Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-20
NEW TYPE PLANE
STUDIED CLOSELY
Crafts Operation May Bring
Direct Competition With
Railways.

HioIoEcu HonoplaneS oeuVered mere our
ing the past week for operation on the
New York, Philadelphia, Washington
Anyways Corporation system, beginning
late next month, has aroused more in
terest among aviation people than any
of the many new planes seen here in
several months.
The new plane is designed from nose
to tail for economical operation, and
upon the success of the project, which
promises to be the first direct COMPETE
ton between air and rail transporta-
ton over an important operating divi-
sion, may depend much Of the imme-
/ date future OF air transportation in the
East.
Operating Costs Cut Half.
Operating costs on the new plane
are said TO be approximately half those
on the older type tri-motored planes
carrying the same number of pasSen-
| gers, with an increased factor of safety
on short runs. Six Of the ships are to
| be delivered before service Is inaugu-
| rated on the line.
AS result Of the low operating costs,
the line will be able to carry paSsen-
gers on a round-trip basis between this
city and New York at less than the
cost of railroad fare plus Pullman,
though the single-way trip will be
greater than on the railroad.
The planes are to be equipped with
| the new type of aircraft radio in
vented by G. Francis Jenkins of this
city, which does away with the compli-
Gated and expensive bonding of the
plane and shielding of the engines
against high-tenSion electrical interfer-
ence. Tests OF this type of installation
were made while the plane was at
Washington Airport few days ago, and
as Detroit were received clearly.
Mr.. Jenkins bases his radio system
on the discovery that there exists be-
hind each airplane a shadow" in
which there is no electrical interfer-
ence from the engines. Even in the
case of tri-motored planes it was found
during the tests here the shadow"
exists. Merely by towing the antenna
in this shadow the effects of engine
disturbances are eliminated.
Antenna Neutralized.
For the tests here the antenna was
neutraliZed for q distance of so feet
behind the plane by grounding through
second wire, greatly improving the
clearness and sensitivity of the outfit.
One Of the interesting features of the
new plane is an adjustable fin, which
may be set to enable the plane to fly on
any two engines without counteracting
control by the pilot. He may set the
fin by turning crank so that the plane
will continue to fly in straight line
without use of the rudder In tests
here the plane climbed at the rate of
200 feet per minute on two engines as
a demonstration Of ability to fly in
case Of engine failure. The plane has
been taken off with full load on two
motors, 1t was stated by Paul Collins,
noted airmail pioneer and former oper-
ations officer Of the famous Transconti-
mental Air Transport line, who is opera
lions manager of the new line
| Though 1T carries 10 passengers, the
plane weighs but $500 pounds fully
loaded and will fly at cruising speed
OF 1l2 to lib miles per hour and top
speed Of 1873 miles per hour. The three
Lycomtng engines give a total of $50
horsepower at top speed. The plane Is
SO designed that Diesel engines may be
installed If this Is found advisable later
Gasoline Is Different.
Separate grades Of gasoline are car
ried in the fuel tanks. Aviation gaso-
line Is used for taking off and landing
where maximum power is required for
safety. For cruising, however, the pilot
switches to tank containing ordinary
automobile gasoline. On the automo-
bile fuel, which is cheaper, the engines
lose about 3 horsepower each, but this
Is of no Importance, as the engines
never are operated at full power except
4 on the take-off.
As another item Of economy Of opera
ton and saving of weight, the plane
carries no electrical generator, using
storage batteries for ignition, starting
the engines and lighting. The engines
were started so times on one charging
OF the battery, though in regular opera
ton the batteries will be charged each
night.
All OF the maintenance, overhaul and
repair work on the planes and engines
Is to be done in the big new hangar at
| Washington Airport, and it is probable
that within a short time the entire
hangar will be given over to the pas
| Senger line.
Twelve Pilots to Be on Duty.
A staff of IL pilots is to be on duty
when service starts, and while their
names have not been announced, it is
known that the star will include some
OF the finest large plane pilots in the
country, including two or three men
known in aviation circles around the
world. These pilots are to be on duty
halliday at a time for five days in
succession, and then will be given q
day of. Their pay schedule is being
planned on q system new in air trans
portation operation in this country.
It Is planned to operate the planes
! each hour on the hour in both direc-
tions daily. making 20 flights over the
line each day, beginning at am. and
ending at pm. The planes will make
| direct connection with Colonial Air
Transport planes operating from New
York to Boston three times a day, Civ
ing four-hour direct service between
this city and Boston.