Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-29
Los ANGELES TRIAL
HELD AVIATION AID
Feasibility of Ship Landings
Proved by Test. DirigibIe
Grief Reports.

81 the Associated Press
The feat Of the Los Angeles in max
tnS contact 81 sea with the new air.
craft carrier Saratoga is considered 10y
CoEl0r. c. E. RoSen6ahl. in charge Of
the big dIr!gible on its fight Friday. as
having proved the feasibility Of land
Ing an airSh!p on the deck Of large
ship"
At the request Of Secretary Wilbur
= report was made yesterday 70 the
Navy Department by Rosendahl. of thc
cirSh.pss landing on the Saratoga 5
SetN-sorlething never before accom-
p..Secd--at sea of Newport, r. l. He
said tho wind was light. but very
ElSty, the entire operation took about
an hour and that hose was led 10 the
oirigib!e from the Saratoga and fuel.
water. supplies and all passengers
were transferred from one ship 10 the
ether
Practiced Approach.
"A $50 pm yesterday" RoSendahl
reported. the Saratoga then at sea
about 50 miles south Of Newport, r, l..
headed into the wind ST a moderate
speed. As planned the Los Angeles
made one practice approach from
leewara 70 one side OF the Saratoga
az an altitude Of about 2H5 feet
The Los Angeles then circied and
made the approach for landing. The
Saratoga'S speed waS al Is knots into
the wind. The wind was light but
very euSty thereby lending difficulty to
the operation. On reaching a point
over the Saratogas deck a gust of
wind carried the Los Angeles from 225
10 400 feet but she was Uaneuvered
down again quickly Manila trail ropes
were dropped 10 the Saratoga'S deck
ana then men manning these lines
pulled the Los Angeles down 10 the
deck.
with existing winds the problem of
holding The Los Angeles on the deck
was somewhat difficult. A hose was
LED 70 The Los Angeles and fuel, water.
supplies and ali passengers were trans
fe--e6 from one ship TO the other.
Operation Took an Hour.
The entire operation. including the
practice approach, consumed only about
ar hour II spite Of the fact that this
was The fIrst attempt Of large rigid
a.rsh!p 10 land on the deck Of a ship
ard although haSty arrangements and
only crude equipment were available
on this initial attempt.
This operation vas considered To
have proved the feasibility of landing
an 2lTship on the deck Of a large ship"
Lieut.. Comdr. Garland c. Fulton.
lghter-than-air expert, who was a pas
serger aboard the Los Angeles arrived
II washington yesterday TO make re-
port 70 Rear Admiral Mofett, chief Of
the Bureau OF Aeronautics.
Accomplished Without Danger.
Fulton said that the landing was &C.
complished without any danger TO either
craft or 70 their crews. When the lines
were dropped 70 the deck Of the Sara
Toga. he recounted. they were placed
il blocks By the crew and were drawn
until the control car rested on the deck
He pointed out. as cid Admiral Moffett.
that the 6irigible was more secure in its
position on the Saratoga than on the
specially equipped Patoka. which has
q u?oo-Ing mast Tor oiTigibles
Mofett expressed the opinion tina;
the experiment proved conclusively that
Glriglbles could be used in transat-
lzntic commerce and that the radius OF
z d.-iglble Is Of great magnitude He
sald that an airship such as the Los
Angeles would be capable OF crossing
the Atlantic IN two days and carrying
100 passengers with great degree OF
safety
The supplying Of fuel water and food
IS possible II midocean. in Admiral
MoGett's opinion, and he believes that
i AT aircraft OF that type became dis
sblec a. SEA il would be possible TO
land aboard steamships and discharge
passengers and crew. II would be pos
s;b.e. be adGed. 70 even make repairs
II sea with the aircraft fixed 70 the
Geek as was the Los Angeles 20 the
Saratoga,