Evening star., 1931-12-13

Air Division of 672 planes through a
total Of 100000 miles of flying without
a single fatality, setting a new world
standard for massed military aviation
maneuvers.
Though the departure of Gen. Fechet
will be regretted by those under
his command, they look to a continued
bright future for the Air Corps under
the leadership of his successor.
New Light Installed.
A new type of ceiling light protector,
the first to be installed at a Naval Air
Station and one of the few such lights
in the country, has been sent to the
Naval Air Station, Hampton Roads, Va,
for installation.
The new protector consists of an
alidade and light Of 100000 candle
power and is to be installed on
hangar roof with the alidade and con-
troll switches in the Astrological Office
The light, it is believed, may be used
on special occasions as a marker
beacon, in addition to its primary pur-
pose as ceiling protector.
AS ceiling protector it will be used
to determine cloud heights at night,
the height to the bottom Of the cloud
layer being quickly determined by a
AA1S 3odi NlliCiAb VA oIiSlSo.
Pioneering the wilderness.
The roar of airmail and passenger
planes, flying on regular schedules,
has begun to echo over the lost cities"
of YuCatan, which, up to the time of
their discovery three years ago by
Col Charles A. Lindbergh, were in a
region of trackless wilderness.
This seat of the ancient Mayan civil
ization has been opened by Pan-Ameri-
can Airways in establishing the closing
link in its transport schedules over the
"Lindbergh Circle" flown by the pioneer
goodwill flyer less than four years ago
The new line goes direct from Miami
to Havana and then across Cuba and
the 300mile stretch of ocean which is
the Yucatan Straits to Merida, COM
mercial capital of Eastern Mexico.
From Merida service is provided down
through Central America into the great
South American countries.
This line, cutting mail and passen-
ger time between the Eastern United
States and the chicle-producing areas
Of Mexico from eight to two days,
opens what has been one of the most
inaccessible sections for American COM
mercial activities.
Opens Lost Civilization.
The section of Yucatan brought into
easy reach by the new line is one which
has been masked by almost impene-
trable tropical jungles, dotted with the
ruins OF the ancient cities of the Mayas,
one Of the first races in America to
build up any manner Of civilization.
In the vicinity of Merida the line
passes near Chichen Itza, one of the
most famous of the old Maya capitals,
which has been partially restored by
the Carnegie Institution and the
Mexican government. South from
Merida the route lies within few miles
of the lost cities discovered by Lind
bergh on an aerial exploration of this
then little known territory three years
ago The planes pass directly over the
ancient city of Tulum, where the Lind
bergh party landed and which Is the
only coastal capital of the Maya so far
discovered.
In closing the last gap in the Lind
bergh circle, Pan-American has inaugu-
rated service on the basis of two round
trips week. Twin-motored eight
passenger Sikorsky amphibians are
used and direct connections are made
at Merida for Mexico City and the
Central and South American countries.
Radio and weather stations have