Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-17
TRIP OF u. S. FLYERS CEMENTS
FRIENDSHIP WITH COSTA RIGA

A formation flight which has done
much to cement the friendship between
Costa Rica and the United States was
made recently by is airplanes of various
military types from France Field, Pana-
ma Canal Zone, to San Jose, Costa Rica.
The flight was composed OF three
bombing planes, six observation types
and six pursuit ships under command
OF Lieut. Col. A. G.. Fisher and Mai.
r. d. Prescott. The pursuit and OBJ
servation planes landed at David for
gasoline, the bombers continuing with
out stop. The pursuit planes left David
As minutes after the bombers had passed
overhead and, cutting over the noun
tains, were the first to arrive at San
Jose. The bombers landed as the faster
ships were cleared of the field. AS the
bombers TAXED OF the landing area
formation Of three O2-H's landed, fol-
lowed by the three slower DIS. The
time required by the observation planes
was hours and 10 minutes actual fly
Ing time, as against hours and 80
minutes time for the pursuit planes.
The aviation field at San Jose is 1000
feet above sea level and is surrounded
by trees and high-tension lines on
three sides and wireless towers on the
fourth side. The thin air and many
obstacles make it a hazardous field in
which TO land. The planes all came
In safely, however, except the last OH,
which broke a tail skid. A crack in
the cam shaft housing also was discov-
cred, and France Field was requested
by radio to send replacement parts. Two
PW planes were used to carry the
parts, arriving the next day.
The country between David and San
Jose is Wild" the flight commander re-
ported to the War Department, land
apparently uninhabited. Part of the
time we were passing over mountain
ranges as high as 5000 feet. At other
times we skirted the edges of the Pa
cific Ocean. great difference was
noted between the Atlantic, which we
left early IN the morning, and the Pa
cific. The Atlan1c at this time of
the year is very rough with heavy
swells, while the Pacific was as peaceful
and calm as any inland lake. Hardly
a ripple could be noticed along the
shore
The flight was met at the field by
President Cleto Gonzales Viquez of
Costa RIGA and his cabinet, the Ameri-
can Minister, Roy T. Davis, and prac-
tically the entire population of the
city. The second day of the visit the
flyers were guests at receptions given
in their honor by the United States
mis- cabinet, That evening dinner
was given by President Viquez to the
members Of the flight at the Union
Club.
The fight gave demonstration of
aerial naneuvers with the various types
OF service planes, during which Lieut..
Donald Duke, chief of Always of the
Army Air Corps, who now is on leave.
arrived at San Jose flying a Pan-Amer-
lean Always amphibian plane. After
the pursuit planes had put on an aero
batic show the President and six men,
berS of the cabinet were given rides
x si1e bombers. While this flight was
in the air, Lieut.. Duke attempted to
take off in his amphibian with full
load of gasoline, mail and three pas
sengers. On his first attempt he failed
to get out of the field, and. after I'M
loading one passenger and some Of the
mail, he made a second attempt Be-
cause Of his load he was unable to
clear rev Of palm trees at the end
OF the field and the plane was wrecked
though no one was hurt.
The Army flyers were guests of honor
at big bull-baiting in the public arena
They were taken by automobiles tc
Carriage to visit a former President OF
the republic and were guests Of the
government at a ball on the last day
Of their stay.