Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-01
GL|DERS
HASTEN AVIATION
Day When Plane viii Be Part
Of FamiIy's Property Is
Held Nearer.
BY JOSEPH s. EDGERTON.
Aviation Editor of The star.

Aviation Editor OF The Star.
CURTISs REYNOLDS AIRPORT,
Chicago, September 1.-The day when
the airplane viii become o part Of the
equipment Of the family Of average
means and will be flown with safety by
pilots Of average ability may not yet be
at hand, but it certainly has been
brought at least one day closer by the
National Air Races, which will close
here today.
There are on view here, on the
ground and in the air, several types of
light planes intended to be sold at what
usually are termed popular prices. They
are the concrete evidence of heavy
brain work on the part of designers and
builders, who hope through the air.
plane to tread the golden path to fame
and fortune blazed in the automobile
world by Mr.. Ford and others of his ilk.
Economic Pressure Is Responsible.
The light planes which are attracting
SO much attention here may be looked
upon as products Of the economic pres
sure which Is squeezing the airplane
business into the mold Of big industry.
Two years ago 1t was fact that flying
as sport was restricted to the wealthy
and to those who were willing to sac
riflce almost everything else to flying.
That is not true today. There now
are airplanes, some of them quite good
airpianes, selling for the prices of the
better types OF automobiles. Some OF
these planes, not all of them, are really
worth while from the standpoint of de-
sign and construction. They fly well.
though perhaps not at such high speeds
as some might desire, and are reason
ably economical in maintenance and
operation cost.
Some Are Power Gliders.
Several of the new light planes are Of
the power glider type. They have en-
gines OF from 80 to 80 horsepower, land
quite slowly and are therefore much
safer and easier for the amateur pilot
to handle, and yet are able to cruise at
speeds OF 30 to 100 miles per hour.
which Is quite fast for any one in the
habit of going places by the Sunday
afternoon highway brake and accelera-
One of the latest power glider types
has been flown during the races. to
the JOY and edif1cation of the crowds,
py MRS. Betty Lund, who has set q new
style for woman pilots by appearing
daily in fresh set of shorts and
socks Despite her costumes, Mrs. Lund
mas done a nice job of flying the little
glider plane, looping and rolling it be-
hlnd little 30-horsepower two-cylinder
engine to show that. Though It may
look frail and light beside the real air.
planes. IL really Is put together with
more than glue, thread and prayers and
will stand a considerable amount of
rought handling.
Cupboard Type Engines Used.
Cupboard marine engines, whitfield
down somewhat, are being used as
power plants for some OF the smaller
power giiders. The engineers here tell
OF one bright lad in a Middle Western
CITY who built his own glider, geared
Gown an outboard engine, fashioned his
own wooden propeller and went buzzing
around at o. great rate hither and Won.
such things, however, are makeshift
ana you VIII find none Of them here.
Inc National Aeronautic Association.
wnlch has held its annual convention
mere as part Of the races, is doing its
share to speed the day of the family
airplane through its new flying club
plan. The association, which Is the ma
tional aeronautical governing body. as
the American representative of the
Federation Aeronautique Internationale.
l.
vate flying clubs competently managed
and with insurance protection AGAINST
misfortunes such as crash, fire, light
ming, explosion, storm, theft or property
damage.
Bingham Praises Plan.
The private flying club plan, accord
ing to Senator Hiram Bingham of Con-
necticut, president of the association, is
q part of the object of the association
to stimulate in the private home o gen.
eral desire to fly.
Three crashes which have occurred
here during the races, resulting in three
deaths and injuries to Is persons, have
not helped the cause Of aviation pro-.
motors very much. It has been pointed
out by the pilots here, however, that
these crashes are due to the highly UNI
usual circumstances prevailing during
meets of the sort and would not have
occurred in ordinary flying. The
crashes, they say, are comparable to
those occurring on automobile race
tracks and should worry the EerfEf pas
senger no more than the speedway crash
worries the man who must drive his
own car home afterward.
Williams Stunts Plane.
Unable to repair a faulty gasoline
pressure pump which handicapped him
on earlier flights, Lieut.. Afford j. Will
liams former Navy racing and acrobatic
pilot took the air for another sparkling
demonstration Of acrobatic flying yes
terday afternoon. He was forced to
maintain the fuel pressure with o hand
pump, which he operated with his left
hand while putting his ship through its
PAGES.
Actor Wounds Actress.
IsoHL, Upper Austria. September ]