Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-04
ECBENER MECHANIC
VISITS NEARBY SITE
Inspection BoISterS Hope
DirigibIe Terminal viii Be
Located Near Alexandria.

Hopes that the National Capital will
be selected by DR.. Hugo Eckener and
American associates as the Western ter
minal of a proposed transatlantic
dirigible passenger and mail line were
strengthened by the unheralded arrival
lin the Capital yesterday of Herman
Pfaff DR.. Eckener's chief mechanic
aboard the Graf Zeppelin during all the
flights of the great German airship.
Pfaff went Immediately to the Hybla
Valley site near Alexandria, Va, which
was inspected last Spring by DR.. Ecke-
ner and concerning which a detailed
daily study of weather conditions now
is being made for Dr. Eckener.
The German airship man made the
trip to Hybla Valley quietly, and not
more than two or three people in the
Capital knew that he was in the city
He was accompanied only by Jack Rab-
bitt Of the Washington Air Terminal
Corporation, owners Of the Hybla VAL
ley area, and Dan Hollenga, manager
of the Alexandria Chamber CT Com
merce, who is in charge of the weather
study now being made at the site.
Shows Keen Interest.
Pfaff showed the keenest interest in
the Hybla Valley area and asked for de-
tailed information regarding the tract
hj3sl wes supplied MIN by Hollenga
and Rabbit. He wanted to know about
drainage the amount of grading and
other work required. transportation ia
cilities and other matters. 1t was indi-
Gated by his questions that DR.. Eckener
has studied the site so carefully that he
has determined the exact site and di-
rection of the great airShip hangar
which must be constructed if the area
is selected as the terminal. The site for
the hangar, it was indicated, is in the
northwest portion of the valley, with
the axis of the building IN a general
east and west line.
Pfaff, through Mr.. Hollenga as an
interpreter, said emphatically that DR..
Eckener's search has been narrowed to
three sites-that at Hybla Valley, one
near Petersburg, Va, and the other
near Baltimore Md. He was asked
whether he intended to inspect the
other two sites, but declined to make
a positive answer. He said that he in
tends to go directly from the National
Capital to Akron, Ohio, home of the
Goodyear Zeppelin Co. and head
quarters for DR.. EckeneT's American
associates.
The chief mechanic Of the Graf
Zeppelin has been associated with Dr.
Eckener for many years and is one CT
the most trusted officers of the German
crew DR.. Eckener has assembled and
trained When the Crafts fin was torn
by gales during the first Atlantic fight,
Pfaff was in charge of the repair work
and, assisted by Knut Eckener, DR..
Eckener's tall, blonde son, led a crew
out onto the light, narrow girders of
70 10 xxrif
nothing beneath them but the knife
edged Orders and the raging Atlantic,
hundreds of feet below.
Visits Cousin in Capital.
Pfaff said he was visiting a cousin,
Mrs. Ida Stanley, in Washington, and
that he probably would remain in the
United States about two months. He
woulc not say whether he would sub
nit report to Dr. Eckener or American
officials of the proposed dirigible line
on the results Of his visit to Hybla
Valley.
Following the inspection of the field
he was the luncheon guest of MIR.
Hollenga and Mr.. Rabbit in Alexan-
dria, returning later to Washington,
where he visited the Washington
Hoover Airport.
A daily report on weather conditions
at the Hybla Valley field is being made
by Mr.. Hollenga to officials Of the in
ternational dirigible organization IN
New York Most~of the work on behalf
of the organization in connection with
the selection of the terminal site is
being done by Ward T. Van Orman, in
ternationally famous balloonist and win
neT Of the Gordon Bennett International
Trophy. who has made frequent visits
to the local site
A complete set of automatic record
ing instruments has been set up on
50-foot tower at the field, and the read