Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-28
MERICA'S growing legion of
private airplane owners is

n bringing about marked
change in the design anC
equipment CT American-built air
craft, it was revealed at the recent
all-American aircraft show in
Detroit. Lower prices, greater
economy of operation, increased
sign and appointments are direct
results of this new influence.
The private pilot in this country
Is graduating from the open cock
pit planc to the mere comfortable
cabin type and is demanding the
iefinementS of design and equip
ment to which he has become ac-
cuStomed as a motoriSt.. The in
creaSing influence of the automo-
bile on airplane design was one of
the outstanding developments ap-
parent at the Detroit show.
Factors of beauty, comfort and
convenience, as was the case with
the automobile, have become more
important selling points" This
may be regarded as wholesome
sign of progress, marking the
transition of the airplane industry
from the experimental stage to
that of accepted dependability.
The fact that the private owner
has come to stress "eye appeal"
factors seems to indicate reason
able satisfaction with the more
important factors of design which
have to do with performance and
safety.
Care in Interior Finishing.
Every cabin plane at the show,
1t is said, revealed more care in
interior finishing than at any pre-
viouS show. The cabin interiors
more closely reSembled those of
closed automobiles, as to height,
seating comfort and window ar
rangement for visibility. The
Verville air coach, for example,
employs a special fuselage con-
struction which permits the in
Stallation of windows 40 inches
long on each side of the cabin,
unbroken by parts of the fuselage
construction. Metal side paneling
similar to that used in automobile
body construction is used.
Cleaner design, brought about
by the elimination of projections
which interfere with the air flow
as well as improvement of the
Streamline, also was apparent in
many Of the new models. Greater
attention to detail was indicated.
One plane had a built-in tail
light which formed the pointed
rear end Of the fuSelage beneath
the rudder. On the Monocoupe a
new type of gas gauge was coupled
directly with the tanks in the butt
end of the wings and located
within the cabin. Another plane
is equipped with a two-bank in
Strument board; the flying in
StrumentS on the upper panel and
the control instruments on
lower panel eight inches nearer
the pilot. Between the panels is
a map shelf, the whole arrange
ment proving neat, convenient
and economical of space.
The Boeing mail plane has a
new hinged Step-plate folding into
the streamlining to accommodate
the mechanic in Servicing the
plane. Fine coach work, exterior
beading lines to break the fuSelage
into panels for two-tone color
finishing, and other similar re-
flnementS were features of other
models.
Features Standardized.
It was apparent that engine
mounting, fuselage construction,
design and placing of landing
gear and other major structural
features have become somewhat
standardized in planes of the
various classes. This Standardized
ton Of engines mountings is held
by many engineers to be one of
the important necessities. I'M
proper types of mountings, they
hold, may lead to excessive vibra-
ton and structural weakening
which will lead to serious trouble.
The Society of Automotive En-
gineerS, among others, is working
for the standardized motor
mounting.
Improved types of shock alb
Sorbers for the landing gear, ball
bearing tail wheel posts to make
the planes responsive to the
slightest turn while taxying,
bronze oilleSs bearings throughout
the control system, standardized
instruments and instrume n
panels and other details making
for comfort and convenience were
noticeable.
One of the most interesting ex-
hibitS at the show was the por-
ton of the fuselage containing
the passenger compartments and
control section of the new 32-paS-
senger four-motored Fokker
transport plane now under con-
struction as the fore-runner OF
a feet Of the huge planes to be
used in .transcontinental pas
Senger service.
The fuSelage Is arranged with
sleeping accommodations similar
to those Of a Pullman car. Upper
and lower berths, each three feet
wide, are equipped with full
springs and mattresses. BerthS
are provided for Is passengers. AS
a day-liner the plane will carry
80 passengers and crew OF four.
Will Be MonopIanes.
These airliners, the largest ever
built in this country, will be
monoplanes, similar in general
appearance to the present Fokkers
except that the motors will be in
tandem under the wings and there
will be no engine in the nose of
the fuSelage. The passenger. cabin
will be "a feet long, nine feet wide
and more than eight feet high.
The pilots cockpit is placed
@ NnEnnaIAl