The Washington times., 1929-06-14
GALES AWAIT FLIERS ALONG ENTIRE EUROPEAN COAST
NEAR AZORES
WITH FUEL Low

plane seemed to be functioning
normally.
An hour after the Yellow Bird
passed the Wytheville, the plane
should have rounded the ocean
corner" the spot on maritime charts
whore the straightaway course
across the ocean begins. From this
turning point" the distance TO
the French coast is approximately
2.240 miles. but 1t was considered
likely the Frenchmen would Top at
least four or five hundred miles off
their water jump by heading for
the Spanish mainland.
In Spain BY Noon
II the i00.miie-an hour speed is
maintained, the fliers should cross
the Spanish coast some time before
noon today, and It 10 considered
likely that IL no trouble is en-
countered this speed should lie
vastly bettered as the flight pro-
crosses and the load Of gasoline
becomes less heavy.
Considerable mystery surrounds
the fact that no direct w;srsi from
the airmen has been received since
an hour after the take-ofT. THE
Yellow Bird is equipped with radio.
but no word came from the plane
ali through the night as to its
progress. It is obvious that some
radio trouble has been encountered.
as the airmen did not attempt to.
talk to the Wytheville. nor have
the arrangements made to report
hourly on the planes progress been
complied with,
Radio Silence Puzzles
Wireless experts said that during
the first eight or ten hours of the
flight the airmen were likely to
meet with atmospheric conditions
which would initiate against clear
radio transmission, but the utter
absence of signals leads to the be.
lief that the planes transmitter Is
disabled.
If arrangements made before the
start were carried out according
to schedule. Lefevre took over con-
troll of the plane from Assolant inn
mediately after the ocean corner"
was reached about nightfall.
Lefevre would remain at the con-
trolls throughout the night, and
when dawn broke the plane should
have been within 1900 miles Of the
French coast and about 700 miles
due west of Spain.
This area is thickly dotted with
passenger and freight vessels at
this season of the year, but The
fact that a speedy, high-flying plane
may easily be reduced to an ihdis-
cernible speck in the sky was
proved by the absence of further
reports last night.
Many Ships on Line
Nine transatlantic vessels, due in
New York Monday, were along the
course of the Yellow Bird during
the night and day. They included
the American Farmer. from London;
the Roma, from Genoa; the Cedric
from Liverpool, and the st. Louis,
of the Hamburg American line from
Bremen.
The master of the Roma informed
international News Service by
wireless last night that nothing
had been seen or heard of the
Yellow Bird.
The Mauretania and the Leviathan
were also in the path OF the plane,
as well as at least half a dozen
other vessels Of various nationali-
ties, but none reported sighting the
transatlantic plane. Low hanging
clouds and the usual ocean mist
would effectuaIly screen the plane
from view.
South Route Longer
II the machines radio had been
working, steady reports, it is be.
lieved. would have been received
either direct from the plane or from
ships along the route telling of its
progress.
Lott, navigator of the Yellow
Bird, planned to take a course sew
eral hundred miles north of the
Azores, but in the event of unfavor.
able weather. he intended to swoop
further to the South and pass over
Fayal, in that group OF islands.
The latter course, however, is some
700 miles longer than the 3,500-mile
route originally planned, and would
place a great strain on the motor
and the fuel reserve.