Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-30
No Reply Is Made to Note.
Flyers Have Been in Air
for Ala Hours.
MOTOR HAS PROVED SELF,
FLIGHT HACKERS ASSERT
Also Say All Desired Data Obtain
ed-Want Pilots to Take No
Unnecessary Risks.

ST. LOUIS, July 80 (P).-The
monoplane st. Louis Robin had been
up Ala hours at lit pm. &C. S. To
today. At that hour the pilots, Dale
(Red Jackson and Forest O'Brine,
had made no reply to note sent to
them this morning by Maj. William
B. Robertson, sponsor of the flight,
calling them down today.
BY the Associated Press.
ST. LOUIS, July 3o.-Maj. William
B. Robertson, president of the Curtiss-
Robertson Airplane Manufacturing Co.,
which is sponsoring the .record-break-
ing endurance flight of Dale (Red)
jackson and Forest O'Brinc in the
monoplane st. Louis Robin. this morn
ing sent the flyers a message ordering
them to land some time today.
The message was sent up shortly after
the refueling plane had taken aiott an
other note, written by Mai. Robertson
last night, in which he told them they
could land any time, but to Use their
own judgment and to bear in mind that
their safety now was the most important
factor of the problem.
The flyers dropped note answering
the first letter.
The message read: "Motor still run
ming good. See no reason to quit now.
We are shooting at the 500-hour mark.
Ship o. K. and so are We"
A short time before the order to land
was taken aloft Jackson dropped note
to Phil Silverson, aerial photographer
at the field, in which he said, Il hope
We can stay up a month";"
Would Take No Chances.
Maj. c. Hay WaSsall, pilot of the re-
fueling plane. took Maj. Robertson's
order to the flyers shortly after 9 am.
He told newspaper men that a fur
ther statement from Maj. Robertson
would be made later.
Joseph Mellon, a representative Of
the Curtiss interests, said:
They have done their stuff and we
don't want to take any chances with
them"
What If they refuse to land?"
Questioner asked Maj. Robertson.
We will still feed them and send
them fuel" he replied.
The wives of the flyers, although
stating they would be happy to see their
husbands on the ground again, indt-
Gated that they thought the flyers am
bition to set the record at 500 hours
should be encouraged.
Maj. Robertson explained his action
in memorandum made public at noon
today. The memorandum said Maj.
Robertson had sent note to O'Brine
and Jackson, at 8:45 am, requesting
them to terminate the flight some time
today, and added:
Maj. Robertson's reasons for this
decision are that all the objects of the
test flight, started July 13, 1929, have
been fully accomplished as the Chal-
lenger motor has more than proved it
self, the Robin airplane has also proved
itself and the technical data that was
wanted has been secured. The men are
in good health and excellent spirits, the
motor and plane are running smoothly.
but he can see no further advantage Of
running the motor until it fails, as jack
son and OBrine have now established
an endurance record beyond all expec-
tationS."
Mai. Robertson also made public a
telegram from Frank H. Russell, vice
president of the CurtiSs Airplane &
Motor Co., manufacturers of the Chal-
lenger motor, saying that the flyers
would receive $25,3C0 from the COM
pany, regardless of whether they re-
main up 500 hours.
The flyers began their eighteenth day
aloft at 7:17 am. &C. S. IT,, and an
hour later clipped off their 409th hour.
They started of the day by playing
joke on the ground crew and 5000
watchers, feigning contemplated land
ing.
Yesterday the flyers dropped a note
saying the motor was beginning to
weaken under the long strain, but this
mornings note said the trouble had
cleared up and that two cylinders
thought to have been weakening were
hitting 1t fine now"
Play Joke on Ground Crew.
That the flyers are still in good
spirits, even though the motor might
be weary, was indicated by their little
joke"
everybody get ready; we are going
to land" read note written in heavy
hand by jackson, and tossed from the
plane as it swooped low over the field
at $50 am.
Mai. c. Ray Wassan, chief of the
ground organization, leaped into action;
his assistants scurried to their pre-
scribed posts; movie men shouldered
their heavy cameras and ran to "loca-
tion," and the crowd gathered to watch
the morning refueling became tense as
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