Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-06-07
AVIATION
BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON.

| rSsS with officials OF the branch and Gre
ate1 a committee to go into the entlre
situation thoroughly.
The organizations represented at the
conference and on the committee are
those which erect or maintain skeleton
towers, transmission lines. hazardous
flying areas such as oil fields having
high derricks and Oil tank farms with
pinnacle lightning arrester towers and
high explosive danger areas.
Though the painting of such cb-
stacles with the high visibility" colors
which form the best warning to pilots
| in all weather conditions and the light
ing of the higher obstacles by night OBJ
viously will mean a good deal Of ex-
pense, especially in the case CT long
transmission lines, there seemed to be
a general disposition on the part Of
the representatives Of the organiza-
lions concerned to cooperate with the
Government in promoting the safety CT
| air travel and it Is believed that the
conference will have beneficial results.
New Ludington Record.
The Ludington Line, operating hourly
passenger service between the National
Capital and New York, has completed
100000 miles OF flying without acct,
dent Of any kind and without forced
landing off regular landing field dur
ing a single one of its passenger
flights. The week also witnessed the
completion of the hve-thousandth trip
over the line.
During its first eight months of fly
! ing, just completed, the Ludington Line
has carried more than 10000 passen-
gers. which is spprc ximately 25 per
cent Of the total passengers carried by
all other air transport lines in the
United States during that period.
A few days ago the line established
a single days operations, when 385 pay
passengers were flown between Wash
ington and New York, requiring a total
of 80 flights over the line, for a total
Of approximately 1000 miles Of flying.
Capt. Towers Leaves.
Capt. John H. Towers, pioneer naval
aviator, has been detached from duty
as the assistant chief of the Navy Blu
Capital for duty as chief of staff of
the aircraft squadrons, Battle Force,
based at San Diego, Calf.
Capt. Towers Is one Of the real old
timers in American military aviation.
He was in command of the Navy ex-
petition which resulted in the first air
plane flight across the Atlantic, made
by one Of four giant Navy seaplanes.
the NC-4, shortly after the close OF the
World War.
The Bureau Of Aeronautics also has
lost the services of Lieut.. Comdr. Arthur
c. Miles, who has been detached for
duty as aide on the staff of the air
craft squadrons, battle force.
To Test Autogiro Seaplane.
The first use in this country of the
autogiro as seaplane will be made for
test purposes by the Navy fight test
section at the Anacostia Naval Air
Station. The Navy during the past
week took delivery of an experimental
autogiro and the customary demonstra-
ton flights have been nearly completed,
with actual fight testing scheduled to
begin this week.
For a portion Of the tests the auto
giro Is to be mounted on floats and used
as a seaplane. 1t will become the first
autogiro seaplane in this country,
though autogiro seaplanes have been
made and tested in England with con-
siderable success.
The test flights and experimental
work to be conducted with the auto
giro at the AnacoStia station are to
determine its adaptability to naval
needs, according to Rear Admiral Will
liam A. Moffett, chief of the Navy
Bureau of Aeronautics.
THE ability Of the autogiro to land
within a limited space" Admiral
Moffett said, land its ability to hover
over one point should make 1t ex-
tremely useful for reconnaissance work
over bad country where adequate land
ing fields do not exist"
Purchase of the autogiro, the Navy
Department has announced, lis in keep
ing with the policy of the Navy De-