Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-17
byrd IN A|RPLANE
VIEWS BROAD AREA
IN 1-HOUR FLIGHT
Explores 1900 Square Miles
in Antarctic Southwest
of Base.
AVIATORS ARE HAPPY
AT SUCCESSFUL TRIPS
Craft, Functioning Perfectly, Is in
Air Three and One Half Hours
on Seven Hops.
BY RUSSELL OWEN.

BY Wireless to The Star and New York Times
BAY OF WHALES, Antarctica, Janu-
ary 17.-There are a lot of happy
aviators down here today, thousands OF
miles from home and on the edge of a
continent where an airplane has never
before flown
The Stars and Stripes, Comdr. Byrd
first plane ashore, made seven success
full short trips yesterday and was in the
air nearly 3 "a hours. What that means
to men who have spent years in the
cockpit of plane and have not flown
in nearly four months can only be
imagined.
Comdr. Byrd made his flight Of an
hour and 20 minutes over unknown
country to the west and south and ex-
plored deep inlet in the barrier which
was hitherto unknown. Altogether he
explored 1900 square miles of territory,
which would have taken weeks by the
old methods.
The plane functioned perfectly, the
ski and landing gear stood up under
rough treatment, and last night the
plane was safely and snugly put away
at the base on the barrier where there
Is no danger of its being carried out
by the ice.
Flights to Continue.
It was day of achievement, of care
fully planned work carried out fault
lessly.
Boy" said Capt. Alton Parker when
he came down from the first test, II
feel the way did when / made my
first solo. I could look down there and
see the snow dropping away and 1t sure
felt good"
The day was the more nearly perfect
because 1t came after night of worry.
The plane was no sooner ready for
flight Tuesday night than a heavy
snowstorm came UP and ended all
thoughts OF activity for the moment
There are more and more indications
every day that the bay ice Is about to
go out, and If it had broken up before
the plane was moved, there might have
been all sorts of trouble
Tfia visibility became poor, the high
cliffs of the barrier faded away and the
plane and the ship were left in a small
circle of dim half light. Fortunately
there was no wind, otherwise anything
might have happened.
1t might have been possible for a
piolt to take off and landed some
where on the barrier if the ice broke.
yet 1t would have been desperate
venture; and men watched the sky
silently and with apprehension for
hours.
But yesterday morning the snow
clouds passed; the sun shone with a
clear brilliancy only attained in this
pure air until every white clifflike out
line of the bay stood out sharply. 1t
was a perfect day, a day made for fly
ing.
Balchen Climbs Into the Plane
The motor was heated by a torch
placed under fireproofed covering,
warm oil was put in the tank and
Bernt Balchen climbed into the pilots
seat. while Dean Smith and then Ken
Eard Bubier turned over the inertia
starter.
With everything clear, Bernt snapped
on the ignition. and the big motor
sparked and settled down to smooth
and even roar.
A smile of satisfaction came over
Balchens face. He looked out at the
others grouped around In the snow and
grinned, and then reached in his hip
pocket for a bit of tobacco, from
which he took a large and healthy bite
She was hitting on every cylinder and
all was we'll in the world. Balchen
nurSed the motor for some time until 1t
was well warmed and could be opened
wide, and the plane, with it's orange
uyiY10c ond hlarly 1o%
and shook under the thrust of the
propeller.
1t was cold out on the ice waiting,
the wind bit deeply and the vivid light
hurt unprotected eyes, but nobody
thought of the cold.
IcicIes on the AiIer0ns.
When all was ready, Balchen turned
the controls over to Parker, who had
been as eager as kid to get the ship
into the air
A few icicles had gathered on the
wide slot of the freis- balanced ailerons,
suggestion of what may menace fly
ing in this country of ice. AS Parker
wagged the control, they broke of and
tinkled down the hard-packed surface.
He opened up the motor wide and
shook the tail to help free the skis.
which were frozen to the surface, where
they had rested so long. A few blows
with a sledge by mechanic and they
broke loose almost Immediately.
A mechanic had the honor of shar-
ing the first Antarctic fight with Park
er, for Conidr. Byrd, always thoughtful
of his men, had decided that the me-
chanlcs, who work the hardest and get
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