Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-28
AVIATION
BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON.

plane, with a special cabin built
in below for navigation equipment
and radio installation for sending
and receiving. A baggage COM
partment is in the extreme nose
of the plane.
Although there has been a pro-
nounced trend toward the smaller
cabin type planes during the past
year, there are a number of in
tereSting new light planes of the
open cockpit type now on the
market in this country. Among
the most novel of these types is
the Aeromarine Klemm low-wing
monoplane, developed abroad as
a sport plane for pilot and one
passenger. The plane originally
was designed as a glider and,
without motor, established several
world records.
The fourth plane of this type
built for the market in this
country recently visited the Ma
tional Capital. It was flown here
by D. K. Steele of Roanoke, Va,
on his way home from the New
Jersey factory. The writer was
a passenger in the unique little
ship in a flight from Boiling Field
to Washington Airport. The plane
is powered with a 40-horSepower
SalmSon radial air-cooled engine
which sounded like a tea kettle
humming contentedly away.
The low wing produces a pro-
nounced cushioning effect when
near the ground, the plane coming
down on a veritable blanket of
air in landing. AS a result, the
plane has an exceptionally low
landing Speed-approXimating 20
miles per hour, Steele said.
Produces fOvel Effects.
1.-THE low wing produces effects
which are novel to the pilot of
the ordinary plane" Steele ex-
planned. Il stopped at Philadel-
phia on my way down here on
one of those hot days we had
early in April. One of the pilots
there-a veteran in the conven-
tional type of plane-aSked to fly
it and / let him take it up.
Because of the heat there were
strong currents of heated air
rising from the landing field. My
friend circled and came in to land
as if he were flying an ordinary
type of plane. He settled down
to the field but the rising cur
rents, combined with the cushion
ing effect of the wing kept him
from landing. 1 was standing
close by as he swept along and
was able to see the expression of
profound amazement that came
over his face when he found him
self unable to land. The plane
was acting as a glider, drifting
along with the motor cut off, the
rising air off the hot field not
only keeping it from landing but
actually lifting it little.
HE turned on the motor and
climbed up again, circling the
field for a second attempt. This
time he came down at a little
sleeper angle and faster. He then
shut off the motor as he had been
accustomed to do with other
planes and came on in for what
he expected to be a perfect three
point landing. He reckoned with
out his low wing, however, and
upon nearing the ground the
plane fiattened out and began
merrily gliding along the pillows
of hot air 10 feet over the field.
The same thing happened a.
third time and on his fourth pass,
in desperation, he came. flying
into the ground with his motor
half way open and got just
enough of the cuShioning effect
to bring him down easily for a
comfortable landing. He certainly
was one amazed pilot"
Safe Landings in Small Fields.
Steele explained that the low
landing speed made it possible to
land safely in small fields. On
his way from Baltimore to Wash
ington, he said, his compass being
out of order, he decided TO pick
out good broad highw..J and
follow it, on the theory that all
roads would lead to the National
Capital. After As minutes of fly
ing, however, he saw nothing of
this city and brought the little
plane down beside a farmer, who
was blowing his field. The startled
tiller of the soil told him he had
picked the road to Frederick, Md
With two more stops in farm lots
for further directions, Steele
finally arrived here without fur
ther incident. All three fields, he
said, were unsuitable for the
faster conventional type of plane,
though he had had no difficulty
landing or getting off with his
little ship.
Another slightly larger and
more powerful type of open-cock-
pit low-wing monoplane, which is
being used to some extent for
student training, is being pro-
duced as an addition to the Fair
child line of cabin planes.
The popularity of the light air
plane in England has led to the
development there of several
highly efficient types. One of
these, the Avro-Avian, now is
being built in this country for
training, cross country and gen.
eral utility work. The De Havi-
land Moth, another outstanding
British light plane, also is being
produced in the United States.
With hundreds of American fly
ing schools turning out classes of
licensed pilots and the manufact-
urers bringing the prices of planes
down to parity with the medium
priced automobile, this country