Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-27
ROBBINS AND KELLY
TELL EXPERIENCES
Lightning Flashing by Side of
Plane Caused Worst
Scare of Flight.
Continued From First Page.)

air was smoother and neither of us are
susceptible to airsicknesS.
Our future plans are at present rather
vague. We have received offers of con-
tracts of many types, including several
vaudeville contracts.
Flying is our game, though. and that
is what we are going to stick to. we
have no intention now Of signing show
contracts, regardless OF the financial IN
ducement.
We feel that we have been amply re-
paid by one fact of our flight alone.
That is the endurance qualities and
airworthiness of a single-motored ship.
When plans for our flight were in the
preliminary stage tri-motored plane
was considered. This plan was dropped,
though, as we felt our chances for sue
cess were greater in the type of ship we
were both accustomed to handling.
This is not intended as any reflection
on tri-motored jobs. Their capabilities
are too well known. We spent a lot
of time studying the facts about the
Question Mark flight and reached the
conclusion that success was as probable
load the tri-motored plane carried was
so heavy that two motors would not
keep it up.
Particular study of the rocker-arm
troubles of the Question Mark was
made also. The rocker arms on our
motor were creased twice daily. No
other work on the motor was necessary,
although we were prepared to replace
spark plugs II necessary, or change
other engine parts.
One Set of Spark Plugs.
One set Of spark plugs carried us
through the flight. No other part of
the engine was badly worn and when
we came down today our motor was
gone over and declared to be in excel
lent condition by E. M. Walsh, engine
expert from the Wright Aeronautical
Corporation.
The linen was somewhat frayed on
parts of the plane. but the covering was
not In bad condition. The ship was
recovered with new linen in preparation
for flight.
The Ryan brougham in which we
made the flight. was rebuilt according
to our own ideas of aviation engineer
ing. The roof was removed from the
back half of the cabin in order to make
refueling easier. The funnel, connecting
with the extra gasoline tank which
occupied the middle section of our Fort
Worth. was on the right side of the
ship. 1t was on the outside of the ship
We considered this safer than, to have
the funnel in the center of the ship.
One of the graveSt dangers in flight
of this kind is the possibility of fire.
We had to exercise unusual care In
preparations for refueling as well as the
| actual process of transferring gasoline
from plane to plane for that reason
Generation of electricity either from
the propeller or from friction was
guarded against by a copper ground
wire attached to the refueling hose and
clamped to the funnel during contact
K. K. Hoffman, pilot Of the refueling
ship, and H. S. Jones, co-pilot of the
ship, deserve much Of the credit for
the success of our flight. Their iron
| nerve and remarkable plotting skill were
| responsible for IT successful refuelings
| Ten or fifteen gallons of gasolineN was
, spilled once when we failed to make
| contact because a rag stuffed in the
refueling funnel had not been removed
before contact was made.
The last refueling. this morning, was
accomplished in a driving rain. We are
| not sure but believe this Is the first
time an airplane has ever been refuele6
In midair during rainstorm.
The refueling ship, which was also a
Ryan brougham, had hole in the bot
tom Of 1t through which Jones dropped
the hose. This hose was 81 feet In
length. Contact was usually made by
using only 20 feet of the hose. Several
times only 10 feet Of the hose were
| used.
We refueled three times daily during
the flight, with the exception Of one
day, when our reserve supply Of gaso-
| line was so high that we refueled only
| once. Early morning and early evening
were the hours we chose for this deli
cate and dangerous operation.
| The air Is smoother at that time, and
there is less danger Of p;anes being buff
feted by air bumps" while flying close
together. In the morning, usually
around 6 o'clock, we took on 40 gal
Ions of gasoline. At night, in two con-
facts, we would take 100 or 140 gal
Ions. Four and one-half gallons OF oil
were given us twice daily.
Got Food With Fuel.
With the oil we got our food, letters
and other supplies, which were lowered
in a canvas sack dropped by the re-
! fueling ship Immediately after the re-
| fueling contact was broken.
Hoffman had worked out a definite
| set of signals with us, and the refueling
was accomplished with almost clock
| like precision. Some persons consider q
| remarkable feature of our fight the
| fact that the first transfer OF gasoline
between our endurance ship and the
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