The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1930-05-15
GREAT INTEREST IN
elders MANIFESTED
Cheaper Than Power Planes
but Safety Doubted.

NEW 1OTk.-l HTouSn the lOHS-lbT-
gotten science and sport of gliding,
aviation, which for a time last year
appeared to be losing its hold on the
popular imagination although making
again the topic of daily conversation
and comment throughout the United
States.
Two arguments are advanced by
the glider enthusiasts in favor of this
method of flying and learning to fly:
one that it is cheap and the other
that it is safe. Certainly ii costs less
than power planes, although some
of the imported gliders run as high
as the cheaper low-powered planes.
The safety argument, however, is still
open to debate and merits certain
qualifications. Such experienced pi-
lots as G. S. Casey Jones and
Clarence D. Chamberlain are Of the
opinion that gliding is dangerous,
and Chamberlain goes so far as to
say that in his opinion the powered
airplane is the safer craft.
Jones argues that gliding as train
ing for powered flight has distinct
limitations and is not at all of the
opinion held by Capt. Frank Nj.
Hawks that course in gliding should
be made prerequisite to all flight
training.
Hard Work In Towing.
Hawks differentiates distinctly be-
tween gliding, soaring and towing. The
last, he admits frankly. is fraught
with serious problems and danger.
1t is hard work. On his flight across
the country his only relaxation came
at the end of each day, when, free of
the towine which tugged him out of
soaring position time and again, he
could glide and sail whithersoever
the air currents would carry him. He
could control flight to remarkable
degree by utilizing the air currents
for climbing, turning and descending.
| However, the interest in gliding
bids fair to outshne for time pub
lie interest in all other forms Of aero
nautics. The progress of Hawks
across the country was long series
of receptions In which thousands par
ticipated. Not since the world flight
of the Graf Zeppelin has the whole
nation turned out to watch as it did
for the aerial train. Over cities where
his advance man had preceded him
the flyer looked down on buildings
and housetops blackened with peo-
pie. Out in the country along the pro-
| jected course farmers from miles
around massed their cars along the
roads and brought their families TO
see the tow plane pass above.
Too Expensive for Transport.
Speculation, particularly in Ger
many, as to the commercial available
ity of the towed glider for the trans
port Of goods is attracting attention.
Captain Hawks, enthusiast as he is,
has little faith in this form of trans
port. Certain planes, as they are built
today, have little to offer as air loco
motives and the elders themselves
are still primitive creations No auto
matte pilot has yet been developed
for operating glider and none but
very good pilot is competent to han
die the controls Of the lowed aircraft.
The expense mounts as one considers
the various factors necessary for
equipping an aerial train. and with
present equipment this expense ap-
pears 10 climb faster than the pay
load.
The next step appears to be pow
cred gliders," although your true sail
plane enthusiast resents the idea as
much as the sailboat fan abhors all
forms of mechanical propulsion and
especially auxiliary engines. Already,
at Dayton, d powered glider has re-
ceived favorable recognition by the
army engineers at Wright field. In
England the Dawsett Hawk special
Is flying with motor that develops
One-half horse power and the Aronca,
another powered glider that attracted
much attention at the st. Louis show.
has flown East.