Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-22
By LIEUT.. NICK Manner.
First Flyer to Make O Nonstop Round-t
TranScontinental Flieht.

| First Flyer to Make o Nonstop Round-trir
| Transcontinental Flight.
written exclusively for The star an. and the
| SPOKANE, Wash, August 22.-Now
that our transcontinental flight In the
Spokane Sun God has been completed,
there are some things we learned that
I believe will be for the benefit OF de-
veloping commercial aviation.
Perfection of radio equipment to be
! installed in planes will help in an I'M
told manner in making appointments
with the, refueling planes for refuel.ngs
at fixed attitudes and speeds. This
will do away with the loss Of the usual
| time in circling the airport, dropping
messages and waiting for the refueling
plane to make contact.
For instance, a plane approaching
New York and desiring contact could
make an appointment 20 miles outside
of that city and, without decreasing
speed, could be refueled as 1t passed
over the airport, continuing on Its way
without wasting even one minute.
Sees Field Refuelers.
In my opinion, the time Is not far
of when each airport will have a re-
fueling plane, and on occasions where
great speed Is desired in croSs-country
|
After refueling with a variety Of planes
I am convinced that the most practical
type of refueling ship is a monoplane,
on account Of the absence Of lower
wings, which gives the pilot OF the
olane being refueled greater visibility.
Furthermore, feel that the best type
of refueling plane is large tri-motoreo
plane. Such ship has greater weight
and therefore more stability, which is
highly important factor in refueling.
Tri-motored planes also will be able 70
carry greater loads of gasoline and oil
eliminating the necessity of the refuel-
ing plane going back to the airport and
taking on more gasoline. In the large
type of plane, trap doors through the
bottom could be used to lower the gaso-
line and oil, and. If desired, o food
supply for several passengers.
Engine Perfection" Is Cited.
One of the most important reactions
I have from the flight is the fact thai
the airplane Is absolutely removed from
the ground for almost unlimited do perioo a.
IF time. Our fight of about 10000 miles
over the Rocky Mountains, desert re-
eions. plains and the Eastern part of the
United States has proved that the air
plane is truly in its element all OF the
time. It has proved that the airplane
is something more than vehicle OF the
air between regularly scheduled and
fixed terminals.
Further than that, our flight proved
that the producers of aircraft have
neared the point of airplane perfection
in motors as we'll as planes. At al
times our Wright Whirlwind eng inc
was working at full capacity, this being
especially true at the refueling periods
and in long flights over the mountain
ranges. Long bursts Of speed were
forced on the motor to insure keeping
our refueling appointments.
At the time of our landing, the motor
was running cool and smooth, with alb
solutely no sign of exhaustion. The
controls of the Sun God were as re-
sponsive as the day we took OF.
In spite of the battering the fuselage
took at refueling periods the body OF
the plane is as solid as the day it was
constructed It is my belief that the
plane and motor could leave again today
on the same trip without any mechani-
cal attention, and would return with the
same victory.
I Hawks Assistance Is Lauded.
We contacted seven refueling crews
flying five types of airplaneS. I had
| never worked with but two Of these
seven crews before, and had in fact
never even seen the others. No difnculty