The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-03-12
CHAPTER XIV

was first brought into public con-
sideration by Raymond Ortieg, who,
in 1919, issued challenge to the
aeronautical world by offering a
prize of $4,000 to the first success
full entrant.
Details of the flight were placed
in the hands of the National Aeron-
auto Association and committee
was appointed to form and admin
lister the rules of the undertaking.
1 first considered the possibility of
the 4veW York-PariS flight while
flying the mail one night in the fall
of 1926.
Several facts soon became out
| standing. The foremost was that
with the modern radial air-cooled
motor, high lift airfoils and light
ened construction, it would not only
be possible to reach Paris, but I'M
der normal conditions, to land with
a large reserve of fuel and have a
high factor of safety throughout the
entire trip as well.
found that there we're a number
of public spirited men in st. Louis
sufficiently interested in aviation to
finance such project, and in De-
cember, 1926, made trip to New
York to obtain information concern
ing planes, motors and other details
connected with the undertaking.
In connection with any important
flight there are number of queS-
lions which must be decided at the
start, among the most important of
which are the type of plane and the
number OF motors to be used.
a monoplane, although just COM
ing into general use in the United
States, is much more efficient than
biplane for certain purposes, due
to the lack of interference between
wings, and consequently can carry
a greater load per square foot of
surface at a higher speed.
A single-motored plane, which it
is more liable to forced landings
than one with three motors, has
much less head resistance and con-
sequently greater cruising range.
Also, there is three times the
chance of motor failure with a tri-
motored ship, for the failure of one
motor during the first part of the
flight, although it would not cause
a forced landing, would at least ne
cessitate dropping part of the fuel
and returning for another start.
10 hi &c
cooled radial engine is so great that
the chances Of an immediate forced
landing, due to motor failure with
a single motor would, in my opin-
ion, be more than counterbaIanced
by the longer cruising range and
consequent ability to reach the OBJ
jective in the face of unfavorable
conditions.
After careful investigation I de-
clded that single-motored mono
plane was, for my purpose the type
most suited to long distance flight.
and after two more trips to the
East Coast and several conferences
IN st. Louis, an order was placed
with the Ryan AirlineS of San
Diego, Cal. on Feb. %, for a plane
equipped with a Wright Whirlwind
j. SC. 200-H. P. radial air-cooled
motor and Pioneer navigating in
struments, including the Earth In
ductor Compass.
went to San Diego to place the
order and remained in California
during the entire construction of the
plane.
The personnel of the Ryan air.
lines at once caught the spirit of
the undertaking, and during the
two months Of construction the Or
ganization labored as it never had
before.
Day and night, seven days a
week, the structure grew from a few
lengths Of steel tubing to one of the
most efficient planes that has ever
taken the air.
During this time it was not I'M
usual for the men to work twenty
four hours without rest. and on one
occasion, Donald Hall, the chief en-
gineer, was over his drafting table
for thirty-SiX hours.
1 spent the greater part of the
construction period working out the
details of navigation and plotting
the course, with its headings and
variations, on the maps and charts.
After working out the track on
the gnomonic and Mercators charts.
I checked over the entire distance
from New York to Paris with the
nautical tables.
The flight from San Diego to ST.
Louis and from st. Louis to New
York was comparatively simple, and
I took the courses directly from the
State maps.
From New York to Paris worked
out a great circle, changing course
every hundred miles or approx
mately every hour.
I had decided to replace the
weight of a navigator with extra
fuel and this gave me about 300
miles additional range.
Although the total distance was
$3.50 miles, the water gap between
Newfoundland and ireland was
only about 1850 miles, and under
normal conditions I could have
arrived on the coast of Europe
over 300 miles off of 10y course and
WHY EVERY USER BECOMES "A
FRIEND
0NToUa, hoe o,,1, OtI7a,. oo,,ol, ,,,oJi