of
the highest order is demanded In the
flying of a racing seaplane. II Is no
lob for the amateur: 1t is one that
taxes the expert to the limit Of his
powers.
Unless Lieut.. Al Williams has more
success with his privately built racing
plane than so far has attended his ef-
forts. the speed record is apt to remain
overseas. With France seemingly out
of competition for this mark, England
and Italy will have a merry battle.
The former country has announced
that she will make a determined effort
to garner the four major records, speed,
endurance. long distance and altitude.
but with Italy. through the intrepid
Mai De Barnard. setting the speed
record at well over three hundred miles
an hour Englands hopes in this re-
spect do not look at all rosy.
While it may be said that there Is
some permanence about the new speed
mark. the same thing does not apply
10 the endurance record which Halde-
man ana stinson have regained Tor
the United States. Provided the mo-
tor or motors function perfectly, and
the pilot Is skillful, it remains only that
enough gasoline be carried to set a
new record. In other words. the iuei
consumption and the amount OF fuel
carried are the determining factors.
This fact in no way. however. detracts
from the credit due the two American
nyers. They have performed a notable
feat and have brought back 10 this
country one Of the coveted titles Oh
aviation.