Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-04-05
CLUB
Seen LIKELY
FOR VALLEY
Meeting Thursday To
Determine Those
Interested

\ meeting Of those interested in
a glider club will be held at the Ell
Jardin hotel Thursday at 8 D. m,
according to Col. T. Z. Gilmore.
manager Of the Municipal airport.
The club, sponsored by the local
civic clubs and the chamber OF
commerce. will be limited to 100
members, with the possibility Of
several other clubs later. after the
original club has proven a success.
Gliding will soon become the
most popular sport in the Valley"
Col. Gilmore said Saturday and
every town will have a club. There
will even be a children's and wo-
mems club" he added.
Names Compiled
A list Of names has been compiled
already, and the membership Will
be easily attained, according TO Of
Nficials. A number Of distinguished
citizens of Brownsville have signi-
fled their desire to cooperate with
originators OF the club, Col. Gil
more said.
The Valley should be an ideal
place for gliding" he continued.
MANY persons are under the i'm
preston that In the absence Of
hills, that gliding is impossible.
Gliding depends upon air currents
more than anything else. We have
mmw1I mAz w~ntnp go Awmnwau ard
flat land. And heat. A cool breeze
coming over the ocean onto n hot
prairie will form what is known as
a rising current. With a rising cur
rent, there is no telling how long a
glider can stay up in the air.
Record Is Hours
MI. Gilmore pointed out that the
existing worlds records are: time in
the air, Is hours (made in Ger
many and distance. s5 miles. The
American record is around 2 hours
in the air, he said. He added that
a standing prize of $4,000 has been
offered TO the first American TO
stay in the air 10 hours or more,
with 500 rel hour added to the
UTlIe lOI every dOAAeASAAoA A~
the original 10.
The air currents are so FAVOR
able here that I believe we can re-
main In the air 10 hours. after our
pilots have become experienced.
An experienced pilot in a good
glider might fly from Brownsville
To Corpus Christi. or from Browns
.ilf. ~ Tampico. Col. Gilmore dis
closed.
The club will first purchase a
training glider. with which 70 prac-
flee. The training glider Is abso-
luteiy safe. and will land by itself
If necessary. After local men be-
come proficient with the training
glider. a secondary glider VIII De
purchased 3 or 4 weeks after the
opening Of the club. A soaring
glider will be bought later, capable
OF speed, altitude and distance.
10 Men Needed
The gliders are thrown into the
face Of q wind by means OF an
elastic cable, pulled by between 10
and IA men. A machine equipped
with pontoons may rise and land
water. pulled by a motor boat
B gain momentum.
Fields near the city limits have
been offered 10 the club" Col Oh
more declared Saturday. i predict
that the sport will sweep the Val
lev, and become M OF the most
popular here. The Valley will be-
come a gliding center. Contests will
edd TO the interest after several
clubs have organized"
II don't believe that gliding VIII
ever become practical for trans
rortation." the airport MANAGER
concluded. but II will be n OF the
greatest aids TO aviation. elininat-
ing the dancer Of learning 70 fly.
A man who has become experienced
i'm n perfectly safe glider. can Nv
an airplane as soon as he learns
how 70 handle tho controls OF an
airship powered with engines. He
has learned how 20 land. he has be-
come acquainted with tricky air
currents. he ran turn. bank. gain
altitude. glide"