Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-13
NEWFLOODL|CHT
PROVES EFFECTIVE
Successful Test at Boiling
Field of Aid in AirpIane
Night Landing.
BY JOSEPH s. EDGERTON,


Tests were made at Boiling Field last
night Of what is said to be the most
powerful landing field fioodlight ever
produced. That sounds prosaic, but for
some of those who took part in the
demonstration 1t was an experience that
will stand out.
In the mellow glow of the great light
nine Army officers made IL perfect take
offs and landings with no more trouble
than If the sun had been shining bright
ly. For them 1t may have been nothing
more than the regular days JOB, but
for the passengers they carried a num-
Der of whom were making their first
night Nights, 1t was anything but
routine stuff"
The demonstration of the new airport
lighting protector was viewed by repre-
sentatives OF the Army and Navy air
forces, representatives of the Depart
ment Of Commerce and commercial
aeronautical companies. The protector.
which Is mounted on wheels so as to
be readily movable to any point where
1t may be needed, is declared the larg-
est light of any kind thus for devised
for the purpose. Eight 3,000-watt lamps
arranged In row, in combination with
seven So by l5-inch cylindrical mirrors
OF parabolic curvature, produce a fan
shaped beam of light of 1000, 000- beam
candlepower intensity for flooding large
areas of ground.
Power of Light Beam Noted.
The light beam rises only few feet
above the ground so an aviator can
land directly into the beam without be-
ing blinded. The mirrors and lenses
give a light distribution through 100
degrees. which can be increased to 100
degrees. or half the circle. The light is
so bright newspaper can be read in
its beams a mile away, the engineers
claim.
The light was brought here just be-
fore Inauguration day, but. owing to
the dangerously muddy condition of
Boiling Field. night flying tests could
not be held until last night They will
be continued tonight. The big light
was used week ago last night to illun-
mate the field when four Army and
Navy dirigibles were stormbound and
while nearly TOO men struggled to hold
the ships in rain, snow and wind
storm, which resulted in partial de-
age to another which Is believed to have
resulted In its subsequent destruction.
Last nights flying began soon after
Z o'clock, when Capt. j. j. Devery, IT.,
took off In Douglass o. Army OBJ
servation plane with T. C. Pearce of
the Potomac Electric Power Co. In the
rear cockpit as observer. Mr.. Pearce
assisted in setting up and wiring the big
light and was hoped" so he could OBJ
serve the results of his work. The
plane. with red and green running
lights and white rear light. flashed
like molten silver as it sped through the
huge fan OF light and rose into the dark
ness.
Capt. Devery was followed almost i'm
mediately by Maj. Howard C. David
son, commandant of Boiling Field, In a
second Douglas plane. with w. F.. Car
penter of the General Electric Co.
builders of the light, as passenger,
Maj. Davidson made one landing by
the new light and then went I'D again
and made a second landing by the light
of the permanent field equipment.
The two planes were kept In use for
nearly three hours, and flights were
made by Capt H. A. Dinger, with
Warren B. Hadley District electrical
engineer; Lieut.. Eugene A. Bayley, with
Maj. M. w. Danielson OF the Quarter
master Corps: Lieut. Devereaux M.
Myers. with Lieut.. Col r. P. PARROT,
u. S. A., retired. of the General Elec-
trio Co.. Lieut.. M S. 1awton. with
C. A. B. Halverson, electrical engineer
who designed the new light: Lieut..
Bushrod Hopping, with r. e. Horn
of the General Electric Co: Lieut..
Newton Longfellow, with H. w Vi,kery
of General Electric; Capt. Ginger with
Marshall Andrews Of the Post, anu
Lieut.. Louis NJ Merrick with the writer.
J. l.. Kineny. Department of Commerce
pilot. took up Pitcairn Mailwing
plane used by the department for in
spection work. with Col. Harry H. Blee.
chief OF the airports section of the de-
partment's aeronautics branch, as
passenger
The sight of the National Capital
from the air at night Is a spectacle of
almost unearthly beauty. Against q
background of black the lights of the
city trace glittering network of fas-
cinating and irregular pattern.
Streets Stand Out vividly.
Streets illuminated by the new type of
lights stand out wildly as double row
of glistening blue-white lights The
others are much DINNER and the re-
naming gas lights glow duly through
their white glass tops. Traf1ic lights
twinkle U minute pinpotnts Of red,
yellow and Neen. ~