Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-22
William p NlacC,ucken, Former assistant
Secretary Of Commerce in Charge of
AOiatiou, Fnesees Remarkable Progress
IN A0iation During Next Decade-
plane More VaIuabIe Than DirigibIe.

future will differ from them in structure, en-
gines, design and power plants
This lack Of Standardization is one of the
biggest factors against the lighter than-air
Cracker. ut involves stupendous expense
Anything for replacement has to be fabricated
especially Nothing 1t interchangs able like an
automobile part. The bag is made of gold
beater skin, obtained from the intestines of an
OK. Each OK yields about one square foot. The
tremendous amount of painstaking effort and
expense can be estimated when say that the
R-1Ol has in 1t beater skins from $50 900
oxen. Experts are working on substitutes for
this godbeater skin, but have not found one
as yet. The R-101 cost about $4,000 OOO 1t
is of 5000, OOO-cubic-foot gas capacity.
This gives idea of the labor and expense
involved in building drigible. Naturally, If
anything happens to the craft it is catastro-
phe to the owners"
"Are these the only reasons, in your opinion,
why the dirigible is impractical as permanent
transoceanic carrier?" Mr.. MacCracken was
asked.
mo. The lighter-than air craft must develop
more speed" he answered. THE airplane has
done So but the dirigible has not Seventy-dve
or eighty miles an hour won't do" said Mr..
MacCracken.
THE steamship Leviathan is one of the fast
est ships In the world. She can cross the
Atlantic. westbound, in a little more than 1--WE
days. People believe in the safety of a large
ship of this type, and those who ride in aircraft
in future years will do so largely because Of
the time saved Plenty Is being said about the
rivalry of transatlantic liners for speed honors
and more will be said during the next FIVE
years. No doubt liners will be built to average.
around 80 or IS miles an hour or more. What
am driving at is this: In 1910 aircraft will
have 70 do better than twice the speed Of the
fastest ocean liners to secure the necessary
patronage.
Another present impractical feature of the
lighter-than-air craft is the handling of the
terminals. About 400 men are required to
handle the Graf Zeppelin. The terminal DIM
culties involve a great deal of expense and
inconvenience.
Because of all these obstacles to be over
come. shall be greatly surprised If a fleet of
these dirigibles is built and put in operation by
1882, as announced some time ago.
Il am interested in American lighter-than-
air experiments and would like to see a service
instituted between the Pacific Coast and the
Hawaiian Islands because of better weather
conditions there. Weather means everything
to the airhnan, and the California Hawaii and
South Atlantic routes preferable to those
OF the North Atlantic"
S'WHAT do you think of the type known as
the flying boat'?"
while in Europe saw the DO-x the flying
boat designed by Dornier. 1t is a most inter-
acCOmmO-
cations for more than 100 passengers but no
sleeping quarters. It Is designed to carry So
tons. 1t looked practical and able to alight
on the water and ride out a fairly heavy sea.
October 81 of this year was a big day in
the life of Dornier for the DO-x made an
amazing one-hour flight with a human load of
l69-the first time in the history of aviation
that SO many persons have bsen carried into
the air on any conveyance.
-, ~Bleriot. the first man to fly across the Eng
lish Channel. has designed a plane with wings
WI 'ch are automatically released when the
plane hits the water. The plane becomes a
boat with engine, propeller and rudder and is
non-slnkable Bleriot believes in the practi-
cability of the Armstrong islands, about which
SO much has been written These islands If
the plans of their inventor are carried out. will
be anchored at sea and become airnlane
stations
1t Is possible that one of these men or an
other flying boat designer may come through
with winner in the next five years But. as
SAID before, have greatest faith in the land
type alrplane, and when I speak of transatlantic
service within ten years I am expecting air.
planes to provide that service If there are
not too many bad breaks, it is probable that
this service will come before 1889"
Mr.. MacCracken dos not agree with the per-
sons who believe that the United States is far
bshind European countries in commercial
aviation.