Evening star., 1929-06-30
ARCTIC AIR ROUTE
TO EUROPE URGED
Michigan GeoIogist Declares
IceIand-G Greenland Line
Holds Most Hope.

Editors Note-Prof William H. Hobbs,
distinFuished scientist of the University
Myers. Hstsell and Cramer. believes
transatlantic air travel must be devel-
n neH interviews err @ with the Hssocstsd Press
aysS ed9 ses rS 81 bs sssfs t0d Of re
search in Arctic wastes.
ANN ARBoR, Mich. (4n.-Prof. VIII
liam B. Hobbs of the University OF
Michigan, who is laying tentative
plans for a fourth expedition into
Greenland. believes that the only sat-
isfactory solution to the problem of
transatlantic airplane travel lies in the
Greenland-Icelsndr route.
Since safety is the primary factor in
mapping out a regular passenger air
route, the northern route across Green
land and Iceland is the only one which
offers a solution to the problem" Prof.
Hobbs says. Weather conditions and
winds in the Far Nogth are much more
favorable than those encountered along
the traditional ship lanes to Europe and
the water jumps are much shorter and
less perilous."
Believes Study Will Pave Way.
Prof Hobbs, the 64-year -old Michigan
geologist who has widespread repu-
tation in his own field. sprung into in
ternational prominence last Summer
when studies of his Greenland expedi-
tion furnished flight data for the Rock
ford-Stockholm flight of Bert Hassell
and Parker Cramer. The Rockford
flyers were later rescued by Prof.
Hobbs when they failed to reach their
Greenland base.
IT believe the meteorological studies
made in the three years We have gone
to Greenland will lay the groundwork
for establishment of a successful trans
atlantic air route" he says. I'VE have
made detailed studies of air conditions
in the vicinity of Mount Evans, our
base, to a height of 18 miles above the
earth-far higher than man can hope
to ascend with his flying machines.
instruments we're sent up in some
Of the kites and balloons, while most
of the observations were made from the
ground as we watched the balloons
ascend through the various air cur
rents. Some conditions found in
Greenland are extraordinarily favorable
to the needs OF flyers.
I'VE found that winds always blow
parallel to the fjords, or ice arms,
which extend out into the sea, insuring
flyers that they can land with ample
runway priviSionS. If the winds ever
blow across the fjords it would be
dangerous, because of lack of landing
space in that direction. But the flier
in Greenland can always rely upon
winds that sweep parallel to the fjords.
"A tail-wind, one of the most well
come aids to flying, is always assured
for the flyer who crosses Greenland If
he knows the correct altitude at which
70 ny. Our studies have shown that the
air blows out from the center of the
Greenland ice cap toward the coastline.
BY furnishing the pilot with data on the
altitude at which he should fly after
taking of, it is possible to have tall
wind all of the way.
Clear Weather Prevails.
CLEAR weather prevails most of the
time, with ideal conditions for flying.
Heavy fogs, such as are common over
the Atlantic route taken by Lindbergh,
are not apt to add to the perils of the
flyer who crosses to Europe by way of
Greenland, for they are not frequent.
THE most serious hindrance to sue
cessful establishment of a regular air
route by way of Greenland and Iceland
lies in the difficulty of remaining in
contact with the planes in flight by ra-
dio. Since the days are very long in
Greenland during the Summer, it is
difacult to obtain results with radio be-
cause of the disturbing factors in the
suns rays. We were not able to get
into communication with Hassell and
Cramer while they were in the air be-
cause OF this phenomena"